Evening journal., 1892-11-15
A FAIR SMUGGLER.

which stands by itself at the entrance to
the town A Black sea Cossack, who
was on guard, heard the bells Of my car
siage and cried out. with the sharp ac-
cent of person suddenly walked up,
"Who goes thereS
Out came the sergeant and corporal
todd them l was an officer, travelling by
Order Of the crown. and that wanted q
billet sOmsWtlere.
The corporal TOOK us into town. All
the bouses we tried were already occu-
pied The weather was cold; had been
three nights without sleep. was very
tired and cur useless inquiries ended by
irritating me.
"My friend" said to the corporal
take me to some place where l can at
least lie down, NO matter where it Is"
Il know a hut in the neighborhood,
replied the corporal, "where you might
sleep; but am afraid it would scarcely
suit your honor"
''Go on" said. paying no attention TO
his observation.
After much walking through dirty
little streets we at last reached a sort Of
cabin ON the edge Of the sea.
The full moon cast its light on the
thatched roof and the white walls Of my
proposed habitation. In the court sur
rounded by sort Of palisade saw
hut, older and more broken down than
the principal one. From this hut the
ground sloped rapidly through the court
down toward the sea, and / saw at my
feet the foam Of the troubled waters.
"This will do" said to myself "To-
morrow morning l shall start for Che
lendchilS.7
A Cossack Of the line was acting as my
servant l told him to take out my
trunk and send away the position. after
which called the master Of the house
could get no answer. l knocked. but
there was still no reply. What could it
mean? knocked again. and at last a
boy Of about fourteen showed himself
Where's the master Of the houses?
"There is none,- returned the child. in
the dialect of Little Russia
mo masterl Then where Is the mis-
tressr
"Gone into the village
"Who viii open the door, them? |
cried, at the same time kicking at il.
The door opened itself and out came
wave Of damp steam.
l struck a match and saw by its light
blind boy standing motionless before
me.
l must here say that l am strongly
prejudiced against the blind. the deaf,
the lame, the hunchbacked in short,
against the deformed in general have
remarked that there Is always a singular
correspondence between the physical for
nation Of man and his moral nature.
rs though by the loss Of member the
individual lost certain faculties OF the
soul.
examined the child's face; but what
can one make Of physiognomy without
eyes? looked at him for some time
with a feeling Of compassion. when sud-
denly saw on his lips n cunning smile.
which produced upon me a very disagree
able impression. Gould this blind boy
be not SO blind as he appearedY' | said 20
myself Answering my own question
said that the boy was evidently suffering
from cataract. and that the appearance
of cataract cannot lie simulated. Why,
moreover, should he affect blindness'
Yet in spite Of my argument still re-
mained vaguely suspicious.
lis the mistress of the cabin your
mother ! said to the boy.
No
who are you. them
~ poor o5, D." ho replied.
"Eal the n..s,rcss any childrcng'
''Shc has one daughter. who has gone
30 sr~, with i Tartar
what Tartar
"uow 30 / know. a Tartar os tho
Crime;.. boatman from Kertch."
went into the hut Two benches. S
table and - large wardrobe placed neni
the stove composed the whole Of til,
furniture No holy image against ths
wall-b bad sign!
My Cossack took possession Of tn,
other heach Ten minutes afterward h,
was fast asleep 1. however. was still
awake and could not drive from my
mind the impression made upon me bl
the boy. with his two white eyes
An hour passed. Through the window
feil upon the floor the fantastic light o.
the moon.
Suddenly n shadow was cast. wher,
before therc had been bright light
fprang up and went TO the window. 4
human figure passed once more. anS
then disappearcd-hea knows where
/ could scarcely believe that it hat
escaped by the slope into the sea, ye
There v..s I'D other issue.
Th on my overcoat and taking
my a...-. / went out Of the cabin an,
saw the blind boy before me. con
ce:lA myself behind the wall. and h,
payspA ON confidently. hut with u certain
cautiousuess. He wRs carrying some
th,n5 uuder his arm. and advanced
slowly down the slope toward the sen
"This is :he hour" | said to myself. III
which speech Is restored to the dunn
and sight 70 the blind"
he wias now so near to the sen tina
with another step be- would be lost. Bu
this was not the first Of his nocturnal ez
petitions; so at least / concluded frou
the agility with which he now spranl
from rock 10 rock. while the sea poure'
in beneath his feet Suddenly he stoppe