The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-07-20
SERIOUS RAzoUMoF.

Some friends had induced me 10 visit
0stend. I was passing my last evening
at the Kursaal when man whose
aspect contrasted strangely with the
commonplace faces aIaong which I had
lived since my arrival came and sat
down short distance from me. As he
did so the people who sat nearest to
him pushed their chairs away, and q
murmur arose among. the ladies; eyes
were directed toward him, and even fin-
gers were pointed at him; but the new
conner did not seem to notice the stir,
but remained motionless in his chair.
Afriend ofmine passed by. Ipointed
out the unknown 10 him.
edo you know TINT man 2" ] in
quired. ri.
low
"You knowthis historyan
$50 so. A terrible history. You
must get Philippe to tell Il to you
I went at once In search Of Philippe
IA Russian whom I had met at differ.
ent watering-places, and with whom /
had speaking acquaintance. / found
him in the Princes Pavilion.
al want you TO tell me Sergius
'Razoumof's history. y.
"Well, lot us 90 TO supper, and /
will tell IT, He'd him to the Pavilion
de l'Estacade, and at the. second course
he began his narrative.
"Sergius and Iwere fellow.students
at the University Of Moscow. We both
came from the country, and OF home
we were neighbors. BE was like o
young msiden in sweetness Of dispose
tion and in timidity. His timidity was
OF such q nature that one could discern
in him the presence Of o trouble that
had weighted him down from infancy.
He spoke but seldom, kept himself
apart from others, and studied dill
gently. We liked him rs ono likes in
offensive beings, inspired by that senti.
ment in which proud pity has always
more or less a share. In fact, Sergins
had experienced q hard childhood. bis
father resided in the goyernorship Of
K. He was q rich man, rniserably
stingy, and frghtiuly rude. His face
was yellow and bony, his eyes chilling
in their looks, and with the sly and
suspicious expression OF q miser's eyes.
His wife had died two years after the
birth OF his son. II was said in the
country around that he had killed her.
She was girl Of good family, and had
been delicately nurtuted. She wished
to rear her child in ease. The old
curmudgeon objected, but she paid no
heed to his words. From this moment
the mother and child were subjected,
with an inhexible rigor, TO the lot Of
serfs. She was shut up, treated like q
servant, and the poor woman died from
the effects.
"The child grew mp under this terri.
BILE master, who, from the time Sergius
was six years old, compelled him TO
rake together the rubbish In the yard,
while he beat him numerically.
at was q dream OF the fathers 70
make his son n sort OF head man on his
estate and to extract from him oil the
money that he refused TO spend for his
education. He sent little Sergius to
the field Ia. dig, 10 hoe, and TO labor.
"But enc day the brother OF Razori-
moi came to the old house which, from
neglect, had nearly gone 10 decay. he
was very rich bachelor, and Sergius
was to be his heir. he was q some
what cultivated man, aud ho could not
compreheAd the neglect with which
Razoumof treated his sons. He insist
ed that the child should be sent imme-
diately 10 Moscow TO undertake his
studies. Unless he does so, he added,
'he will inherit nothing from me- The
father shuddered Of this last remark as
much as at the thought Of the expense
which would bo entailed upon him by
the education Of his son. He wept,
entreated, declared that he would give
his SON abrilliant d education At home.
The brother persisted, and the child
was sent 10 Moscow