Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-01-23
P0P0FF'S JOURNEY.

swell, what think YOU Of my project, my
little dover
.sTomfoolery,r retorted the .little dove,~
without raising her eyes from the "L.ife Of
tho Saints, IN which she seemed TO be alb
sorbed.
..But l shall only be absent ten days In all.
my little soul-four to go, four TO return
"0h, be quiet" said the ..little soul,n with
q scant courtesy. sYou seem TO take me for
an idiot l know your reason for wishing TO
meander off into foreign lands; you want 10
60 ON q carouse-~to have good time Don't
tell me you don't. I'm ashamed OF you.
Drink your tea and let me alonen
Whereupon the "little soul" plunged still
deeper into her favorite work
The above conversation occurred one fine
Sunday at Moscow between vassili Iwano-
witch Popoff, q middle class ..notabler and
merchant, and his wife. Avdotia Iwanowne.
The worthy couple were sitting after mass
ct table, ON which stood gigantic '.salno-
var putting out jets of vapor. For the ten
years preceding the same conversation,
slightly varied, had occurred as regular an
Sunday. had come round, that being tho only
day OF the week that the Popoffs we're able TO
see much OF each other on account Of the en-.
croachments OF business cares, on the other
days the husband going to his Office promptly
at In the morning, and not returning until
evening.
Avdotia Iwanowna was a dark little wo-
man, strongly resembling q withered olive,
with sharp features and abrupt in her move
ments. Her shrill voice made her servants
trernble and cut her husbands long speeches
very short The latter was a large tall man,
with fat cheeks, a heavy beard and eyes that
were constantly winking. He was as timid
rs he was big, and obeyed his wife as inn
plicitly as one OF the enormous targes that
arc sometimes seen on the river Is responsive
TO the slightest motion Of the little snorting
tug that Is towing II along. Apparently
they were the matrimonial complements OF
each other, for they had lived in this way
twenty years, during which period not q
single cloud had arisen above the family
horizon.
For the past ten years, however, an idea
had gradually invaded the circumscribed
brain Of yassili Iwanoviteh. and had at last
taken ccsnpiete Possession of that organ.
he wanted to see Paris. The narratives Of
his friends regarding the wonders OF that as
tonishing city, which they had visited either
on business or pleasure, haunted him with
the pertinacity OF an oft recurring dream,
and had finally aroused in him an Unsuitable
curiosity that he was unable, even IL he
wished, TO allay.
He had bought "Guide to Paris,n which
he read secretly at his warehouse, and be-
came so absorbed and absent minded during
its perusal that he made the most absurd
mistakes. Not only did he give his clerks
wrong directions when under the influence
OF his Gallo mania, but one day, when Gus.
TONER had asked him for the address OF q
merchant in st. Petersburg, he actually re
piled, ''Place de la Concorden
Avdotia Iwapowna, like a good wife, did
all she could 70 disnel what she called her
husbands ''madnessn She kept her ssneu
vaincs;n burned candles before the miracle
working Virgin OF Tvers Kaya; consulted
three celebrated fortune tellers OF the city
made pilgrimage TO the convent OF Troitxa
not far from Moscow; prayed, threatened Il
do many terrible things, but--tiid nothing.
With the dogged determination OF veal
natures, Vassili Iwanovitch maintained I
stoical silence when assailed by his wife's 10
proaches; but soon ss the violence of tn,
storm was spent he would hazard few timit
observations ON the general subject
This journey, he would urge, might be tn,
means OF opening up relations with Franc,
for his business The great exhibition tina
was about 20 take place would give him in
formation regarding a number OF matter
concerning which he was profoundly igno
rant. might, In tact, teach him much as d
many industries, etc.
Weary Of discussion, Advotia Iwanowni
had ended by turning deaf ear 10 all be
husbands references a. the nnwelcome sub
ject--a policy that caused the confidinl
tsx
some one, 10 pour out the fssilness OF hi
heart into the bosom of his old servan,
Anissime
The day following that ON which tho aisov
conversation occurred, that Ia 10 say, o.
Monday, an unprecedented event took place Il
the Popoff household. Contrary TO the Gus
tom Of years, vassili Iwanovitch came rush
ing home at noon, flushed with excitemcn,
out OF breath, his face covered with perspira
tion, and holding an open letter IN his hand.
"IIere, read this; II has just conner b
shouted, as be caught sight Of his better hall
The poor woman gaxed at him In amazemen
aud alarm She believed her husband ha
become suddenly insane.
The letter bore foreign stamp, and wa
eoached In tho following terms:
ssIR-The numerous orders that we ar
constantly receiving from Russia for our ne,
sewing machine, The Lightning, hay
caused Us TO decide to open an agency a
Moscow. Our sales In your empire foot u
from 500 10 6,000 machines annually.
ssIfaving consulted the American consul 4
your city, he has mentioned you as bein
ons OF tho most honorabls representative Q
Moseovits commerce, and therefore tho bes
adapted 20 all the position Of agent for on
Incompatible invention.
1--WE therefore ask you 10 accept the agenc
and a commission Of 10 PER esnt ON all sale.
which would result In an annual profit 70 70
Of not lsss than from $4,000 70 5000
francs.
ssThat there should be no misunderstood
ing, q personal interview Is desirabla. Ou
Mr.. Spark will be mt the Hotal du Louvr
until June %, after which date he will rstur
20 New York.
I'VE have the honor TO remain your obed
eut servants, WILLIAM SPARK AZ Co.
"P. S.--n we do not hear from you pris
toths 25th we shall conclude arrangement
with another Moscow house that Is awaitir
our answer.n
Avdotia fwanowna read the letter sever
times attentively, while her husband watchs
the expression of her face with intense an,
iety. To his profound astonishment, after
short silence Avdotia IwanoNna remarked
her calmest tonea:
you must 20, and should leave at ono
Tor today is the 18th, ands---
"Four days 20 70 andr interrupted Va
ALI Iwanovitch, as though he were repeatiI
some lesson learned by note
Make haste and pack your trunks. a
A.. &mlf