Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-01-03

cease to bewail in solitude NV forms
J tempestuous and careless life. The harde.
was to accustom myself to pass the Ion
} autumn and winter evenings in solitude
The forenoon managed to spend some wa
or other, either talking to the bailif, ridin
out to observe the progress of the work @
else walking about the new institutions an
asylums. But as soon as the day began I
decline was at a loss where to keep mysel
Inc small number of books found by NJ
under the bookcases and in the closet-ro
were learned almost by heart. All the fair
laies which the housekeeper Kirilovna coul
remember were told over once and AGAR
her songs made me feel the more lonesome
look TO the unsweetened ale, but it CAV
me headache. To confess, feared to be
come drunkard from SORROW e.: Tn
most Sorrocta and helpless drunkard, q
whlcn there were scores Of examples in GU
district. Near neighbors had almost non
at al, except two or three sorroacful ones
whose conversation largely consisted of hic
coughing and sobbing. Solitude was NOR
tolera0le. resolved to go to bed the earlies
possible, and to dine the latest Thus
managed to shorten the evenings AM
| lengthen the days.
| -Four versts from NJ there was the
rich estate belonging to Countess B; bu
there lived only the superintendent, and the
Countess visited this estate only once, OF
the first year of her conjugal life, anC
stayed there hardly over a mouth On the
second spring of my hermit life, d rumor
| spread that the Countess and her husband
were coming to pass the summer in their
country estate. Indeed, they came in the
| beginning Of the month of June The ar
rival OF rich neighbor is an important
| epoch for the village residents. The estate
| owners and their servants talk of it two
months before and three years afterward.
| So far as l am concerned l will confess that
| the news of the arrival of young and beau
| tlful lady neighbor exercised a great in
tuence on me. waited with Impotence to
| see her. and betook myself to this effect,
on the first Sunday afternoon after her ar
rival, to the village OF c. TO introduce
myself to their Highness as the nearest
neighbor and the most humble servant. The
usher introduced me into the cabinet of the
Count, and went himself to announce my
name. The ample cabinet was adorned with
rich, luxurious articles of every description
About the walls there stood bookcases with
books, and on each of them bronze bust.
On the marmar fireplace was broad mir
ror; the floor was covered with green cloth,
and spread over with carpets Unaccus-
toned to luxury in my poor den, and not
having seen other riches for some time in
the past my spirits became depressed and
awaited the Count with the same indeter-
inmate feeling Of fear experienced by
province petitioner awaiting the coming out
of the State Minister. The doors opened,
and there came in man of thirty-two, of
fair IL
with candid and friendly air. 1 tried to
pluck up my spirits, and began to introduce
myself, but he anticipated me. We took
seats. His conversation, both free and
friendly, soon dispersed my stiffened re-
servedness. 1 began to regain my ordinary
mood asthe Countess entered, and confusion
took stronger hold Of me than before In
deed, she was beauty. The Count intro
duced me. l wanted to appear unembar-
raised, but the more tried to put on the air
of unreservedness the more awkward felt
In order to give me time to recover N.Y.
self and to get used to my new acquaintance.
they began to speak to each other, treating
me as good neighbor, without ceremony
In the meanwhile started to walk to and
fro, examining the books and pictures.
unders TODD very little in pictures, but one
sented Swiss landscape. What struck me
was not so much the art as the fact that it
was shot through by two balls, one after
the other.
"What capital shot," said l, turning to
the Count.
YES" said he; 'the shot is a very re-
one; land do you shoot welll"
continued he.
''Tolerably," answered /, glad that the
conversation touched so near to me. 81
shall not miss card in thirty feet; of
course, from known pistols"
Really" said the Countess, with an air
Of close attention; land you, my dear, can
you hit card in thirty feeta"
1--WE will try it some time" answered the |
Count. "In my time l was quite a good
but it is about four years since |
l handled pts tol."
CO." exclaimed 'then l bet that Your
Highness will not hit card in twenty feet. |
Pistol shooting wants daily exercise /
know it from experience. In our regiment |
l was considered one of the best marksmen. |
1t happened once that 1 did not handle |
pistol for month, and what would you think |
of it, Your Highness, when first started to |
shoot again, missed four times bottle in |
twenty feet. There was a rathmeister in |
our regiment both witty and ocular; being
there, he said, joking: why, your hand |
seems quite unwilling to rise up on bottles |
No, Your Highness, one must not slight |
this exercise, else one loses its right use.
The best marksman happened to meet used
to shoot each day at least three times in the
forenoon. This was his accustomed habit
as glass of whisky before dinner"
The Count and Countess were glad that
my tongue became loose.
''And how did he shoot?" inquired the
Count.
'Well, Your Highness, this is the way he
would do: Noticing fly on the wall-You
are laughing, Countess, yet by Jove it is
true, well-noticing fly he calls out:
Kuska, the pistol
''Kuska fetches the loaded pistol, he dis
charges and presses the fly into the wall.
This is surprising said the Count and
what was his namep 'Silvio, Your High
less.' 'Silvio' exclaimed the Count. You
Knew Silvio, thenr How could l helm
moving him, Your Highness. He was &C.
,epted in our regiment as one of ours. a
but there is about FIVE years since
We received news concerning him. So Your
Iighness knew him alsoP knew him and
cry well, too. Did he not tell you of a
cry strange occurreneer Was it not of a
'ox in the ear received by him from some
coundrelr And did he tell you the name
f this scoundrelr No, Your Highuess, he
id not 'Ohr exclaimed i, guessing the
ruth, pardon Ibid not know Was
not yourselfr-- Il, myself answered
be Count with a very embarrassed air 4;
and the picture shot through is memori al !
f our last meeting
ooh! dear me- said the Countess, for
iod's sake don't tell it, it is horrible to
ear
q mo raioipad tba Count sbo ,,,r,+ - I