The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-10-19
THE GREEN-C0ATED MAN.

LIZ OllILN WA LID VI AN
Many long year ago three or four
regiments of Russian soldiers were en-
camped on fiat sandy plain upon the
shore of the Gulf of Finland, not far
from a new town which had Just been
built at the mouth of the river Neva, and
called st. Petersburg. The sun was be-
ginning to set, and the men, having fin
ished their marching and exercising,
were having rest after the days work,
or beginning to get ready their supper.
Most of them were strong and sturdy
fellows who looked as if they could stand
a good deal of hard work, and hard
fighting, too, before giving in. But they
certainly did not wear very soldier
like appearance, for all that; they moved
heavily and clumsily, and handled their
muskcts as if they had been more used
to plows and spades than weapons of
war.
Awkward though they seemed, how
ever, these very men were to be able.
only few years later, to give King
Charles, of Sweden (who was then
thought to be the best soldieralive). such
beating that neither he nor his army
ever meddlcd with Russia again. But
as they were now, they made apoor figure
enough; and so, no doubt, thought big
red-haired man in Russian uniform, who,
with his arms folded on his broad chest,
and a scornful smile on his face, was
watching half dozen of them light "A
fire
Pretty fellows You are to call your
selves soldiers !" cried he, in broken
Russian, "when you can hardly tell the
butt Of a gun from its muzzle. and don't
even know how to kindle a fire yet. We
manage things better in Si!esia, where
was born and bred
swell. if your country is so much
better than ours, why didn't You stay
there 2" asked one of the Russian re-
cruits, sulkily.
"Because ! was wanted here to make
you Russian lubbers into soldiers" an
swercd the Sicsian, ticrcely; land
mighty hard job it is"
The recruit muttcrcd something be-
tween his teeth, but did not venture to
make any direct reply; for this Slesian,
Michael I.ratsch, was noted bully, and
the strongest man in the regiment, and
any one who tried to argue with him
generally ended by getting broken head
for his pains.
While Kratsch was still tuning at find
ing no one to vent his anger upon, a
little drumner-boy, coming past with
can of water much too heavy for his thin
arms, stumbled against him by accident.
Like lightning big Michael faced round
and dealt the poor little fellow kick
which sent him to the ground, screaming
with pain, and caused him to spill every
drop of the precious water that had cost
so much trouble to bring.
An angry murmur ran through the
group of Russians, and the Silcsan
turned savagely upon them.
"What are you growing at, you dogs?
If you have anything to say to me, say it
out. You ought to know by this time,
/ should think, that one honest Silesian
is match for half dozen such as you!"
care you quite sure of that?" asked
deep voice behind him.
Every one looked round with a start,
for nobody had noticed soldier standing
near the group, and listening to the
Silesian boastful talk with u smile of
quiet amusement.
The newcomer picked up the little
drummer-boy very tenderly, retilled his
can from a bucket that stood near, and
sent him away rejoicing. Then he came
slowly up to the tall Silesian and looked
him full in the face.
Kratsch eyed the stranger from head to
foot, and did not altogether like the look
of him. His dress was nothing very
grand, to be sure, being simply the plain
green coat of n Russian private, so soilcd
and thrcadbare that an old-clothes man
would scarcely have taken it as a gift.
But he was as tall as Big Michael himself,
while his huge limbs and brawny chest
made such a show of strength that most
people would have thought it much better
to shake hands with him than to fight
him.
ESQ.," said the grccn-coated man, qui
city, Zone Silesian is a match for half &
dozen Russians, ell Well, can see thai
he's their match at Dragging, anyhoww
The Russians chuckled at this unex
pected hit. and one of them laughed out
right Kratsch's face flushed purpl,
with rage, and'for a moment he seemed
just about to fly at the speakers throat
But there was something in the stranger
bearing, and in the calm, steadfast glanc
of his keen black eye, which cowed evel
the fierce soldier, who drew back with
Eullen growl.