St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-04-26
MISCELLANY.
KNOWN BY HIS HAT.
1 Russian PEASANTS Adventure.

sian peasant, in a tattered sheepskin
frock, was cutting turf in a lonely spot
on one of the great plains of Central
Russia 1t was a burning summer day
and his work had made him very hot
and tired; but one could see by his
downcast face and hanging head that
some great trouble was pressing hard
er upon him than even this fatiguiue
labor.
Looking up in one of the pauses OF
his work, the turf-cutter saw tall
young man coming slowly over the
plain to meet him. The newcomer
wore the green, gOld-laced uniform OF
the Palace Guards, but the lace was so
faded and the coat itself so threadbare
that one would have judged this officer
to be either very careless man or a
very poor one.
"He looks as if he has lost his way
muttered the peasant, as the stranger
halted and glanced doubtfuf1y around
him. 81 must see if l can't put him
right. It's always comfort, when
ones in trouble with ones self, to help
somebody else out of it."
The young officer, however, did not
look like man who would need much
help from any one. He was immense
ly tall, taller by far than any one whom
the peasant had yet seen; and his
broad chest and long, sinewy limbs
showed signs of enormous strength
His smooth, handsome face were a
rather sad look, and he walked slowly,
as if either tired or in deep thought /;
but there was an air of unconscious
power in his upright bearing and in
the firm set of his head, as if he felt
himself to be a match, and more than
match, for anything that he might
meet with. Altogether, he seemed to
be the sort of man whom one would
much rather have for friend than for
an enemy.
"HelIo, brother u cried the stranger,
in deep, strong voice; sam far
from the village of Volkhoff? / think
| must have gone wrong, somehow"
your honor has gone wrong, in
deed" answered the peasant, shaking
his head. otis a long way to VOlkhOff
from here. You must keep eastward
till you come to big tree standing all
by itself, and then you must turn
southwark as far as a small lake. Then,
after that, you'll make big bend
round to the right, and"
"Oh, | shall never be able to remem-
Der all that" said the officer, laughing.
Suppose you come along with me, and
show me the way yourself"
"Id do it gladly, your HONOR" said
the peasant, hesitating; "but, you see,
if lose my days work, then"
"You shall lose nothing by helping
me, be assured of that" said the Young
man, gravely. "How much do you
earn in a day 2"
"Twenty kopecks" (fifteen cents.)
"Twenty kopecks !" echoed the
stranger, looking down pityingly, at
the poor, tired man, quite dwarf com
pared with him, who worked so hard
for such scanty pay. "Well, here's
half rouble [thirty-seven cents for
You; and now come along. By the
by" he added, "if we pass near your
house, you might carry your turf home
at the same time"
at would need two journeys to do
that, your honor"
"TwO2 Why, these four baskets
would surely hold it ALL"
"There's not a man in Russia, your
honor, who could carry all four at once
when they're full. The two smallest
are quite enough for me-"
"Not a man in Russia, ell ?" said the
young officer scOrnfully. "We'll try
that. Sling those four baskets over
my shoulders, and then fill them"
The labOrer hesitated, but the young
man spoke like one accustomed to be
obeyed. AS he stopped to receive the
baskets, the peasant slung them over
his shoulders, two before and two be-
hind, and then piled in the turf till all
four were full to the very top. Then
it was grand sight to see the great
tower-like figure rise slowly to its full
height under that enormous load, and
stride away so briskly that the amazed
peasant had hard work to keep up
with him.
A short walk brought them to the
wretched howell that was the poor turf
cutters only home and, while the lat
ter was emptying his baskets, the
strangers keen eyes were noting the
miserable and poverty stricken look of
the whole place. A few kind words
spoken as they started again went
straight to the poor PEASANTS over
burdened heart, and the whole story of
his grief came out.
Some years before he had bought, at
high price, from a rich neighbOr,
small patch of ground, that had proved
to be worth hardly anything at all.
Moreover, not being able to make up
the full purchase money at the time,
he had got into debt and the debt
kept growing larger and larger, from
the high rate of interest charged upon
it, till he was almost driven to despair.
at doesn't seem fair, does it 2" he
concluded "but what can l do2 He's
rich, and Pm poor and friendless."
"Can such things be done in Rus
STA 2" muttered the officer, in voice
like the roll of distant thunder. at is
indeed, time for change"
His great black eyes lighted up, as
he spoke, with flash of such terrible
anger that the peasant shrank back in
dismay. But the young man cooled
again instantly, and asked, as quietly
as ever:
"Why don't you complain to the
Car 2"
"Tbe Czar7" echoed the laborer;
hasn't he changed our old Russian GUS
toms, and brought in foreigners to
work for him instead of his own peo-
Pile &? What would he care for poor
peasant 2"
"It's worth trying, though" said the
young man, earnestly "for yours is
really very hard case. Come, Pll tell
you what I'll do; Pm going to Volk
hOff to meet the Car and his officers,
who will be there today and l can get
You chance of speaking to him, for /
belong to his body guard"
"Me speak to the Gar 2"
''Why not 7 He's only a man, like
you and me. I've spoken to him my
self, and I'm none the worse"
IRnt how shall knnw him amnnn