River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-05-30

The story in question is one which at
least one half of the company have PROF.
ABLY heard dozen times already, but the
Russian, like the Turk, can enjoy good
story as thoroughly the twcnticty time as
the first; and all bend eagerly forward as
our host commences:
sYou must know, then, brothers, that
there lived in Holy Russia, many, many
wears ago, man who was so rich that to
reckon his wealth would have been like
counting the grass Of the steppes. lie
lived in house as big as yonder church,
and had a carriage finer than our District
Inspectors; and all the dishes on his ia
BILE were of gold and he kept troops of
servants in gay liveries, and drank costly
wines from beyond the sea, and had white
bread for breakfast every morning; and,
in short, he was such great man that
everyone called him "Vasili, the Gold
en- -
-ssBut to my mind, Vasili, the iron
would have been a better name for him,
for his heart was like flint. If dis
abled soldier came limping along the
road, or poor, half starved pilgrim
crawlcd to the door TO beg for aims, all
he got was kick. and BE off out of this.
YOU dirty fellow And, worse still, though
his own sister (who was as poor as he was
rich) lived in a miserable hut at his very
door, and was almost crippled with rheu-
matism, he never offered TO help her bit
and, indeed, he had more than once
thr eatened to pull down her hut alto
gether, saying that he wouldn't haze
such pig-sty near his door.
"Well, at last Vasili's heart was SO lift
ed up by his great riches that he said to
himself. There is no man worthy to be
my guest; l will invite our Lord himself
to come and sup with mep So he brought
out all his best dishes and richest wines.
and put his servants in their gayest liv-
eries, and spread carpet on the steps of
his house, and waited for our Lord 10.
come ana be his guest
ssAll day he sat watching and waiting,
and whenever a fine carriage appeared In
the distance, or a troop of horsemen IN
uniform came dashing along, he thought,
This must be Hen But carriages and
horsemen went by, ind still no guest. At
last, Just as the sun was setting, poor,
thin, weary looking man came slowly up
to the door; and he showed his bleeding
feet, and craved charity in Gods name.
but Yasili was angry at waiting so
long in vain; and he thrust him rudely
away. saying: .Begone to my sisters hut
Wonder: you and she will be well match
cdr Aud the beggar turned away with
out word.
Next morning there stood at Nasili's
4 door woman whose face was like his
sisters but insteSd of being crippled, she
was straight as grenadier. and instead
/ of Tags. She wore a dress worth four
rubles t$3) yard. She held out her
hand to him sud said:
Il ..'Brother, strange thing has befallen
me. Last night begger came to my
door, and gave him what had. As We
sat eating, suddenly his face became like
the great picture above the alter in our
church. and he laid his hand softly on
mv head, saying Inasmuyh - IS
I. did uito one az the least Of THESE, We did
unto Mel'' And with that ] became as
You see me now.
@Then yasiii tore his hair, and cried
bitterly That was He, them ami liz
might have given mo some grear git IT ]
had known Hint
BIT solemn voice answered from or
, high; Only they can know Him who ars
, lowly and humble as He vast
sAnd instantly ali Nasili's riches ant
grandeur melted as snow melts In thu
sunshine, and no one p1tied him but hil
Kind sister, who Fended him lovingly til
he died. So you see, brothers, that th'
] old proverb il true