The Red Cloud chief., 1880-07-15

river bank Que brighl6March morning
4 mile or two beloythe great manutac
turing town of Saraiov. watching this
endless procession If lee blocks SWEEP
past. Strange booking fellows they are
with their fiat. sallow faces and th,cl
yellow boards. their high boots mcare,
with tar instead 81 blacking. then
rough caps pulled down over thc.l
eyes. and their heavy ~shrcpskin frock'
with the wool inside. Bn,. queer n
they look. they are 4 merry set. laugh.
ing and joking increasingly. and enjoy.
ing the spectacle like a party Of youth,
NJ a circus.
Come. now, Mccsha fMichscll
heres AN open course; let US have q
race acruss.'
IAN right. sicpka [stephenl and n,
you're a friend of mine. I'll give YOU u
half mInutestart.'
And then follows a loud laugh. for a
little fun goes a long way in Russia.
But a sudden shout from one Of the
men draws every body's attention. AMI
he Is seen pointing 10 a huge sheet Of
ice some distance up the stream. On
it, smooth white surface lies a dark,
shapeless lump. perfectly still; and
guesscs begin Ia fly from mouth la
mouth as 10 what this can be.
"A block of wood. think"
"A dog. more likely
Too hig-must be a bundle If hay"
A handsome young fellow. lately ar
rived in that district from the North.
presses Ia the front. audhNirg hi. keen
cyes for n moment upon the mysterious
object, says. emphaticaliy, "Ichelo-
vekr' (a mani.
"A man, echo two or three 81 his
companions. lie must Ice frozen.
then. for he don't seem t. move q biz"
"Fcodor T1hrodorel has the best
eyes among u, though puts in anoth-
or. III he SAYS a man. why. a man IL
must be-
And So IL t." shouts one who has
nun n little way up the bank and he's
alive. too. for ] saw him move hi. head
just now
By this time the ics-block had come
near enough TO le; the strange object
upon il be plainly seen. ~ was the hy-
ure Of n maj in n shcep-skin frock.
doubled up in r crouching posture.
We mus, help him. lads" cries
FeOdor; lit won do 10 let a man
perish before our eyes
"Ah. my bow" answers an old man
beside him. shaking his gray head.
Its easy 90 say help him. but how
are We to do it2 Crossing the volga
when its moving i not like dipping n
spoon in a bowl Of milk
III try il. anyhow" says Feo.lor.
resolutely. God cares for those who
care for each other. I'll jus; run and
get out ms boat
But a. he WAS starting of IA do 80. n
shout from the rest made him urn biz
head. and he saw something that stopped
him short.
Just abreast Of the spot where they
stood three or four small isiets. or
rather sand banks. lay close together
IN the center Of the stream. The huge
fragment Of ice upon which the man
was crOuchiBg. turned sideways by the
current. had just run upon the end 81
one Of these banks. where IL stuck fast.
.'Now's the time" shouted Feodor.
springiny forw ri; mot a Ia
BE- lost. A rope and a pole-quickr'
He was obeyed at once, for these
rough fellows seemed 20 feel i~nstinsiVs-
" that be was the man for the occasion.
and had a right 10 take the command.
He twisted one end ot the rope around
his left arm and running n little WAY
up the hank. threw the other end TO
those who followed him. grasped the
pole 10 his right hand. and bounded
ike a deer onto the neares; ice-block.
the in-draxn breath oi the excited
lookers-on sounding like \ hi-s amid
the dead silence
Had any artist been there 20 paint
the scene. IL would have made 4 very
striking picture. The SKY had darksnsd
suddenly. and \ cherries gloom bro<sted
over the suIlen river with its drifting
ice. and the bare sandy ridges on either
side. and The helpless figure stranded
upon the islei. and the daring man win
ming his p~erilous way over the treaeh-
erous surface. and the group Of anxious
watchers On the shore. while the wind
moaned dres-ily through the ieades.
trees. like a warning If coming evil.
But Feodor Vas not the mar 90 be
frightened By any such fancisz. and On
he went in gallant style. springing
lightly from block 20 block. while the
ice creaked and gToanei beneath his
weight, and he water splashed I'D al
around him Twice q CRY Of dismay
burs, from he comrades. as the ice
upon which he Ienped gave way under
his feet. Once his ~zy vas barred by
= gap too broad 20 be cleared; bat with
his pole ne DIRE. a passing fragment
within his reach. stepped upon Il. and
went forward again
But nos came \ new peril The
stranded mass Of lee for which he Wa
aiming. thus stuck fast IN the mids. Of
the stream. formed : kind Of breakwa-
ter. behind which ihs smaller Jumps