River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-06-30

| der HIM II he raises the price OF gram
in his district by exporting some out oil
| it. Fancy being obliged to have re
course to all this mystery and decep-
/ ton in order 10 sell ones own property
| Why, its worse than an Irish landlord
| 1t is monstrousl Well, he dosen't seem
to live in a very aristocratic quarter
either" / soliloquized, as | gazed out
at the narrow, crooked streets, and the
unkempt. dirty, Muscoyites whom we
passed. 81 wish Georgory or some one
was with me, for its cut-throat look
ing shop BY jove! he's putting up;
we must be therel'
for the droschky stopped, and my driv-
er's shaggy head appeared through the
aperture.
"Its here, most honored MASTER" he
said, as he helped me to alight.
is Mr.. Dimi-" | commenced, but
he interrupted m again.
Anything but names" he whisper
ed; anything but that You are too
used to land that is free. Caution, oh
sacred one" and he ushered me down
stone tagged passage and up stair
at the end of it. "Sit for few min
utes in this room," he said, opening a
door, land a repast will be served for
you" and with that he left me to my
reflections.
well" thought /, whatever Mr..
Dimidofss house may be like, his SER
wants are undoubtedly we'll trained"
20, sacred one!" and reverend mas
teri" / wonder what he'd call old Dick
son himself if he IS SO polite to the
clerk | suppose it wouln't be the
thing to smoke ia this little crib; but l
could do pipe nicely. BY the way
how confoundedly like cell it looksw
1t certainly did look like cell. The
door was a strong one and the windows
closely barred. The floor was of wood
and sounded hollow and insecure as
strobe across it. Both floors and walls
were thickly splashed with coffee or
some other dark liquid. On the whole
it was far from place where one would
be likely to become unreasonably fes-
tive.
l had hardly concluded my survey
when | heard steps approaching down
the corridor, and the door was opened
by my old friend of the droschky. He
announced that my dinner was ready,
and, with many bows and apologies for
leaving me in what he called the dis
maLroom, he led me down the passage
and into a large and beautifully fur
nished apartment. A table was spread
for two in the center of it, and by the
fire was standing a man very little old
er than myself. He turned as | came
in and stepped forward to meet me
with every symptom of profound re-
spect.
$50 young and yet so honoredw
he exclaimed; and then seeming
to recollect himself, he continued:
'Pray sit down at the head ofthe table
You must be fatigued by your long and
arduous journey. We dine tete-a-tete;
but the others assemble afterward."
"Mr. Dimidoff, | presumed" said /.
"No, sir" said he, turning his keen
gray eyes upon me. 'My name is
Petrokine; you mistake me perhaps for
some of the others. But now not a word
of business until the council meets. Try
your chiefs soup, you will find it ex-
cellent, think"
Who Mr.. Petrokine or the others
might be could not conceive. Land
stewards of Dimikoffs' perhaps, though
the name did not sound familiar to my
companion. However as he appeared
to shun any business questions at pres
ent, | gave in to his humOr, and we con-
versed on social life in England sub
ject in which he displayed considerable
knowledge and acuteness. His remarks
too on Nautilus and the laws of popula-
ton were wonderfully good, though
savoring somewhat of radicalism.
'By the way" he remarked as we
smoked cigar over our wine," We
should never have known you but for
the English labels on your luggage; it
was the luckiest thing in the world that
Alexander noticed them. We had no
PERSONA description of you; indeed we
were prepared to expect a somewhat
older man. You are young, indeed
sir to be intrusted with such a mission"
any employer trusts me-" | replied,
'and we have learned in our trade that
youth and shrewdness are not incom-
patible.'
"Your remark is true, sir" returned
my newly-made friend; "but | am sur
prised to hear you call our glorious as
ISOLATION a trade Such a term is gross
indeed to apply to body of men band
ed together to supply the world with
that which it is yearning for, but which,
without our exertions, it can never
hope TO attain. A spiritual brother
hood would be more fitting term"
"By Jove !" thought /, chow pleased
the boss would be to hear him. He
must have been in the business HIM
self, whoever he is"
Now, SIR" said Mr. Petrokine, "the
clock points to eight. and the Council
must be already sitting. Let US go up
together, and | will introduce you.
need hardly say that the greatest Sc
crecy is observed, and that your APP
pearance is anxiously awaited"
| turned over in my mind as | fol
lowed him, how | might best fulfill my
mission and secure the most advan-
tageous terms. They seemed as anxious
as | was in the matter, and there APP
peared to be no opposition, so perhaps
the best thing would be to wait and see
what they would propose.
| had hardly come to this conclusion
when my guide swung open large
door at the end of a passage, and
found myself in a room larger and even
more gorgeously fitted up than the one
in which | had dined. A long table
covered with green baize and strewr
with papers, ran down the middle, and
round it were sitting fourteen or fifteen
men conversing earnestly. The whole
scene remined me forcibly of a gam
bling hell | had visited some time be
fore.
Upon our entrance the company
arose and bowed. ! could not but re
mark that my companion attracted nc
attention, while every eye was turned
upon me with a strange mixture o.
surprise and almost servile respect. A
man at the head Of the table, who was
remarkable for the extreme pallOr o
his face, as contrasted with his blue
black hair and moustache, waved his
hand to a seat beside him, and | sal
down.
Il need hardly say" said Mr.. Petro
kline, that Gustave Berger, the English
agent, is now honoring us with his pres.
ence. He is young, indeed, Alexis,
he continued to my pale-faced neigh.
Dor, land yet he is of European repu-
tation."
Come draw it mild" thought I, add
ing aloud, IF you refer to me, sir,
though | am indeed acting as English
agent, my name is not Berger, but
Robinson-Mr. Tom Robinson, at your
service.
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