The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-24
DOOMED BY 4 DESPOT.

a hundred wersts from Moscow, in Sep
TENDER, 1855. His amusement had car
ried him too far for him to think of re-
turning home that evening. He was
near small house which belonged to
an aged man of noble birth, who had
lived there for fifty-seven years. This
old man had taken possession of the
house in his nineteenth year; but no.
body knew how he had purchased it, nor
from whence he had come, nor who he
was. He had never quilted it-not even
10 90 to Moscow-since the day he en-
tered upon possession. The first ten
years he had lived there he had made
no acquaintance, seen nobody, and
never spoken, except to ask what was
absolutely necessary to him. He had
never married, although his estate, con-
tanning two thousand deciatinas of land
and five hundred serfs, brought him in
five thousand silver rubles a year. Al
though this old man was said to be very
inhospitable, my friend did not hesitate
to ask permission to spend the night in
his house. A place at the stove no
Russian peasant ever refused to q
stranger. The old man invited him in,
and my friend found seated at the table
with his host a near neighbor of his.
Conversation was consequently easy, for
they We're no longer strangers. The old
man was wellpreserved person of sew
enty-fve years old. His eye was bright,
but rather uneasy-looking His health
was robust, and his noble white hair
and white beard in no wise diminished
his appearance of vigor. He wore the
true Russian costume -boots which
came above his knees black velvet
pantaloons, with large folds gray frock
coat; and cap, trimmed with astrachan.
The conversation turned upon subjects
of contemporary interest. They talked
freely, and this very freedom seemed
pleasure to men who had been doomed
to silence for three and thirty years
The Car Nicholas had died on the 18th
OF February previous, and the Car Alex
ander III. had begun his reign by words
and acts which opened a future career
10 Russia. Russians had ceased to hope
The old man-unlike most persons of
his age, who are always regretting the
past-seemed glad to have witnessed
change of reign, and to breathe like a
free man. He seemed like a man bu-
ried in q dungeon and set at liberty-he
enjoyed light and air and freedom.
:" But how did it happen that man
of your birth should have quilted ST.
Petersburg in his nineteenth year, and
buried himself in this obscure neigh
borhood for fifty seven years." asked my
friend, encouraged by the tone Of the
old mans conversation to put so indis-
Greet q question.
d" | will tell YOU" replied the host.
/" was then, as you say, eighteen years
old. / had been for two years ensi gu in
Paulowski's regiment. The regiment
was quartered in the large building OPP
posite the Summer Garden, and on the
other side of the Campus Martius. The
Car Paul had been on the throne three
years. He lived in the Red Palace.
which was just completed. One night
leave of absence was refused me for
some slight breach of disciplined do
not now remember what-and | was
forced TO abandon a gay party Of my
comrades, who went out on frolic.
They being gone, was almost the only
officer of my grade left in the barracks.
| went to bed early, and soon fell asleep.
| was awakened from my sound slum-
ber by voice | felt its breath on my
face) whispering in my ear:
80 Dimitri Alexandrovitch, wake upr
:" opened my eyes, and | saw a man
standing by my bedside, who, seeing
me awake, repeated his invitation to me.
80 What do you want?' said /.
So Get up and follow me-
'' Follow YOu-WhereY
"' cannot tell you. Know it is the
Emperor's order
4" A cold chill ran through me. The
Emperors order What could he want
with me, a poor ensign, of good family,
it is true, but too far removed from the
throne for it to be possible my name
should have reached his ear. | remem-
bored the terrible Russian proverb,
which arose during the reign of Ivan
the Terrible Near the Gar, close to
death. Nevertheless, ] could not hest
tate. jumped up and began to dress.
Then | closely examined the man who
had come to wake me. Hid "a he was
in his furs, thought | recognized an
old Turkish slave, who rose from being
a barber to being the Cars favorite.
This scrutiny, however, did not last
long, for it would, perhaps, have been
dangerous had it been too long.
80 am ready, at last said /, buck
ling my sword around my waist, to be
ready for any contingency.
Ny uneasiness increased when saw
my guide 90 down a small staircase lead
ing into the cellars of the immense bar
rack, instead of carrying me out of the
main door. He lighted the way by a
small blind lantern. After several wind
ings he went to door whose very eX
istence was unknown to me before. We
had not met soul in the whole build
ing; it seemed as if the great barracks
were deserted, and yet | knew 1T con-
tanned several thousand men. thought,
indeed, once or twice | saw a shadow
gliding in the obscurity but these faint
shadows disappeared, or rather vanished
in the darkness.