River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-11-05
MISCELLANY.
A DEAD MA%-A RUSSIAN STORY.

and ! was driving those dreary distances
in autumn. For the first two days and
nights the weather was lovely, but on
the third morning soon after sunrise, the
sky became covered with heavy. torn and
Jagged clouds, northerly cold gale, and
snow. the winter burst on us rs 1t yearly
breaks on Southern Russia. In half an
hour the rich, black, rolling plains had
become an ocean Of laKey mud, and we
reached the post station Of Douski only
to find the order-''impossible to pro-
c.ed."
| called for tea, and the samovar was
brought in by a fine, upright, gray.bea-d.
ed man, whom, from his black velvet
tunic and slashed sleeves. | took to be
the Postmaster himself. lie was follow
ed into the room by noble-looking Co.'S
sack woman Of his own age, who said :
Little husband, why don't you ask the
lord if lie 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 swcely as she spoke; he smiled
lovingly upon her; then she left us, look.
ing lmgerncly back.
Your wife s in love with you still, and
you with her, postmaster" said. "You
must have beaten her well when she was
young fJr her to love you so. How long
since you were married e. 81 am sixty"
he replied 81 was married. at twenty-five,
thirty-fiye years ago-five years before
died. "What e. said /. 'Five years
before my death Is it possible you
don't know my story? You must have
come from long way off, for have
heard that ii Is told even on the Azof.'
And throwing his legs across chair,
without more ado, he spoke thus:
II was born in 1900. and can remember
the return from Paris Of my father and
uncle-CosSaoks OF the Don. Those were
grand days, when the Hetmsn Patuf was
King Of Europe. conqueier Of the Turks
and Of the French, and friend an equal
Of the white Tsar. Now, this Petersburg
Tsar says that we're no better that his
Great-RuSsian slaves, and for many years
ny sabre and long pistol have hung upon
the wall unused and when have worn
my red.banded cap and rep.striped
breechcs I've always hid as much as
could Of the stripe in my boots, for I'm
ashamed oft now; and they re even go
ING to take away my privilege Of the sup.
ply of salt.
I'm 1884, as young Postmaster. for
my father was dead. with good place
and a handsome beard, was the best
match in the two-church villages round.
I could pick my wife, and chose Olga,
that you saw just now"
There" SAID |.
"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 six,ielh year; her goodness is what
it was and, though | may be an unsafe
judge, her beau'y, | think, is not yet
come"
lie looked at me. nodded.
I'VE were happy at first, but was
young. felt the chain. | was faithful
TO her, as far as women went. but rot
kind. We had no children. One day in
1889 she was low in spirits about me. and
threw her arms upon sudden around
my neck, with DO you really love me.
little JohnP You know do But
not as | love YOU At that rery mo-
ment, little lord, the devil must have
been unclaimed from hell. To tell you
what thoughts flashed in an instant
through my mad mind would be ifpossi-
Bile. That what she said was true That
while did love her in kind Of way, |
was bound to her for life whether would
or no. In fit Of rage smote her one
short, smart blow. She looked at me
with despair in her eyes, and walked
slowly into our other room. ran into
the stable-yard. Harness troika, sail
| to the starosta. Il leave n. once for
Kharkof, with dispatches that the cou
ier dropped. and that have found upon
the floor. Quck quick the best cour-
icr horse In an instant they were
ready. Merrily jinglcd the bells in the
crisp air. Paul took the reins, and of
whirled. In twenty hours | was Mt Khar
kof TO my friend. the sta, tosta az the
great Kharkof station, who was equal in
rank and pay TO most postmasters them.
selves, | said: DO Inc service, little
friend, as would do one FOR you. / am
going 10 leave my wife, TO whom ! have
been mkind and / an going to enlist in
the guards Ard WIKI her to forget
me, and she must think Inc dead. Write
to her in weee, and tell her was taken
with the cholera and died. Beg her to
forgive me for my unkindness; say that
! was grateful for her love- and that il
was my last wish that she would marry
again lad more worthy Of her than my.
sef. Make interest to have the station
continle 10 her as post.mistress. She
was a priests daughter and can write
W crossed ourselves. he swore, we bow.
ed 10 the image in the corner Of the
stable, We kissed, and in five minutes
was gone At the recruiting Office en-.
listed for the Empress regiment Of CUR.
ass'ers or ne guard. rs fourteen year
volunteer and in false neme. Id Of
course 70 papers. but they asked no qucs.
tions, FOR I was fine recruit. My heard
was shaved, my hair was cut, and when
got to Petersburg and was fitted with my
uniform and ,ag.e.crowned helmet 10 one