The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-17
Highest of all in Leavenne pover-1 ,test II 5
and apart from the few government
buildings 1t contains forms O collection
OF md c6I,,nlid

and apart from the few government
buildings 1t contains forms collection
OF poor and squalid dwellings over
crowded with their miserable tenants.
Many drastic measures have been
taken along the Russo-Per<sian and AZ.
CHAN frontiers, and numerous fugitivcs
have been shot down and spcarcd by
Cossack cordons in their attempts to
cross over into Russian soil. The orders
under which these guards were netting
simply admitted of no half measures.
In the midst of such horrors one turns
with certain sense of relief to tho re
verso sido of the medal; in other words,
to tho humors OF the situation. a good
story Is thus being told at New of
Russian doctor who was sent over tho
Afghan frontier to an outpost north of
Herat to open negotiations with tho
local sirdar ON the subject of the
cholera Gordon. Tho Muscovite ply
stefan was largo and heavy man and
ne was accompanied by n Cossack CO
cort- The sirNlar invited him to Join
his cortege, which was just starting on
tour Of inspection, and proposed that
they could thus obtain IN opportunity
for arriving ct an intelligent idea of
the general situation The sirlars In
variable custom was to travel in com
pany with his three wives, and the first
night tho entire party campcd together
amid some ancient ruins for tho PUP
pose of enjoying much-nooded rest
Now, it SO happened that the Russian
doctor went to bod in an unusually ex-
nlted state Of mind, consequent upon
30 4.
pitnlity of the sirlars table During
the night the watchful Afghan
sentrics deserted white object
crawling stealthily in the direction
of the tent occupied by the
slrdars wives They ran toward
the mysterious object and Cautiously
followed in its woke. They had not
long to wait before the figure, which
was that of IL man, clad in scanty I'M
dergarmcnts, reached the ladies' tent
md attempted to pass under it, much
in the fashion of tho small boy who
seeks n surreptitious view of Il circus
show. The instant the ghostly form
betrayed its fell design sentry iabbod
it in the rear with his hooked spcar,
when n sharp cry rang out md the
wounded man rolled on his back. The
slight injury, however, that he had sus-
tanned, was nothing to the disgrace of
the exposure, for the culprit was none
other than the Russian medical officer
himself The scntrics would not allow
him to go back to his tent, but held him
prisoner till daybreak, and had it not
been for the interference of the Cossack
escort, peeping Tom would have Jared
badly.
Still funnicr is the story lately cur
rent in Baku concerning the archie
mandrite of that place The habitual
practice there of leaving the carcasses
OF animals to rot in the streets without
being removed is mentioned above.
Some highly disrespectful person sow fit
to deposit during the small hours, right
in front of the archemandritc's resi-
dcncc. the dead body of n mule. TO
make matters worse, it was clear that
the animal had been dead for some
time and its condition was correspond
ingly offensive. Official dignity was
outraged and the entire staff of the
nrchcmandrite's servants was hastily
summoned to the scene with orders to
speedily remove the remains. They all
responded to tho call of duty with one
exception, the cook, and he fatty de-
clined to perform any such degrading
duty. "What" he exclaimed, ''turn
me, trained and high priced disciple of
Vatel, into a scavenger of street refuse?
Never! death would be preferable to
such dishonor." The arrhemnndrite.
enraged at this refusal, went to tho
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