The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-30
THE SERVANT QUESTION.
A Story About Servants in Central
Russia.
From HayDers, Magazine.

A Story About Servants in Central
Russia.
From, HarDers, Magazine.
You talk OF having trouble with your
servants, Courtenay, my boy" said Captain
LanSdowne, of the British Dragon Guards,
as he sat at the double window of his hotel
in Moscow, watching the red winter sunset
fade behind the great white battiements,
and greenfield towers encircling the go
rodskaya Tchast" city quarter, "Well,
just you come and live in Russia for year
or two, and then you'll think all western
servants absolute perfection"
That's SO, assented Mr.. Hiram Boyler,
with dry smile upon his keen American
face. 1--WE engineered three railroads be-
tween this and the Volga, and l ought to
know what sort of critters the Russians are j"
But really. now, yon know" expostu-
lated COMMEMORATIVE as a new arrival,
was being put through course of Russian
manners and customs by his two friends
''some of these stories that they tell about
servants can't possibly be true. For in
stance, fancy anybody expecting one to be-
lieve that All officers servant could bring
his master two odd boots, and say: Faith, l
dent know what's got into thin boots to-
day. There's another pair downstairs in
that very same scrape, shurev"
well, I'm sorry to contradict you, old
fellow" said the captain, laughing, but it
happens that SolO thGt done myself, and
the officer was the senior major of our regI-
ment."
"And if you want parallel case." chimed
in MIR. BQyler, II guess we can accommo-
date you right away"
SO saying, he stepped to the door, and
shouted into the passage, "Vanya~ John
n.y.; ,,,.,, , -,
voice, and in came a short, square, low
browed fellow, with red calico shirt out
side all his other clothes, and a face whose
profound and placid stupidity was worthy
of Tartar idol.
Bring two logs for the stove," said the
American; land ndithat.one must be long
or than the other"
Away plodded honest Ivan like plough
horse, and returned presently with two split
logs of unequal length.
"Durakl" fool, cried Mr.. Boyler, with
admirably feigned anger. II told you to
have one piece longer than the other,
and instead of that you've got one piece
shorter than the otherT
Ivan hung his big head in confusion. $50
| have, sure enough. It's all my fault,
BARN" (master); "but I'll go and change it
this moment."
"Well," cried Courtenay. as Ivan disap-
peared, IF there's another such fool as that
in Russia. I'd like to see him, that's all"
80 you shall, in less than half minute"
said Captain Lansdowne, going to the door
in his turn Messiah Mike.
A hasty step was heard outside, and a
tall, scraggy fellow entered, whose gaunt
face had none of the stolid self-Satisfaction
which marked the heavy features of Ivan.
On the contrary, he wore restless and
troubled look, as if he were dimly con-
scious that he was a fool, and was always
trying to find out how and why.
'Were you pleased to call, Yury Petro-
vitchF' George, son of Peter, asked he.
Eyes; | want you to do a job for me-
/ You know Pashkoff's store just across the
streets Well, here are two twenty kopeck
pieces" silver coins worth about dime.
''Go and bring me twenty kopecks' worth
of white bread and twenty kopecks' worth
of cheese"
Off went Michael on his errand, and Mr.
CONFERENCE.-THE would not imagine how
any one could manage to bungle such a
plain commissioners greatly puzzled
when quarter of an hour went by without
any sign of his return.
Something must have happened to him,
surely" said he at last.
~ haven't the slightest doubt of it." an
swered the captain, with a sly smile, land
can pretty well guess what that something
is. Clap ON your coat and hat, and come
along. PashkoR's isn't far off, and I'll be
bound we shall find Master Michael at the
door of the shop"
There they found him, sure enough. with
such an expression as might be worn. by a
man who had just upset a plate of soup
over his wife's new dress, He was scratch
ing his head perplexedly with one hand
while he held out the two silver coins in the
other.
"Oh, BARN, BARN." cried he, on seeing
them, sit was written for me at my birth
that should be unlucky, and there's no es-
Gaping it."
"Why, what's wrongF asked the captain,
with side glance at Courtenays astonished
face.
I've ,nired the two COINS" answered
Michael. in heart-broken tones, land now
don't know which was the one for the bread,
and which was the one for the cheese"