The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-11-20
\ DEAD MAN.,


days and nights the weather was lovely.
but on the third5morning, soon after sun
rise, tho sky became covered with heavy,
torn and Jagged clouds, Il northcrlv wind
arose, and with thunder, lightning cold
gale, and SHOW, the winter burst on us as
1t yearly breaks OH southern Russia. In
half an hour the rich, black, rolling
plains had become an ocean of inky mud,
and we reached the post station of
Donski only to find the order: lmpos-
sihlc to proceed"
called for tea, and the samovar was
brought i'll by fine, upright. gray
bearded man. whom, from his black vel
set tunic and Slns!,ch sleeves, took 10
I've the postmaster himself. He was fol
lowed into the room by noblc-lookinr
CosS:,ck woman of his own age. who said:
9 Little husband, why don't YOU ask the
lord if he will cat II partridge and Il bit
of bread? The ku.upatk;, is plump.
and the day will he long before his
troika can he harncsscd to face the storm"
She smiled S5wcctly rs she spoIlc-hc
smiled lovingly upon her; then she left
us, looking lingcringly back
F" -FOUR wife is in love with Won still.
and you with her, postmaster | said.
9 lou must have treated her we'll when
she was young for her to love YOU 50.
How long is it since you were married >"
g am Co." he replied" was married
at 70 thirty-iirc years ago; five years be
fore died"
"What?" said I.
Five years before my death. Is il
possible that you don't know nv death !?
You must have come from Il long
way off, for have heard that it is told
even upon the Azot."
And throwing his legs across Il chair.
without more ado, he spoke thus:
Il was born in 1909, and can rcmcm-
b~r the return from Paris of my father
and uncle CosSacks of the Don. Those
were grand days, when every Cossack
WAS IN officer by birth, and when the
Herman Platol' was king of Europe,
cnnIucror of the Turks and of the
French, and friend and equal to The
white tsar. Now, this Petersburg tsar
says that we'cr no better than his "rca,
kusSian slaves, and four years my slbcr
ana long pistol have hung upon the wall
unused; and when have worn my red
banded cap and my rcd-stripcd brccchcs
We always hid rs much rs | could Of
the stripe in my boots for I'm ashamed
OF it now; and they're even roinr tn
take away our privilege of the supply Of
salt fP'' VI
In 1884, as Il young postmostcr-nr
my father was dcad-w,h i rood nlacn
and a handsome beard, was the Lcst
match in the two church Villages round
could pick my wife, and chose OLGA.
that you saw just now"
There" said |
an, wait and see. Wait, little lord.
Don't he impatient. olga was ;,s lovely
us she was good You have seer hrr ~
her Goth year; her goo,lncs, is what # was
ana, though may be al, unsafe iu,I,c
her ~, / think, is moi vet zone.
1kcd at me: Lnoddcd.
we were happy ut first, but was
Young. felt the chain. ! was faithful
TO her us far as women went, but not
kind. We had 40 children. One dav
IN ~ she was i'll low spirit about me,
ana hung her arms upon Il sudden about
my neck, with: DO you really love
me, ilttlc John? You know do
l'"t noi as | love YOU. Al that very
moment, lord, the devil must have been
uhciaiigcd from hell. TO tell YOU what
thoughts flashed in an instance thrm,mh
my mad mind would be inpossiblr
That what she said was true That
While did love her in 4 kind of way /
was bound to her for life whether wnuld
or 10; lii fit of wild rage struck Lcr
one short, sharp blow. She looked at
me with despair in her eyes, and walked
slowly into our other room. ran intn
the stablc-yard
Harness Il troikc,' said to the star
n:la J leave ut once for kharkor with
uispatchcs that the courier droppcd. and
'lat We found upon the floor. Quick !!
quick the best courier horses In an
instant they were ready. AIcrrily iinrlcd
linglcd the bells in the crisp mir. Tnui
TOOK the rcinS, and off | whirlcd. In
twenty hours ] was at kharkof. 10 NV
it!enoS. the starosta, ut the great I[hark-
Oh station, who was equal in rank and
pay, TO most postmastcrs themselves, I
S;iid: 10 me service, little friend as
! would 90 one for you. | am eoinr 10
leave my wife, to whom I have been un-
kliil, and am going to enlist i'm the
guards. But | wish her to FORGET mo
ana she must think me dead. Write TO
her in Il week and tell her thut I wa.
,akcn with the cholera and died. Beg
ler 10 forgive me for my unkindncs,:
S'y 'Iat wish She should marry some
,,a more worthy Of her than myself
MIKE interest to have the station con
'''!'ica TO her as postmistrcSs. She is n
priest daughter and can write We
crossed ourselves; he Sworc; we bowed
TO me image in the corner nf the stable
we kissed, and in five minutes I was
conc; At the recruitin. Office enlisted
i"f inc empress regiment of ctlirassicrs
ol ne guard, rs Il fourteen years vol
'inGcr guard, and in false name. I'd
ol course, no papers, but they asked no
uucSllOnS, Tor | w:,S Il fine rrcI,rit Ar,