Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-09-23
A Dead Man.

sky became covered with heavy, torn and
Jagged clouds, northerly wind arose,
and with thunder, lightning, cold gale
and snow, the winter burst on us as it
yearly breaks on 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: I" Impossible to
proceed"
brought in by a fine, upright, gray-bearded
man, whom, from his black velvet tunic
and slashed sleeves / took to be the Post
master himself. He was followed into
the room by noblelooking Cossack
woman of his own age, who said: "Lit-
tie husband, why don't you ask the lord
if he will eat partridge and bit of
bread? The kurupatka is plump, and the
day will be long before his troika can be
harnessed to face the storm" She smiled
sweetly as she spOke-he smiled lovingly
upon her; then she left us, looking lin
geringly back.
Your wife is in love with you, still,
and you with her, Postmaster" said.
" You must have beaten her well when
she was young for her to love you so.
How long is it since you were married 90
9 am sixty" he replied; | was married
at twenty five, thirty-fve years ago; five
years before l died" "What?" said [.
Five years before my death. Is it pos
sibie that you don't know my story? You
must have come from long way off, for
| have heard that it is told even upon the
AzOf"
And throwing his legs across a chair
without more ado, he spoke thus:
e was born in 1909, and can remember
the return from Paris of my father and
uncle-COssacks of the Don Those
were grand days, when every Cossack was
an officer by birth, and when the Hetman
Platof was King Of Europe, cOnqueror of
the Turks and Of the French, and friend
and equal Of the white tsar. Now, this
Petersburg tSar says that we're no better
than his Great Russian slaves, and for
years my saber and long pistol have hung
upon the wall unused; and when [ have
worn my red-banded cap and my red
striped breeches, I've always hid as much
as | could of the stripe in my boots, for
Pm ashamed Of it now; and they're even
going to take away our privilege Of the
supply Of salt.
g In 1884, rs a young Postmaster, for
my father WAS dead, with a good place
and a handsome beard | was the best
match in the two church villages round.
[ could pick my wife, and [ chose Olga,
that yon saw just now"
"There," said l.
"Ah, wait and see! Wait, little lord
Don't be impatient. Olga was as lovely
as she was good. You have seen her in
her sixticth year; her goodness is what it
was, and, though | may be an unsafe
judge, her beauty, l think, is not yet
gone"
He looked at me. | nodded.
awe were happy at first, but | was
young. / felt the chain. I was faithful
TO her as far as women went, but not kind.
We had no children. One day in 80 she
was in low spirits about me, and flung her
arms upon a sudden about my neck, with /:
Do you really love me, little John?
You know / do But not as | love
you At that very moment, lord, the
devil must have been unclaimed from
hell, To tell you what thoughts flashed
in an instant through my mad mind
would be impossible. That what she said
I
kind of a way, was bound to her for life
whether [ would or no. In a fit of wild
rage struck her one short, sharp blow
She looked at me with despair in her
eyes, and walked slowly into our other
room. ] ran into the Stable-yard Har-
ness troika,' said [ to the starosta I
leave at once for Kharkof with dispatches
that the courier dropped, and that I've
found upon the floor. Quick quick! the
best courier horses in an instant they
were ready. Merrily jingled the bells in
the crisp air. Paul took the reins, and off
L yhirled. In twenty hours l was at
KhaEkof To my friend the starosta at
the great Kharkof station, who was equal
In rank and pay to most postmasters them
selves, | said: Do me a service, little
friend, as l would do one for you. l am
going to leave my wife, to whom | have
been unkind, and am going to
enlist in the guards. But l wish
her to forget me, and she must
think me dead. Write to her in a week
and tell her that l was taken with the
cholera and died. Beg her to forgive me
for my unkindncss; say that [ was CRATE
full for her love, and that it was my last
wish that she 81 ould marry again some
lad more worthy of her than myself
Make interest to have the station contin-
ued to her as postmistress. She was d
priests daughtcr and can write We
crossed ourselves he Swore; we bowed
to the image IL the corner of the stable
we kissed, and in five minutes was gone
AT the recruiting Office | enlisted for the
Empress regiment of cuirassiers of the
guard, as fourteen years volunteer, anC
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