Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-04-16
SATURDAY PRESS.
The History Of a Dead Man
FROM THE RUSSIAN.
AP 10, 1881

journey with post-horses. For the first
two days the weather was pleasant, bat on
the third morning the heavens were COW
cred with heavy gray clouds, northwest
wind blew furiously, thunder, lightning,
snowfakes and rain followed, such n
storm as is only to be found in southern
Russia. In half an hour the roads were
impossible with black mud, and as we
reached the post-station of Donski we
found there was no more progress FOR that
day. AS | entered the station | was met
by tall, fine-ooking, gray. haired man,
whose black velvet coat with backward.
falling Grecian sleeves made me Judge him
rs holding some military or official posi-
ton. Behind him came handsome
Cossack woman about his age, and both
greeted me kindly. In reply to my re-
quest for cup Of tea, the woman said,
Husband, ask the gentleman if he would
not like n roast chicken with his tea. 1t
will be n long time before ho can mount
his troikn and continue his journey, and
he will find the chicken tender" AS she
said this she glanced lovingly at the man,
and then left the room, not before he had
waved kiss to her as she closed the door.
She is my beloved wife, and widow,
sir" said he, turning to me as l took a seat
by the porcelain stove, warming my hands
on its smooth sides. " lla ha you laugh,
sir but wait until you are eating your
chicken, and you wish | will tell you the
history of n man who has been dead four.
teen years, and who married his widow"
Of course / was eager for the story, and
soon after when my dinner was brought
me tempting and warm, he drew his arm
chair near my elbow, and began his story.
g | am nearly sixty years old now, sir ;
my wife also. But she was once beauti-
full, good, young girl she is as good now
as then, and perhaps am partial Judge,
yet | find her still beautiful"
70 this last statement | assented, and
he continued, IL was wild young fellow,
high-tempered, and of a rowing nature. |
was post. master of this station when I
married Olga. At first was contentod =
she was loving, good wife,--but l grew
weary of my life, and restless for freedom.
One day, it WAS in the year l84S, she
seemed sad, and coming to me, put her
arm around my neck and said, Do you
really and truly love me, Wanska p an.
swered impatiently, ooh yes, Olga, you
know that | do But you don't love me
as do YOU she continued. In that mo-
ment an evil spirit must have seized me.
| don't know what thoughts passed
through my brain, only it seemed as if she
was right. / loved her in my way, but it
nettled me that was bound to her for
life, and wanted my freedom. AS she
still chung to me, ] pushed her violently
away, and she fell to the floor Rising
slowly, she looked at me reproachfully and
left the room without word.
81 was wild. | ran to the stable
Harness me troika instantly | cried to
the hoster. There is dispatch left here
by the last courier that | must take to
Chorkof'; make haste In few moments
the wagon was ready. Paul took the reins,
the bells were ringing clearly in the fresh
air, and without a backward glance for
Olga, | was flying from the station, and in
twenty hours reached Charkoff Dismiss
sing the wagon, | went to the post master,
who was my most intimate friend called
for ink and per, and wrote letter, which
gave to him, saying, DO this favor for
me, and be silent. | want to leave my
wife. In eight days send her this letter,
and ask me no questions In the letter |
wrote:
"oLeA When You receive this letter I shall be
You better than have done. Forgive me for striking
YOU u was shameful act Keep the station; you can
wAssKi"
"My friend shook my hand, and prom
ised to fulfill my errand, and few hours
later was on my way to the military
bureau Of, where | told them |
wanted to enlist for fourteen years in the
name from my own. l was tall and
healthy, and they were glad to accept me,
asking me few questions. My hair was cut
short, my beard shorn, and in my new
with gittering helmet on my
head, rode through the streets of st.
Petersburg, and no one to know me among
the thousands who looked at us as we
passed by. / was ambitious, and learned
the routine of soldier life quickly. The
discipline was severe; it was hard to be
and as for the freedom 1 had |
lougcd for, found had lost it. Still |
advanced rapidly. was soon sergeant,
and finally became a captain of horse in
the regiment.
WIN III WIG ocTNiCc' III tue |
war with Turkey-and later the Crimea-
my time was up, and was seized with
most terrible homesickness, for of late
years | had learned to love my wife |
passionately, and to see her again, even
though she were the wife of another, was |
my only thought. wondered if she had |
changed in all these years; it she had grown !
stout as u beer cask, or thin as q cork
screw. was offered many advantages if |
would remain in the army, but refused
them all, was honorably discharged, with a
good pension, and the same day started for
the south, my heart beating wildly between
hope and fear. / reached Charkof, and |
found that my old friend the post. master
was dead. My heart tainted with the
thought that Olga too might be dead.
"Who has the post at Donski9' I u-
quired, crossing myself under my long
military cloak.
"' A widow, was the reply.
"'rhe same who held it fourteen years
ago p
1.-The same, came the answer.
''In eighteen hours was there. l knew
the two old men who Embarrassed my
Thax, mana f,..... ,n........ |