The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-03-21
raE oRkEs-coArED SOLDIER,
IHa,per,s Yeanr paople.l

cAmreu oa mak. sandy ptatN upon the shore of the gulf cf Finland, not tar trom new town which had just besn built at the mouth oi the river Neva, and called $. PeteEshurg. The sun was be- ginning to set and the men, having kn- sshed their marching and exercising, were having rest alter the day'a work, or beginning to get their supper ready, Most of them were strong aud sturdy fellows, who looked as if they could stand a good deal ei hard work, aud hard fighting, too. before giving in. Bn, they certainly did not wear very soldier l,Se appearance, for all that They moved Heavily and clumsily, aud handled their muskets AS if they had been more used to ploss and spades than weapons of var.
 Awk~ard though they seemed. how ever. these vety men were to he able. only a few years later, to give King Charles, oi Sseden, lwho vas then thougat to be the Sest soldier alive1 such beating that neither he nor hts army ever meddled with Rasaa again. But, as they were now, they made a poor figure enough; and so, no doubt, thought bug, red-haircd man in Russian uniform, who, with his avms folded on his broad chest and scotniul smile on his face, was watching halt a dozen of them light fro.
 "pFesty fellows you arc to call your selves soldiersp cried he, in broken Russian, "when you can hardly tell the butt of gun from it's muxrle. and don't even know how to kindie fire yet. We manage things better tn Silcsia, where was born and bredio
 Well. fl your country is so much better than ours, why didn't you stay ihese2' asked one of the Russian re- cruits, sulkily.
 Because was wanted here to make you Russian lubbers into soldiers" an swered the S'esssa, Sescsly "ana mighty hard job it is"
 The recruit mu,sere something be. tween his teeth, but did not venture to make any direct reply; for this Silesian, Michael kraisch, was noted bully, and the strongcst man;in the regiment, and any one who tried to argue with hun generally ended by getting broken head tor hts pains.
 While Kratsch was still fuming at ind ing no one to vent his anger upon, a litle drummer-boy, coming past with pan oi water much too heavy for his thin arms, stumbled against him by accident. Like lightning, Big Michael iaced round and dealt the poor little fellow a kick which sent him 10 the ground, scream. ing with pain, and causing him to spill every drop of the precious water that had cost SO much trouble to bring
 An angry munn ur ran through the cycep of Russians. and the SilesiAn turned savAgely upon them.
 "What are you gFowling at, dogsr lf you have anything to say to me, say it 'u, You ought to know by this time, should think, that one henest S,lsxian is match for half doIen such as you"
 Are you quite sure of th htI' asked A deep voice behind him.
 Every one looked around with start {; for nobody had noticed A soldier stand ing near the group, and listening to the Sllesian's boastiui talk with A smile.
 The newcomer picked up the little drummer-boy very ten derly, Tefillcd his can rem A bucket that stood near, and sent him away rejoicing. Thea he came slowly up to the tall Silesian, ana looked him iull in the face.
 kratsch eyed the stranger, from head to foot, and did no, altogether like the looks of him. His dress was nothing very grand, to be sure. being simply the plain green coat Of Russian private, so soiled and threAdbaFc that an old-elothes man would scarcely have taken it a . gih. Bu, he was as tall as Big Michael himself, ~hile his huge limbs and brswoy chest made such a show of strength that most people would have though. Il much better to shake hands with ham than to fight him.
 "So," said the green-coated man. quietly. Zone Silesian Is 6 match for half a doIen Russians, ehf We'll, ] can sec that he's their match at braggipg, anyhow r
 The Russians chuckied al ihis upex- pecied hut, and one of them laughed out. right. kraisch's face flushed purple with r&e, and for . moment he seemed just about to fly at the speakers throat Bot there was something in the strangers bearing, and in the calm, s,eadfaSt glance of his keen, black eye, which oowsd ihs herce soldier, who drew back ~ith sullsn growL
 "Weil," said Creencoat, quietly, we kNAhSasbb S@NS - s~Se ~~s1 NNS~ss grow by talking. !l you are q match, as you say, for any haifdozen of us, lei us see what you can doT
 @Could you throw that stone further thsn can 1" asked the Silesian, pointing to a heavy stone as his feet.
 "i can better ansver that when have seem y.u tkSow," said Creencost, as coolly as ever.
 Michael Krassch threw of his coat, and barring an arm as thick as sz ordinary mans knse, hurled the ssone seven good yards away.
 The unknown threw, in his turn, @ carelessIy that he seemed hardly to exert himself; yet the stone tell more thas a ioos beyond Krsisch's mark.
 The Russians raised a shout of tsi- umph, and Michsei's face grew black ss midnight.
 Are you as nimbie with your feet as ~.,,L ..<,sr haUAs ~ ~xn~asA kR fhrnu0h