The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-09-01
Then, at length, word was brought that

Counts chateau you will pass Staritza-
yes!" he added, glancing at the open
map that lay beside me on the table; "of
course you will, and change horses there.
| wish, if it be not too much to ask, that
YOU would give a message from me to
the priest, or papas, there-Pope John
Perovich.'
az will, with pleasure" | said, "but
remember, my Russian is not very fluent,
and | presume the priest talks no
French"
Vassili laughingly assured me that the
words were very few and simple, and
suggested that 1 should pencil them,
from his dictation, on paper. These
were the words of the message:
"Your son ("our clergy marry, you
know, like the laity," interjected Deme-
trius) "has been i'll, but take comfort.
He is doing well, now, and if he acts
promptly, with the blessing of the Pana-
gia, will succeed. He sends his love,
faith and duty"
I" saw the Pope's son." explained De-
metrius, "the other day at Odessa.
Young Cyril is coal dealer and hay
merchant, pushing, speculative fellow,
but as honest as the day. He was re-
covering from fever, but hoped to fill
his purse by buying up all the-ah! there
is the railway whistle, so we must be
quick. You'll do my errand, then, dear
Arthur, will you not, and gladden. the
heart of the good old MANI"
1t was not until long after Vassili and
had parted that it occurred to me to
wonder why he should have charged me
with such a message. 1t would have
| been simpler, surely, and more speedy,
as means of communicating with Pope
| John, to have relied on the post. But
then those rustic priests were ignorant,
and possibly the eyes of the papas were
not very well accustomed to deciphering
manuscript. At any rate | would make
a point of executing the commission.
| "Pope John, English lord?" said the
inn-keeper at Staritza, falteringly, as |
asked for guide to show me the way to
the parsonage, while the slow postillions
were embarrassing, in the tardy fashion
in which work is done in Russia, the
tired horses from the carriage.
Certainly" said |, observing his en-
barrassment. /" Is the priest ILL., or what
is there surprising in travellers inquir-
ing for him."
The landlord bowed obsequisously.
You'll find the papas in good health,
noble gospodin," he said, in sugared &C
cents. 4onder is the parsonage, with
the white gable"
Then | want no guide to conduct me
there" said l, laughing, and at once
walked across to the garden gate A
neat, snug little dwelling was the parson-
age, with its white walls, its tiny garden
full of humble potherbs and hardy
! flowers, and the sacred pigeons cooling
softly as they summed themselves upon
its red-eaved roof. An Unlocking fellow
opened the door in answer to my sum-
mons, scanned me narrowly and, as |
thought, with suspicion, and after some
colloquy conducted me to what | guessed,
by the few books and the many pictured
saints on the wall, to be the priest s
study. Ten minutes elapsed, and then
in came the masters Of the house, Pope
John.
Forgive me, noble sir, if have kept
you waiting" said the priest, with as
low bow as he could have executed in
the presence of his Bishop. "You bring
me news, am told, of my dear SOM"
| cannot say that the reverend gentle
man impressed me very favorably. Pope
John was a corpulenU old man, with a
snowy beard that would have done credit
to a hermit; long white locks falling
I from beneath his velvet skull-cap, a
snuffy and frayed cassock, and blue spec
tacles, from behind which pair of keen
/ though half-shut eyes surveyed me with
/ watchfulness that had in it something
feline. The priests voice, too, at once
coarse and wheedling, grated on my ear
though nothing could exceed the bland
urbanity of his reception of me. Twice
over did | repeat the substance of Vas
sili's remarks concerning the young corn
dealer at Odessa, and twice, at the old
mans request, did | mention every cir
cumstance of my interview with Deme-
trius, "his kind and noble patron" as
he called him; then | placed the written
slip of paper in the priests hands, and
declining his offer of refreshments, took
my leave of him. As left the parson-
age / thought | heard some whispering,
and then a sneering laugh.
" am much mistaken" said | to my
self, as | stepped into my carriage, and
gave my postillion signal to start, "if
Pope John, the good old man. as Vas
sill called him, be not as consummate
and greasy humbug as any in Mus
covy." Then my thoughts reverted to
rosy dreams of Marie and the future,
and / sank into reverie. from which
only awakened to perceive that my
driver was proceeding in leisurely man
ner that was most unusual, for if Rus
SLAMS work slowly they drive fast
"Come, come, my lad" said /, good
humoredly; surely three good nags and
light kibitka ought not to go at a
snaiPs pace like that"
As | spoke heard the gallop of dis
tant horses, mingling with the clank OF
steel. We were on sandy road, travers-
ing one of those huge pine forests, the
sombre gloom of which, alternating with
: the glare of the white sand, had occa
stoned the name of " Black Russia" tC
be assigned to these central province:
of the ancient Muscovy. Very soon we
were overtaken by the hard riders in oul
rear, their swords clashing against flank
and stirrup, their horses in a foam-ir
all some twenty-five mounted men
Most of these, by their long lances, anc
barbarian equipment, l knew to be Cos
sacks, but Others wore the uniform O.
gendarmes, and three at least were of
ticers.
"Pull up! halt, l say!" shouted HI
who seemed to command; and in an in
) slant my driver obeyed.
| ''Secure the foreigner!" was the mex
| order; and with amazing quickness
was grasped by two of the dismounteC