West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-01-17
I've found upon the floor. Quick! quick

I've found upon the floor. Quick, quick
| the best courier horses
! I'm an instant they were ready. Merriy
| ilnglod the bells in the crisp air. Paul took
the rcinS, and off | whirlcd. In twenty
| hours | was Vt klarkof. To my friend the
starosta at the great kharkot station. who
was equal In rank anG pay To most pos,
masters themselves, | said, 40 me a ser
vice, little friend, as | would do one for
YOU. am going To leave my wife to whom
| have been unkind, and am going 60 enlist
in the Guard. But wish her To forget me.
and she must think me dead. Write TO her
in week, and tell her | was taken with
the cholera and died beg her to forgive
me for my unkudnCss. Say that was
grateful for her love; and that it was my
last wish that she should marry again, some
lad more worthy of her than myself Make
interest TO have the station continued to her
as poStmistress. she was priest daughter,
and can write.
I'VE crossed ourselves, he swore: we
bowed to the image IN the corner OF the sta
BILE aud in five minutes | was gone.
"a the recruiting office | enlisted Tor the
lHmpress's regiment OF Culrassiers of the
Guards as fourteen years volunteer. and
in false name. I'd of course no papers.
but they ask no questions, for | was hno
recruit. My beard was shaved. my hair
was cut, and when got to ST Petersburg.
and was t,,cd with my uniform and cagc
crowned hcmlct, no one would have known
me. rose To- Ice sergeant and second rid
lng-mastcr. From your padarujna | see
that YOU are English
Now, in 1893. when had served my
time, there were rumors OF war i'm Turkey
against You, and tempting offers were made
TO me to stop and drill the recruits But
was wrctChed, and home sickness drove me
South; Though, if ! found my wifo dead or
married, again, ! intended To Kill mvsclf."
Petersburg IA not place Tor Cossacks
either. by broodmg over the past. | had
become madly in love with my wife. II
was no use for me To tell myself that had
left her well of; that she was married
again and happy that she was lourtN -four
and fat; or else, perhaps, "a scorccrow.
was madiy In love | got my discharge
and pension papers, and started South. At
kharkOi my friend was dead What If she
too were deadl'
Who keeps the Dousld pos, station
now q ! murmurcd crossing myself the
while under my long cloak
The widow
"A widow that has Kept 1t fourteen
.ycarsN
The same
'ln eighteen hours was there. recop-
niscd two of the old men, bus they nur me.
| rushed into the house She was a. her
day book writing, not changed; only ara
yer, and with silver in her black hair NV
| own little Olga, in the best sty ot old DAYS.
She did not turn TO look at me, but threw
up her arms and fell forward ON the table.
! rushed to her and felt her heart, with
mine, too, all but ceasing TO beat. I'm n
moment she came 10 hersclf-our lips press
| ed together That was in 1853 This is
| 1869. Sixteen years gone like Il day. We
have made up for the past little lord
But would you believe IN That wretch
ed Government at Petersburg insists that
am dead, and that the Donsli station is kept
! 10y widow. Or else, they sag the ccuiras-
| sier riding master must be dead, and with
him his pension. My widow accepts the
situation with "A smile, for our ncighbors all
| know better than TO believe the Government.
but she keeps the books, signs The receipts.
and pays the taxes | draw my pension in
my cuirAsser name.