American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-03-28
THE UNDERTAKEN.

the undertaken. Adrian Prohoroff, were
heaped into the hearse, and pair of lean
horses dragged it along for the fourth
time from the Basmanaja to the Nikits-
kaja, for to the latter street the under
tsker was removing with all his house
hold. Having closed his old shop he
nailed a notice to the door to the effect
that the premises were to be sold or let,
and started off on foot to his new abode.
He was surprised to find on approaching
the little yellow house, which had so long
taken his fanny and which he had at last
bought for a considerable sum, that he did
not feel in good spirits. Having crossed
the threshold and finding his new abode
in great confusion he sighed at the recol-
lection Of the old howell, where during
eighteen years everything had been con-
Quoted with the strictest regularity, and
he scolded his daughters and the maid-of-
all-work for their dilatoriness, and set to
assisting them himself. Order was soon
established; the sacred image-cs e, the
dresser with the crockery, the table sofa,
and bed occupied the corners assigned to
them in the back room; in the kitchen
and the sitting-roOm was placed the mas
ter's handiwork, which consisted of cot
fins OF all sizes and colors, and the cup
boards were filled with mourning cloaks
and torches. Over the gate appeared a
sign board. representing corpulent
Cupid holding a reversed torch, with the
iuscriptien: "Here are sold and orna-
mented plain and painted collins; collins
also let out on hire, and old ones re-
paired" The girls retired to their room,
and Adrian. having inspected his dwell
ing, sat down by the window and ordered
the samoUar to be got ready.
The enlightened reader is aware that
both Shakespeare and Walter Scott repre-
scented their grave diggers as cheerful and
jocose persons, in order 10 strike our i'm
agination more forclbly by the contrast.
Out of regard to truth, however, We can
not follow their example, and are COM
PEELED to admit that the disposition of our
undertaken fully correspondent with his
mournful calling. Adrian Prohorof was
habitually suilen and thoughtful. His
silence might occasionally be broken for
the sole purpose of scOlding his daughters
when he had CHANGED to find them idle,
gazing out of the window at the passers-
by or asking an exorbitant price for his
goods of those who had the misfortune
(and sometimes also the gord fortune) to re-
quire them. Thus it happier ed that Adrian,
now slipping his seventh cup of tea, was
as Usual sunk in melancholy reflections.
He thought of the pouring rain which
fell at the very outset of the retired Brig
alters funeral the previous week. Many
mourning cloaks had shrunk in conse-
ouence, and many hats had been spoiled.
He for, saw unavoidable expenditure, for
his old stock of mourning attire had fallen
into a pitiful condition. He hoped to
charge a good round sum at the funeral
of the merchant Truhins old wife, who
had now been nearly year at deaths
door, But the old woman lay dying al
Rasgoulai, and ProhOroff feared lest her
heirs, Notwithstanding their promise,
would neglect to send for him all that dis
ance and would come to terms with the
nearest undertaken.
These meditations were unexpectedly
disturbed by three Freemason-like taps at
the door.
"Who is theres" asked Prob Off
The door opened, and man in whom
the German artisan was recognized at a
glance walked in, and cheerfully ap-
preached the undertaken.
"-PardOn me, my dear neighbour" said
he, in that Russian dialect which We can
not listen to without smile. Pardon
my intruding upon you'll was anxious
to make your acquaintance. / am Il
booinaker, my name is Gottlieb Schulz,
and live across the street in the little
house facing your windows. Tomorrow
l celebrate my silver wedding, and came
to ask you and your daughters to dine
with US in friendly way"
The invitation was accepted with good
will The undertaken asked the boot
maker to sit down and take a cup of tea,
and thanks to the cordial disposition of
Gottlieb Schulz their conversation soon
became friendly.
How does your trade prosper" asked
Adrian.
"Ah-he-her' answered Schulz, $50
so; cannot complain, although my
goods are, of course, different from yours !;
live man can do without boots, but u
dead man cannot do without coffin"
"Very true" remarked Adrian; show
ever, if the live man has not got where
with to pay for his boots one cannot take
it amiss in him if he goes barefooted, but
dead beggar has coffin gratis"
In this manner they conversed for some
time. At last the bootmaker rose, and,
taking leave of the undertaken, renewed
his invitation.
The next day at twelve O'Clock precise
ly the undertaken and his daughters
passed through the wicket of the newly
bought house on their way to Neighbor
Schulz. I shall not describe either the
Russian coffan of Adrian Prohoroff, or
the European attire of Akulina and Daria,
departing in, this respect from the now
so prevalent custom among nOvelists.
do not, however, consider it superfluous
to remark that both young ladies wore
yellow bonnets and red shoes; this they
did only on grand occasions.
The small dwelling of the bootmaker
was flied with guests, who chiefly con
sisted of German artisans, their wives,
and their workmen; of Russian employees
there was but one, the EsthOnian, YoOrko,
the Waterman, who had, in spite OF his
lowly calling, managed to secure the
special goodwill of his host. He had
served iuf this for ii and twenty
years, faithfully and honestly, like the
pos'man of Pogarelsky. The fire of
1912, which destroyed the chief capital,
aDnihilated also his yellow watch-box.
But as soon as the enemy was expelled n
new one appeared in its stead; it was
gray, with small white Doric pillars, and
YOorko was again seen pacing before it
Almost all the Germans who lived in the
vicinity of the Nikitsky gates knew him.
and some bad even CHANGED to spend the
night of Sunday to Monday morning
under his roof. Adrian FASTENED to make
his acquaintance as he would that of a
man of whom he might stand in need,
sooner or later, and when the guests took
their seats at dinner, they sat next to
each other. Monsieur and Madame
Schulz AID their daughter Lottchen, who
had seen but seventeen summers, while
dining with and entertaining their guests,
assisted the cook tn wait upon them.
Beer flowed. YOorko ate for four; Adri-
an did not cede to him; his daughters,
however, stood on ceremony. The con
versation, kept up in the German Ian
cuage. was becoming louder and louder.
Suddenly the host begged for few mo-
men;s' attention, and drawing the cork OF
a sealed bottle exclaimed in a loud voice,
in Russian: "The health of my good
I ou;sar,, Thu eo-cslIe,I champapne