The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1890-12-17
THE PEDDLER.

lived a peddler called Tn la Fedia
What his real name might be, whence
he came, whether he had ever had a
family, or a more pretentioas. occupa- |
ton, no one knew. There are many
such beings in our land, who wander
about as if belonging nowhere, and as
If the almighty had sown and then for
gotten them. They seem like the sea
gulls- useless birds7-tha roam about
without ever resting.
Uncle Fedia went from one village to
another, appearing among US four or
i've times year with plump pack on 4
his thin little horse. He wore a Fat
cap and long, ragged foxskin pelisse
and had the co7yed expression of a
whipped dog; in fact, he looked more
like highway vagabond than an honest
Russian peasant, for the latter always
has frank face and smiling lips, and
wears Il sheepslIin touloupe.
None Of the Villagers liked Uncle Fe-
dia, for they suspected him of being in
the habit of casting SPELLS It was not
for nothing, they said. that he kept, at
the very bottom Of his pack, an sorts Of
books, pens and ink, besides mysterious
glasses through which he could see a
man three yersts away He wandered
everywhere, often ARRIVING at a hamlet
after nightfall and going away before
dawn. What wonder, then, that chill
dTen and even cattle looked at him
askancel
In the homes of the sick he was &C.
cused Of more serious rnisdemeanors.
Those who rashly gave him nights
shelter often missed various objects
when he had gone on his way-silver
spoons articles Of clothing, etc, and
the servants always agreed in laying
the thefts to his charge He was also
known to be a Confirmed drunkard,
having more than once been found I'M
conscious lying between the wheels of
his cart on the high road. Other men
hadsbeen known to fall thus through
fatigue or cold, but it was very easy to
declare that the homeless peddler had
been drinking
filnTe was hardly ever a row IN a tav-
ern but Fedia was proved to be at the
bottom Of it; the police. after due'inves-
tigation, deciding that the trouble orig
mated with the silent stranger WHO was
sitting in q corner, and whose passports
We're, to say the least suspicious In
col sequence of these facts the peddler
was often chased and booted at in the
ST. cts, and when the children Melted
Eim with stones hewould whip up his
ply and make off so meekly thatevery
o. q knewathat he had q bsIl CONSCIENCE.
In loIf it was considere,l hnposei3ls for
an honest man to like Uncle Fedia
viewer, was sincerely fond Of the
old GLOW He seems to have been a
par Of my childhood, and wjl always
figure IN my memory in the place Of
honor, which is sacred to the keenest
joys As far back as can remember,
he was associated with the; eve Of great
feast days, and can still recall the sen
sation that was created by the sound of
his little bell at the gateway. He would
come into the warm vesdbule, in his
foxsldn pelisse, bringing an air of cold
and snow with him. and here he would
open his great basket with It's two com
partnents, and oh, what treasures were
revealed gn. 80 g..
The whole household would assemble
as he displayed his wares The servant
maids, with glistening eyes, would hus
tie each other in their eagerness to Sc,
more closely and to handle the ribbons
laces aad embroidered hand1erchiefs.
AS for me, always waited withimpa
thence for the opening of the lowest cas-,
of all Where the playthin rs were kept
and i [ had no money Uncle Fedi;
seemed 10 readmy despairing glance an,
often Rts7e Inc credit for pocket knit
or b. htly colored picture from Souz
dal Later. ii was always he who brough
me books, gunpowder and fish bait. A
sight OF uch proofs of our amicable rela
tons my father would frown sternly an
make a sign to our old major dome. VIII
would Immediately assume a bulldog al
of watehfulness, and when all the Pun
chases were made Uncle Fedia, withou
moments delay, would pack up hi
goods and go out, closely watched as h
passed through the court yard and n
one ever helped him to lift his heav
pack into the cart. | more than ono
thought Of taking the old mans part. bu
my courage failed me, and knew, more
over that it would be useless to striv
against the general prejudice.
The last time Uncle Fedia came t
our house was on stormy Sunda
evening. AS he was going away b
looked up at the sky and asked IN
timidly whether he might be allowed t
pass the night in our stable with hi
horse Ny mother. however, turne
pale at the suggestion, and my fathe
refused in peremptory tone. The oil
man went on his way without anothe
y word, and I ran after him and whis
pered
Uncle Fedia, the mill is open yo
could take shelter there"
- hanks, child i" he answered, "but
snail soon reach town"
your"
1t win not matter, child; there woul
he 40 one to grieve for Uncle Fedia," b
sal sadly
had mover known him to give ute,
anceto SO many words in breath b,
tore,.and 4 turned back, thinking TIA,
h. could not be such bad man as pe
p said
lie next day, however, / felt asharn,
OF ny decision, for my father came in
ms room exclaiming in an excited ton
congratulate you upon yes1r y,
tege Thanks he to heaven that / I
not stem to you yesterday
Afl he told me that during the mis-
some one had set fire to a house "a I
neip borhood whose owner was hs
on . peasantry and cordially disliB
by Them Nv father Yaada e,,ra +l,at .