The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1886-11-11
STORY.
KNOWN BIZ HIS HAT.

KNOWN BIZ HIS HAT. lHah
| Many years ago when Petersthe
Great was reigHing ins Moscow. ami
st. Petersburg was not yet built, 1
4 Russian peasant il. a tatterei sheep
Fskin frock was cutting turf in a lone
ly spot on one Of the great plains il
central Russia. 1t was a burning
Isummer day, and his work had made
him veryahot and tired ;but one
could see, by his down cast face. and
hanging head, that some great
trouble was pressing harder upon
him than even this, fatiguing la.
Dor. a3 ,g.srs
I Looking up in one of the pauses
of his work, the turf-cutter saw a
tall young man coming slowly over
the plain to meet him. The new
conner wore the greer gold-laced uni
form of the palace guards; but the
lace was so faded, and the coat it.
SELF so threadbare. that one would
have judged this officer to be, either
IA very careless man or a very poor
one. s.-.......f. .......;..r "a 4tff
Gle looks as if her had lost his
way" muttered the pea,ant, as the
stranger halted aud glanced donbt-
fully around him. II must see il
can't put him right: it's always a
confort when ones in trouble one
self, to help some. body else out of
it," ..-...... ...,.,ia. ..re ,sgE
The young officer, however, did
not look like man who would need
much help from any one. lie. was
immensely tall, taller 10y far than any
one whom: the peasant had yet seen,
and his broad chest and lungs aud
sinewy limbs, showed enormous
strength. -.
His smooth, handsome face wore
rather Sad Look, and he walked
slowly, as il either tired or in deep
thought; but there was an air of un-
conscious power in his upright bear.
Ing and IN the firmness of his head,
as if he felt himself to be a match,
and more than a match, for any,
thing that he might meet with Al
together, he seemed to he the sort OF
man one would much rather have
for friend than for an enemy. #f1
"Hello, brother!'' cried the straag..
er in a deep, strong voice, fam far,
from the village of Volkhoff? L
think mest have gone wrong some
how -. ...,...,-,,.,..ls sAs.sl &.
"Your honor has gone wrong. in
deel," answered the. peasant, shak-
ing his head "It's u long way to
Volkhoff from here. You must keep
eastward till you come to big tree,
staniing'all By itself, and then you
must turn sorth warI rs far as a
small lake. Tlen after That you
m Ike big bend round to the right,
and" .r 30 rsss .~'' a"&@ @s9 - 10
"Oh, shall never b. able to re-
member all that" said the officer,
laughing. ''Ssppose you come along
with me and show Inc the way your.
/ self?" ..... -. - .e,oa s'Ete
"fd do it gladly, your honor but
You see, if / lose my days work,
there" ,.,s... ...g ..-,rI .a'fe a5.J aa3
"You shall lose nothing by helping
me, be assured of that said the
young man gravely. Glow much do
you earn in Il dayp'' aa.~T' a'"' 'ala1a ..
Twenty kopecks.'' Us cents.)
| Twenty kopecks,' echoed the
stranger, looking down pityingly at
the poor, tired man, quite Il dwarf
compared with himself. who worked
SO, hard for such scanty ray. "Well,
here's half a rcuble (37 cents) for
you, and now come along. BY the
by" he added. elf we pass near your
house you might carry your turf
home at the same time n ~
cit would need two journeys to do
that, your honor.'' e., =. e 80
1.-TWO? Why these four baskets
would surely hold it ALL"
"There is not man in Russia, your
honor, who could carry all four at
once when there full. The two
smallest are quite enough for me-
"Not man in Russia, ell p said
the young officer scornfulIy. "We'll
try that. Sling those four baskets
over my shoulders and then fiji
them.'' - {.
u The laborer besitated, but tht
young man spoke like one accustom
ed to be obeyed. AS he stopped t,
receive the baskets, the peasant slune
them overhis shoulders, two before
and two behind, and then filled in
the turftill all four we're full TO til
top. Then it was a grand sight &
see the great toweT-like figure riss
t slowly to its full height under The
enormous load, and stride away Sc
briskly that the amazed p easant hai
! hard work to keep up Will him. !. ..
A short walk brought them to Lbs
+ wretched hoyel that was the poo
turf-cutter's only hume land Will,
the latter was empty ing the baskets
, the strangers keen eyes we're noting
, the miserable and poyerty-stricker
t look of thefwiioie pfacc. 4 Afew KIM
words spoken as they Started agar
went straight to the poor PEASANT
i oyer-burdened heart, and the Who'll
p story OF his greif came out. 49,,
e Some years before he, had bought
: at high prics from rich neighbor
i ia small patch of ground that Ia,
a proved to be worth hardly anythin,
. at all, Moreover, not being able +