West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-01-17
a Married widow.

1t was just before the opening OF the rail
way from IHganrog TO kharkof i'm 1869, and
! was driving these dreary distances in aut-
mnn. 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 nOrthcrly wind arose, and with thunder
lightning, 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 inkv
mud, and we reached the post station of
Donski only 20 find the order, "Impossible
90 proceed.
called for tea, and the samovar was
brought IN by fine, upright, gray bearded
man, whom, from his black velvet tunic
and slashod sleeves, | took TO be the post
master himself He was followed into the
room by noble looking Cossack woman Of
his own age, who said, Little husband,
why don't you ask the little lord if he will
eat partridge and n bit Of bread? The
lurupatka is plump, and the day will be
long before his troika can be harncsscd to
face the storm" She smiled swcctly as she
spol;e-he smiled lovingly upon her; then
she left us, looking lingcrIngly back.
"Your wiic's in love with you STILL and
you with her, postmaster | said. "You
must have beaten her well when she was
young for her TO love YOU so. How long is
IT. since you were MARI cdY'
81 am sixty, hc replied 'I was married
al twenty-five, thirty five years .JiUe gears
Gcforc Iajcd."
"Whai p said J.
give years before my death Is IL pos
sibIe that you don't know my s'oryY You
. Z
heard that 10 is told even upon the AzOf. N
And, throwing bis lcgs across chair.
without more ado hc spoke thus, ! was
! born in 500 and can remember the return
from Paris # my father and uncle Cos
sacks ~ the Don. Inose were grand davs,
when every CJssack was on officer by birth.
and when the llciman Plstoi was King Of
Europe, couquuor Of fhn Turks and of the
+ French, and friend and equal OF the White
| Tsor. Now this Petersburg Tsar SAYS that
we're no better than his Great Russian
slaves, and for many years my sabre and
I long pistols have hung uuon the wall uu-
used and when have worn my red band
ed cup and my red stripped breechcs I've
always hid ae much ne ! could of the stripe
Zoo my boots for I'm ashamed Of il now
and they're even going to take away our
privilege of the supply Of salt
In 1884, as young postmaster for my
father was dcad-wilh good place and p
handsome beard, ! WIS the best match I'm
thctwo church vii ages round could pick
my wife. and ! chose Olga, that you saw
just now.
"Ihcrcl" said /.
"Ah. wait md see. Wait, little lord!
Don't hn impatient Olga was as i1ve' "
as sho vas good Youhavc seen her in her
-NIefI year. Her goodness is what DO
Was; snI though may Doc an unsafe Judge.
nc beauty ,hus, is mot yet gone"
JIa lrHsni 70 mc. ! nodded
"Nc "r. happy 90 fret but was
young. l fet hc Chain was faithful
tO hnr a- iar as women went, but not kind
We had mo- children
"Ouc day, in 1889 shc wac in low spirits
about mo end flung her arms upon q sud
den about my neck with, DO sou reaiLY
love mr, little JohnT
You know dO'
But NOT as ] love voD
"Io tell you what thoughts flashed in an
instant through my mind would Doc jmp0ssi-
hle Tint what She said was true. That
while J did love her iu 81 kind way. j was
bound to hT for Hlc. whc.hcr ! would 0r
no. Iu lit OF wild rage. ] struck her one
short, sharp blow. She looked at me. with
despair in hcr eyes, and walked slowly into
our other room. / ran into tbe stable yard.
" Harness q troika.' said to the star
osia u leave st once for Kharkof. with
despatekss fer tbe eouuer dropped, and shat