Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-11
A DEAD MANIA RUSSIAN STORY.

A DHAD MAN--A kUSSIAN STORts
1t was just before the opening of the
railway from Taganrog to Khark in
1869, and was driving those dreary dis
tsnces 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, a northsrly 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 lakey
mud, and we reached the post station Of
0ouski only to find the order-"impos.
sible' to proceed. "
Ca, led for tea, and the samovsr was
brought n by a fine, upright gray
bearded man whom, from his black vel
vet tuDic and dashed sleeves, | took to
be the postmaster himself. He was fol.
lowed into the room by a noble'lOOking
Cossack woman Of hls' own age, WAC
said: Little husband, wy don't you
ask the lord if be will eat p,N ,NTtridgee and
bit Of bread2 The kurupstka 70 plump
and the day will be long before his troika
can be harness,d to face the stol'u
She smiled sWeetly as she spoke; ce
smiled lovingly upon her; then she left
as, looking llngeringly back.
"Your wife is in love with you still,
and you with her, postmaster" l said
You must have beaten her we'll when
she was young for her TO love you so
How long since you were marriedY' u
am sixty" he replied; II WAS married al
twenty-five, thirty-6ve years age-6ve
years before died" "WhstG" said l
Five years before my death. Is it pos
sible you don't know my storyH You
must have cone from long way OF, tor
| have heard that it is told even on the
Azo'.
Aud throwing his legs across chair,
without more ado, he spoke thus:
Il was born in 1859, and can remember
the return from Paris of my father and
uncle--C -Cossacks of the Don Those we're
grand days. when the HetmAn Plasut was
King of Europe, conqueror of the Turks
and OF the French, and friend and equal
of the white Tssr, Nov, this Petersburg
rsar says that we're no better than his
Great-Rdssiau slaves, and for many years
my sabre and long pistol have hung upon
the wall unusedS and when have worn
my red.banded cap and red-striped
breeches I've always hid as much as l
could of the stripe in my boots, for L m
ashamed of it now; and they're even 60
ing to take away my privilege Of the sup
iVly of salt.
''In 1884, as q young postmaster, for
my father was dead, with a good place
aud handsome beard, / was the best
match in the two-church villages round.
l could pick my wife, and l 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 sixtieth year; her goodness is what
it was aud, though | may be an unsafe
judge, her beauty, [. think, is not yet
come"
He looked at me. nodded.
We we're happy at first, but l wac
young. | felt the chain. was faithful
| to her, as far as women went, but not
kind, We had no children. One day in
1899 she was low in spirits about me,
and threw her arms upon q sudden
around my neck, with Do you really
love me, little John2' You know l do.
But not as love you At that very
moment, little lord, the very devil must
have been unclaimed from hell To tell
you what thoughts flashed in an instant
through my mad mind would be impos-
sible. That what she said was truel
That while | did love her in a kind oI
way, ! was bound to her for life whether
would or no. In aft Of rage smote
her one short, smart blow. She looked
| at me with despair in her eyes, and
walked slowly into eur other room.
ran into the stable-yard Harness q
troika,' said l to the stsrosta. leave
at once for Kharkof, with dispatches thai
the courier dropped, snd that | have
found upon the floor. Quick quick
the best courier horse. In an irstan
they were ready. Merrily jingled the
| bells in the crisp air. Paul took the
reins, and of | whirled. In twenty
hours was at Khslkof To my friend
the startosta at the great Kharkof sta
tion, who was equal in rank and psy K
most Eostmasters themselves, said
Do me service, little friend, as
would do one for you | am going t
leave my wife, TO whom have been m
kind, and | am. going TO enlist 10 th'
gnardO. And wish her to forget me
and she must. think me dead Write
to berlin d week, end tell her was taker
J with the cholera and died. Beg her :.
forgive heformy uRkinduessi say tha
j was gvstefnl for her love, and that i
'wsS my last wish that shs would MARI!
again lad moro voEthy Of her than my
. hsslf. Make interest 10 havo the station
continue TO her as postmistress. Sh
lwaaia priests dauahlet sed can write
We eFcsVed ourselyes, be swore, W
bowed TO The Image Ia DO corner Of IN