The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-11-17

| bred.
"This is a sorry plight in which find
myself, Monsieur. l am waif cast up by
the sea- have been ship-wrecked never
dreamt / should reach the land alive r'
"Shipwrecked ?" l asked. "Where d!
| When How ?"
| Yesterday | was on board my own yacht
the Feodorowna--I am Prince BoltikoH-
you know my name, perhaps ?" he said, see
ing that bowed at this introduction of him
self "No? / am Russian. | was en-
route for Cowes. Last night the yacht lay
becamed off the Needles, | was in my berth
half reading, half doing, g,when-crack-p
something crashed into the side of the yacht
! jumped from bed and rushed, as / was, on
deck. 1t was collision. Death stared us
one and all in the face snatched up the
first garments I could find,-you see them,
he pointed, smiling, to his rags-"and
jumped overheard. / am good swimmer
At dawn | was still afoat. Then / got to.
gether few floating spars from the wreck
made that little raft-good friend, it has
done duty, y,"-and as he spoke he pushed il
back into the tide-"Adieu; go, mon ami
co."
"May ask" continued the stranger as
soon as the raft had drifted away, "may
ask where l am? Would you have the ex-
treme complasance to direct me to the near.
est town."
"This is Fort Needham," said I. "Yar.
| chester is the nearest place-some dozen
miles distant"
$50 far l am hardly in walking trim,
l fear, but must make shift to push on"
"Impossibe / cannot permit it. You
need rest, food. My quarters are close at
hand. am the Commandant of the fort
-
"You are then an English officer! ] might
have guessed it You are all generous as
you are brave. | was with Menschikoff in
Sebastopol, and l learnt to respect you
then"
':If you are yourselfa soldier, Prince it is
the more incumbent upon me to be your
host"
With this led the way into the fort The
admission of such tatterdemaion rather
surprised the decorous sentry, but my SER
Princes toilet, soon spread the real story
throughout the barracks.
A bath, my razors, and complete rig-oui
of my clothes. made wonderful change in
the Princes appearance. He was evidentl y
a person of the highest distinction, not ex.
| actly handsome, his smoothly -shaven face
was too sallow, ,and his cheek bones too high
but he had good features and dark penetrat-
ing eyes. He made the mistake of also
wearing his hair too short it was clipped SO
close that his head looked like round
shot.
| "Your clothes fit me to the marvel, mon
cher NJ. Carruthers. 1t would not be indis
Greet to ask your tailor's name? He Is ar
artist"
was fattered and replied readily:
"Mr. Schneider will be glad to get an or.
der from you, Prince"
''He shall have it. His cut is superb"
| Then we sat down to lunch. The Prince
although aristocratic to the fnger-tips, had
the most pebian appetite; within a few
minutes he had cleared the table.
81 have not tasted food for twenty. four
hours" he said apologetically.
After lunch I produced cigars. He looked
at the tobacco ravenously.
"It is my passion. did not think I coulc
have existed so long without it,"
| He lay back in an armchair and smokeC
half-a-dozen cigars one after the other, ap
parently with the most intense qualification
Meanwhile we talked. The Prince was ,
most agreeable companion his experience,
were varied he had Travelled far and wide
ha seen many cities, and knew men ant
manners. 1t was delightful to listen to him
But he was far too well bred to monopolizt
the conversation. He also could lis ten, ant
! did so with courteous, unfagging interest a;
| ! enlarged upon the subjects | had most al
| heart he even led me on to talk uutr
flmi'iarlv and freely of my regiment my
comrades; my life and prospects-everything
in short which interested me.
In this way the hours passed, till suddenly
the Prince jumped up.
"You have been mnst good. NJ Carruthers
| | can never repay your kindness But now
| the dav is advancing, | must be moving
on"
PRAY do not think Of it. You will sure.
| " stay and dineF Tomorrow or next day
| will he time enough to travel by then you
will he refreshed and recruited in Strength e
81 hardly dare take advantage Of your
good nature. know not what to say. But
your pleasant society draws me towards you
will stav. Suffer me only to write a few
letters. must communicate with the Rus
sian Embassy | should send to my bankers
and to my London hotel for clothes and
necessaries,'
! sat him down at once TO nv writing desk
piece of portable barrack furniture limited
in dimensions very much Uttered with old
letters, books, and stray papers; tradesmen' =
bills, an army list, Bradshaw, officials re
ports and returns, some in my own hand
writing snd bearing my signature. But from
among these | cleared sufficient space, and
left the Prince to write his letters alone,
1t was quite an hour before | returned
! He started rather as | re-entered the room
but explained that his recent narrow escape
| had shaken his nerves. He had been busy
several letters were lying on the table, theil
addresses uppermost, and for the life of me
| could not help seeing that one was to Q
Secretary of the Russian Embassy, another
to some one at Clardge's Hotel, third tC
Messrs. COutts Of fourth | read only Q
part. 1t looked like Jenny Haw--
Seyen Di--" But the moment my some,
what surprised and curious eyes had read
thus far, the Prince took up all his CORES
pondence, and rose to greet me with pleas
ant smile.