The Penn's Grove record., 1888-05-26
POPOFF'S JOURNEY.

VI w
"well, what think you of my pro-
ject, my little dover"
"Tomfoolery," retorted the 'little
dove" without raising her eyes from
the "Life of the Saints" In which sh
seemed to be absorbed.
"But 1 shall only be absent ten days
In all, my little s0ul-four to go, four
to return-and-"
ooh, be quiet" said the "little soul'
with a scant courtesy. "You seem to
take me for an idiot. I know your
reason for wishing to meander of into
foreign lands; you want to go on a
carOuse-to have a good time. Don't
tell me you don't. Pm ashamed of
you. Drink your tea and let ME
sl0ne."
W~nereupon the ''little soul" plunged
still deeper into her favorlte work.
The above conversation occurred one
fine Sunday at Moscow between Vas
sill Iwanovltch Popoff, a middle class
''~notable" and merchant, and his
wife. Avdotia Iwanowne. The worthy
couple were sitting after mass at a
table, on which stood agigantic "samo
var" putting out Jets of vapor. For
the ten years preceding the same con
versation, slightly varied, had occurred
as regular as Sunday had come around,
that being the only day of the week
that the POpoff's were able to see
much of each other on account of the
encroachment of business cares, on
the other days the husband going to his
ONCE promptly at 7 In the morning,
and not returning until evening.
Avdotia' Iwanowne was a dark little
woman, strongly resembling a withered
olive, with sharp features and abrupt
In her movements, Her shrill voice
made her servants tremble and cut
her husbands long speeches very short.
The latter was a large, tall man, with
fat cheeks, a heavy beard and eyes that
were constantly winking. He was as
timid as he was big, and obeyed his
wife as implicitly as n OF the enor-
nous barges that + sometimes seen
on the river is responsive to the slight
est motion of the little snorting tug
that is towing 1t along. Apparently
they were the matrimonial compile
ments of each other. for they lived in
this way for twenty years, during
which time not a single cloud had
arisen above the family horizon.
For the past ten years, however, an
idea had gradually invaded the cir
cumscribed brain of Vassili Iwano-
Witch, and had at last taken complete
possession of that organ.
He wanted to SEQ Paris. The mar.
ratIves of his friends regarding the
wonders Of that astonishing city, which
they had visited either on business or
pleasure, haunted him with the pert
nacIty Of an oft recurring dream, and
had finally aroused in him an unsuitable
curiosity that he was unable, even If
he wished, to allay.
He had bought a "Guide to Paris,''
which he read secretly at his ware
house, and became so absorbed and
absent minded during its perusal that
he made the most absurd mistakes.
Not only did he give his clerks wrong
directions when under the influence OF
his Gallo mama, but n day, when a
customer had asked him for the ad.
dress of a merchant in st. Petersburg,
he actually replied, "Placs de la Con-
corde."
Avdotia Iwanowne, like a good wife,
did all she could to dispel what she
called her husbands ''madness." She
kept her "neuvaInes;" burned candles
before the miracle working Virgin Of
Tvers Kaya; consulted three celebrated
fortune tellers Of the city; made a pill
grimage to the convent of Tr0itza, not
far from Moscow; prayed, threatened
to do many terrible things, but-did
nothing.
With the logged determination OF
weak natures. Vasslli Iwanoyitch
maintained a stoical silence when as
sailed by his wife's r~eproaches; but as
soon as the violence Of the storm was
spent he would hazard a few timid
observations on the general subject.
The Journey. he would urge, might
be the means of opening up relations
with France for his business. The
great exhibition that was about to take
place would give him Information re-
garding a number of matters concern
ing which he was profoundly ignorant
might, in fact, teach him much as tC
many Industries, etc.
6hIy ~ ulSSuoolOHs oNbohio IVAN
owne had ended by turning a deaf eai
to all her husbands references to the
unwelcome subject-a policy that
caused the confiding Vassili, compelled
to make a conidant Of some one, to
pour out the fullness of his heart into
the bosom Of his old servant, Anis.
sine.
The day following that on which the
above conversation occurred, that il
to say, on Monday, an unprecedented
event took place in the Popof house
hold. Contrary to the custom Of
years, Vassili Iwanovitch came rushing
home at noon, flushed with excitement,
out of breath, his face covered will
perspiration, and holding an open letter
in his hand.
"Here, read this; 1t has just come!'
he shouted, as he caught sight OF hi
better half. The poor woman gazed
at him In amazement and alarm. Sht
believed her husband had become sud
denly insane.
The letter bore a foreign stamp, and
was crouched in the following terms:
"SIR-The numerous orders that w
are constantly receiving from Russi;
for our new sewing machine, 'Tht
Lightning have caused us to decide
to open an agency at Moscow. OuI
sales from your empire foot up from
5000 to 5000 machines annually.