The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-02-26

! on the bOok-shelves and in the lum-
Der room until knew them by heart
All the stories which the hOusekeep-
er klrllovna knew had been told me
, over and over again. 1 grew weary
OF listening to the peasant women's
songs aud might have had recourse
to sweet liquors, but they made my
: head ache; and l confess that / fear
= ed L might become a drunkard from
a feeling OF wretchedness-tEat is tO
say the most wretched of drunksrds
OF which saw a numb Der of instances
: in our district.
had no nesr neighbors, il / ex-
cept two CT three Of the wretched
fellows, whose conversation consisted
chiefly OF hiccOughs and sighs. SOli-
tude was more endurable. At last /
: DECIDED upon going to bed as early as
possible, and npon dining as late as
, possible; in this way 1 contrived TO
shorten the evenings and add to the
length OF the day which 1 spent in
useful occupations.
-Four versts from me lay q valuable
estate belonging to the Countess B. ;
it was occupied by the agent only
! the Countess had visited it but once,
and that in the first year of her mar
riage, when she had not stayed over
8 month. During the second year OF
my seciusion rumors were current
that the Countess and her husband
were coming to spend the summer.
They really did arrive about the be-
ginning of June.
The appearance Of a well-to-do
neighbOr is an important event to
rustics. Landlords and tenants speak
Of it two months previously and for
three years subsequently,. l confess
that, so far as 1 was concerned, the
presence OF q young and beautiful
neighbor seemed a matter of consid-
cradle importance to me. / burned
with impstience to see her, and be-
took myself, therefore, after dinner,
the first Sunday subsequently to
their arrival, to pay my respects to
their exeellencies, as their nearest
neighbor and most devoted OF serv-
ants.
A footman showed me into the
Counts library and went to announce
me. The spacious apartment was fur
nished with the greatest possible lux
ury; the walls were lined with book
cases, each Of which was surmounted
by bronze bust; over the marble
chimney-piece was placed q large
mirror; the floor was covered with
green cloth and spread with carpets.
Having lost all habits of luxury in
my poor retreat, and having long
since ceased to be familiar with the ef-
fects produced by the riches of others,
1 became timid, and awaited the
Count with a certain trepidation, like
a provincial petitioner expecting the
approach Of minister. The doors
opened, and a handsome man Of two
and-thirty came in. The Count ap-
preached me with frankness and
friendliness. I endeavOred to muster
courage and to explain the object OF
my call; but he anticipated me. We
sat down. His easy and agreeable
conversation soon dispelled my awk-
ward shyness; had already resumed
my usual manner, when suddenly the
Countess entered, and my perturba-
tiOn became greater than before. She
was beautiful indeed. The Count in
troduced me; wished to seem to be
at my ease, but the more l tried the
more awkward did feel. My new
acquaintances, wishing to give me
time to recover, and to feel myself
more at home, cOnversed together,
dispensing with all etiquette, thus
treating me like an old friend. 1 had
risen from my seat in the meanwhile,
and was pacing the room inspecting
the books and pictures. 1 am no
judge Of paintings, but one there was
which specially attracted my atten-
tion. 1t represented landscapein
Switzerland; but 1 was struck, not by
the beauty of the artists touch, but
because it was perforated by two bull
lets, one hole being just above the
other.
"This is a good shot," said 1, turn
ing to the Count.
"Yes," said he; "a very remarka-
bic shot. Do you shoot well ?" he
pretty WE'LL" Ireplied, overjoyed
that the conversation had turned up
on subject of interest. "I mean
could not miss a card at thirty PAGES;
of course, when know the pistols.r y
"Indeed," said the Countess, with a
look Of great attention; land you, my
dear, could you hit a card at thirty
PAGES ?"
"Some day." answered the Count,
1--WE shall try. was not bad shot
in my time, but it is now four years
since 1 held u pistol"
"Oh," remarked /, "that being the
case, 1 do not mind betting that your
Excellency will not be able to hit q
card at twenty PAGES even. Pistol
shooting requires daily practice. 1
know this by experience. / used to
be considered one of the best shots in
our regiment. 1t so happened once
that had not touched a pistol for q
whole month; my own were under
going repair, and will your Excellen-
cy believe it, when l took to shooting
again, 1 missed a bottle four success
sive times at twenty paces7 Our
rlding-master, q sharp, amusing fel-
low, happening to be present, cried
out: Il say, old boy, thou canst not
lift thy hand against the bottle, eh p
No, your Excellency, it is a practice
that ought not to be neglected, il one
does not wish to become rusty at it.
The bestshot 1 ever happened TO come
across practiced every day, and would
fire at least three times before dinner.
This was a rule with him, as was his
glass of Vodkd."
The Count and Countess appeared
pleased at my having become talka-
tive.
"And what kind of shot was he?"
asked the Count.
"Of that sort, your Exeellency, that
il he happened to see fly on the wall
you are smiling, Countess, but it is
true, indeed, when he chaneed to see
a fly, he wocld call out, 'Kooska, my
pistoliv KoOska brings him loaded
pistol. Bang! and there is the fly
flattened to the wall p'
"That was wonderful" said the
Count. What was his name?"
"Silvio, your ExceIlency."
"SiIvio?" exclaimed he, jun ping
up. "You knew Silvio?"
"Knew him? or course, your Ex-
ceIlency. We are friends; he was
considered by the regiment as being
quite one of ourselves; bat it is now
five years since heard anything of
him. Your Excellency appears also
to have known him m
81 knew him-knew him very well.
Did he ever relate a very strange Oc-
currence TO you"
our EAceltency cannot possibly
mean box on the ear, which some
young scamp gave him at ball ?'
"And did he name that scamp to
your
"No, your ExcelIency, he did not;
but-your Excellency," continued 1,
the truth beginning to dawn upon
met beg your pardon-I was not
aWare-can it be yourself?n
81, myself" answered the Count,
with an exceedingly perturbed coun-
tenance, "and the perforated picture
is the reminiscence Of our last meet
ing."
"Oh! pray, DEAR" said the Countess,
"prsy do not speak Of it. l dread
hearing the story"
NO." replied be; "I shall relate the
whole of it. He knows how l offen-
ded his friend let him now also
know how Silvio took hi1 revenge;
The Count bade me be seated, and
/ listened with the liveliest curiosity
to the following recital:
81 was married five years ago. The
first month, the honeymoon, was
spent in this village. 1t is to this