Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-10-08

rode back toward Samarcand. with me
and my Cossacks in the center.
I'VE Sic -,;j--o'; that night, Just
where tn" ...s 81, Ids and the noun
tain beg rs. The governor pitched u
tent in the garden behind his house,
and ent rtained the messenger of the
great ear most suInptuously. Ny Cos
sacks-l-ho. like true Russian soldiers.
felt qU.- : safe so long as their COM
mandin officer showed no sign Of anx-
iety-ate two pounds of pilaff IA mess
of rice and muttcn) apiece, and then
fell asleep quite comfortably.
'MIy slumSc however. were not so
quiet means. | had heard
enough OF the amccr to nc sure that he
wouldn't b, easily taken i'll: and if he
found me ort, it would be only being
tortured to death by inches, instead of
getting cut down ut once.
''Oncc or twice thought of waking
up my CosSacl;s and making n run for
it; but every time | looked ont of the
tent, there were two or three Box
hariotes strolling about with guns on
their shoulders, and soon saw that
there was nothing for it but to go right
through with it to the end
1--WE started again little before sun
rise, and got to Samarcand about noon
The view of the Tchcpan-Ata hills,
standing out over the rush and foaming
of the river, was very fine; but to my
great disgust, as soon as we got to the
outskirts of the town, they blindfolded
me with silken scarf, so missed sec
ing just the very thing that especially
wanted to see.
eve passed through several streets,
seemingly crowded, to judge by their
noise. Then l felt myself led up a
winding path and through a gate; and
then, all at once, the bandage was
taken away from my eyes, and found
myself in a large paved court, in the
midst of which, on pile of cushions
sat a short, fat, heavy-lool1ing old man,
with small, narrow black eyes.
The moment the Bokhariotes who
were with me came near him they all
fell upon their faces; and then guessed
that this old rogue must be the ameer
himself
"'What seek you mere, Oorooss?'
asked the ameer, looking keenly at me.
$50 then plucled up courage and
told him as steadily as could flor the
unsheathed swords all around were
rather unpleasantly suggestive) that 1 |
had brought him gifts from the car,
giving him at the same time my gold |
watch and my revolver.
"IIe was quite delighted with the re-
vo1v-a,. or,1 Y,,ucf mail fro ~ %
nearly shooting some of his own at
PENDANTS. But just as all seemed to be |
going well, he shot piercing glance |
at me and said:
Surely my brother, the car, would |
not send such gifts without sending
letter with them?"
For a moment / felt cold all over,
for then it seemed as if we were fairly |
caught at last; and knew what mercy |
we might expect from these ruffians if |
once the trick were found out.
81 could seek my Cossacks looking as
blank as did, but just then Albright
thought struck me.
About n week before, my brother in
st. Petersburg had sent me a playbill
of the Alexander thcater, with the pro-
gramme of my favorite play of Shakes
peare.
81 drew it out of my pocketbook
with flourish, and said:
I" Tho king hath spoken wisdom,
and, 10! the letter of the car of
OoroOsistan (Russia) is before his sub
lime eyes
The amcer looked at it, like a
monkey at Greek inscriptions; but the
huge double eagle ana the big Alex
lnder' (thc only word he could read)
quito satisfied him.
lie dismissed me with rich presents,
md gave me an escort from his own
yuard as far as the frontier, where l
vas mighty glad to find myself again,
an tell you
las for the precious playful, it was
aid up with all honor in the archives of
and when our fellows took
seven years later, they
must have been rather astonished to
ind it there. David Ker, in Golden
OaT-c