Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-08
A PGSTMASTER'S TALE.

1t was just before the opening of the
railway from Taganrog to Kharkof, IN
1869, and was driving these weary dis
tances 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; ncrtherly wind
arose, and with thunder, lightning, gale
and snow, the winter burst upon US as 1t
yearly breaks upon Southern Russia. In
half an hour the rich, black rolling
plains had become an ocean of inky mud,
and we reached the post-station of Don
ski only to find the order, impossible to
proceed"
called for tea and the samovar was
brought in by fine upright, gray beard
ed man, whom, from his black velvet
tunic and slashed sleeves, took to be
the postmaster himself lie was followed
into. the room by noble-looklng Cossack
woman of about his own age. who said,
"Little husband, why don't you ask the
lord if he will eat a partridge and bit
of bread? The kurupatka Is plump and
the day will be long before his troika can
be harnessed to face the Storm" she
smiled sweetly as she spoke-he smiled
lovingly upon her; then she left us, look
ing lingeringly back.
Your wlfe's IN love with you still, and
you with her, Postmaster" said l. "You
must have beaten her well when she was
young tor her to love you so. How long
is it since you were married."
II am co. he replied; II was married
at %, 30 years ago-fve years before l
died"
"What!'' I cried.
olive years before my death. Is 1t
possible that you don't know my story?
You must have come from long way off,
for have heard that it is told even upon
the Azof."
And, throwing his legs across chair,
without more ado, he spoke thus:
81 was born in 1909, and can remem-
Der the return from Paris of my father
and uncle-Cossacks of the Don. Those
were grand days, when every Cossack was
an officer by birth, and when the Hetman
Platof was King Of Europe, Conqueror of
the Turks and Of the French, and friend
and equal of the White Tsar. Now this
Petersburg Tsar says that we're no better
than his great Russian SLAYER, and for
years my saber and long pistol have hung
upon the wall unused; and, when 1 have
worn my red-banded cap and my red
striped breeches, I've always hid as much
as l could of the straps in my boots, for
I'm ashamed of it now; and they're 60
ing to take away our privilege CT the sup
ply of salt.
'In 1884, as young postmaster-for
my father was dead-Nith a good place
and handsome beard, 1 was the best
match in the two villages round. could
pick my wife, and chose olga, that you
saw just now"
''There!" SAID I.
''Ah! wait and see. Wait a little
Don't be impatient! Olga was as lovely
as she was good. You have seen her in
her Goth year. Her goodness is what it
was; and, though l may be an unsafe
judge, her beauty is not yet gone"
He looked at me. l nodded.
ave were happy at first; but l was
young. I felt the chain. I was faithful
to her as far as women went, but not
kluU. we Udu uO CLllGEcu.
"One day, in 1889, she was in low
spirits about me, and flung her arms up
on sudden about my neck, with DO
you really love me little, John?'
"You know do"
"But not as / love YOU"
ITO tell what thoughts flashed through
my mad mind in an instant would be i'm
possible. That what she said Is true.
That, while 1 did love her In kind Of a
way, was bound to her for life, whether
1 would or no. In tit of wild rage l
struck her one short, sharp blow. She
looked at me with despair in her eyes,
and walked slowly into our other room.
l ran into our stable yard.
'Harness a troiko,' said l to the
starosta. 4 leave at once for Kharkof
with dispatches that the courier dropped,
and that I've found upon the floor. Quick.
quick the best courier horses
sin an instant they were ready. Mer-
rily iingled the bells in the crisp air.
Paul took the relns, and off 1 whirled.
In twenty hours was at Kharkof Tony
friend and starosta at the great Kharkof
station, who was equal in rank and pay
to most postmasters themselves, I said.
"Do me service, little friend, as would
do one for you. I am gong to leave my
wife, to whom have been unkind, and
I am going to enlist in the Guards. But
I wish her to forget me, and she must
think me dead. Write to her in a week,
opI foil hor +bo T falyap with tho