River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-02-22
"VATIGIF A On"
A Romance of the Pest House-An
Herr TO Russian Millions on the Box
nffho GmaH.Ipox Van

n Romance OF the rest ItOuSt-Au
Herr TO Russian Millions on the Box
ofthe SMALLPOX Van.
From the Chicago Herald
1t is not often that one sees the small
pox ambulance on the street, but when
it does come in view the disposition to
dodge around the corner is almost ire
sistible. People never have any Gu
riosity to stand and look at smallpox
van-they let it go its way and give it
wide berth. u is because they scarcely
ever give the wagon a second look that
so few ever see the driver or notice him.
If they did, despite their repugnance to
his surroundings, they would be apt TO
give him II second look. Ifthey did they
would see a heavy, selemn-looking man,
with dignified bearing, sitting on the
box of the hideous vehicle, straight as
grenadier and as contented with his
surroundings as though he We're toolin2
a proslSi on the boule wards of Moscow.
The Observation-Disclosures driver of that
friehtful pest-cart is an employe Of the
pest house, at $50 month, and he has
father in Russia worth $40 100000 rubles.
OF course he has q hist Dry, about
which he is more or less silent, but it
exists, nevertheless. His name-his
real name, tools Otto Gutteknecht,
and his father is one of the richest
manufacturers of refined sugar in south
ern Russia. Indeed. he has monopo-
" of the sugar trade j.. ihat section Of
the empire. He has immense sugar re-
ineries at several ports on the Baltic,
lives on an immense estate, employs
thousands of workmen, sails fleet OF
ships, has reared several palaces, en-
dowed Libraries, and in his long HE Oh
of eighty years has become one of the
most noted men in southern Russia. he
has two children, and it is understood
Chicago's best wagon-driver is bis only
son. Otto Gutteknecht is about forty
years OF age. AS to the direct causes
which have led to his present career he
is silent, nor do the Russian officials
here, who know his family well, reveal
his secret. He will talk about his early
life, mis- career in the Russian army,
where he rose to the rank of captain,
his career in the university of Moscow,
and talks freely of his family, but as to
why he will not go home and reinstate
himself in his social rank he makes no
sign. That he really is what he claims
to be is proved by the fact that ut the
German consul's Office in this city IS q
standing letter of credit upon which he
can draw to practically an unlimited
amount, yet he very rare ly avalls hlm-
selfof it. Once he went to the consul
and GOT S25, and at another time $40, but
that is all. In his daily life he is thor
ough Bohemian. He draws his pay at
the end of the month, spends Il IN q
week, and lives the rest ofthe month mo-
body knows how. He does not drink 20
excess--indeed, is not Incorporate IN
ANYTHING. His chief characteristic seems
. h ,,,t sAarav,na, 40 fatn His taNnrltg
reply to anybody who expresses surprise
at his hideous calling is Wat 1 glf
d-n." So to anything that is said to
him in depreciation of his life or habits
the inyariable reply comes Wat glt a
d-n." He will handle the most horrid
case of smallpox with an indifference
that is sublime. He win pick up the
most loathsome corpse in isgreat strong
arms and handle it as tenderly- as he
would a sleeping infant. Wat l gli
d-np7 would be his only utterance. lie
once had mild attack of variola, but
apart from that he seems to be proof
against the dread disease.
OF what specially induced Gutteknecht
to come to Chicago, aud of his immediate
career before coming here, little IS
known Louis Merki, the chief clerk OF
the health department, says he came
here about five years ago. He then lived
and travelled like gentleman. lie had
between 500 and 1000 rubles about
him, and spent money like water. lie
went out in the neighborhood OF May
wood, where he rented considerable
tract of land for hunting privilege. He
bought dozen well-trained dogs, sever
al blooded horses, a magnificent hunting
equipment in the shape of arms, etc,
and, taking fellow Russian as shiftless
and eccentric as himself with him, they
went out there and lived in bachelors
quarters. That lasted until his money
was gone. Then, being either too proud
to send home for more or from some
other cause he determined, and
as an additional eccentricity, t.
to go to work. He resolved to become
an expressnlan. Selling his guns and
accoutrements, giving away his dogs,
arS shipping his eccentric companion
the Lord knows where, he bought an
express wagon, got license, and put.
ting his best horse to it went about the
streets soliciting work, 1t was in that
business that. In the smallpox panic OF
of last year, he attracted the attention OF
the health department. lie WAS the
only expressman who could be got to
haul the dying to the pest house and the
dead TO the grave. Vat glf On"
was eyenEthen his favorite remark. He
GdIllt lO DC hlOWll tiib lfhbSh Va
pressman" who didn't "gif d-n!" for
smallpox. His stoicsm, his GOODNESS
and impentrability, his stalwart frame
and kind and tender manner TO the
sick, and al owe all, his
"Vat gif a d--n" made him
great favoriIe about the health office, and
so it comes to pass that, inasmuch as his
services to the city had ruined his bust.
ness, DR.. DeWolf offered him a perna'
nent position as driver of the city's
smallpox ambulance. He accepted it,
did this heir to millions-this great,
tender-hearted giant, born to wealth,
reared in luxury and no doubt spoiled
and petted scion of famous house-he
accepted it perhaps in the hope that
some day out Of his ghostly calling death
might extend its hand and rescue him
from the awful memory Of some hideous
and hidden grief of which his tongue
will never whisper. "Yat gifa d--n,"
may rouse in the thoughtless a spirit OF
merriment, but who knows what awful
sorrow may not be repressed by the
careless and reckless sentiment?