The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-10-07
A LUCKY RUSSIAN.

verse. Owned and managed by the Rus
sian government, they constitute an en-
tire city and are fortified like fort
against the rest of the world
Russian sheet iron, Is every one
knows, IS the strongest and best pro-
duced by any nation, and the process OF
its manufacture is jealousy guarded by
the authorities. One who enters the
service of the company never again sees
the outside world. He gives up every
thing-freedom, family, friends, all for
the sum of few pitiful rubles a month
delivered where he chooses. He is there
in the works. but he might as well be in
his grave. Not a word can be obtained
concerning him, and should ne live 90
years after entering the service or die
the next day not even his family would
be the wiser, unless the stoppage of the
monthly stipend revealed the fate of the
man. Once in awhile one tries to es-
cape; not often, however, for they are
always caught and always shot-as a
warning to others-for the attempted
treachery.
1t was a crisp October night in the lit
tie village of Obvinsl., about 200 miles
from the great iron works The weather
was sharp, the trees and vegetation
turned to n reddish brown-all but the
lichens and MOSES, which seemed 20
crouch into tho very powders in their
effort to shield themselves from the keen
wind, sweeping knifelike from the SHOW
covered Ural.
Petroff Norvitski entered his poor hut
as his wife Katrina placed their scant
supper of dry bread and potatoes on the
little fir table, on which fickered and
fiared a bit of candle end stuck III gonrd
FOR candlestick.
81 am tired through, wife," said o, re,
land will go to bed, but c.ai.tI I'll Bi'tRe,
l go; sunshine is me Neneer up before
clouds. True e oftfways back of the
can getrssalsese . crops have failed and
Sinfy.u.er no work, but the Blessed Nir-
snopt'Will surely see US through the win
gSter."
And with q tender kiss TO wife and
babies Petrof sought the rest he SO much
needed. He shut his eyes, but not to
Sleep and only to turn over and over In
his fevered brain the probability of see
ing his family starve and freeze. lie
was brighter, more hopeful, when he
rose next morning, but any one could
have seen that his cheerfulness was
mostly assumed. Eating his breakfast
one potato again-Petrof kissed the
babies more tenderly than usual, and
evading his wife's questions as to where
he was going he babe her keep up her
heart and once more left the house.
But once out of sight Of her eyes he
flung himself down by the roadside. and,
strong man as he was, he bowed his
head in his hands and sobbed like child.
But Petroff was a sturdy fellow, and
&,r .flT1f n
liable grief he wiped away his tears and
strobe down the highway. From time
TO time he begged bit of bread from a
passing serf. and when nightfall settled
over the valley crawled into a thicket
and sunk into heavy sleep. The sun
WAS peeping bold and brassy over the
Ural mountains before he awoke and
stiff and sore began again his tramp to
ward the iron works. 1t had crossed the
meridian. the shadows We're lengthen
ing. and still not morsel of food hac
passed his lips this day, every one o.
whom he had begged IL bite needing /
for their own uses.
Suddenly to the right Il gunsho
sounded. and ptarmigan fell within
reach
ga providence fer me!'' cried Petroff
iovously Selling and thrusting it unde
his Jacket and looking about him Il
make sure that the sportsman had miss
ed the effect of his shot. AS soon as n
dared he stopped. made fire and cook
ed the bird, and though he ate 1t with
out bread or salt it gave him strength
to keep his way. Sleeping in the nigh
air had stiffened and made his bone
ache. so he had decided that he woul
not again try the thicket if he could hel
il. and as night had come on dark an
murky he began to look about him TO
place of shelter. He was then, thong
he did not know it, passing the estate {
the celebrated Comte RomanoH.
Looming through the darkness stoo
the great turreted castle with its battle
mented walls and close by the highwa
barn, into which Petrof slippe
through an open window and stretche
himself on the sweet smelling hay, n
troubles for the time forgotten In stun
Der.
1t was pitch dark and close on to 1nit
night when the sound OF voices rouse
him-suppressed voices talking IN car
tious tones, which at once awakened n
suspicious. He lay still and listened.
"But this isn't the stable" voice {
the door murmured complainingly.
mo. devil take it." replied anothe
IT took the wrong turn; the stables al
hack of the castle. Come on. Get thr'
of the best horses and bring them to Il
cate by the lodge, tidy addition, yo
Inov. TO the ransom we will get for t!
canture of Romanoff. 1t is IL o'clock nov
We must be at the rendezvous by
Hnrry: we have no time TO lose here:
Norvitski lay still till the sound OF the
footsteps died in the distance. Then
arose and dropped from the WINDOW Z
which he had entered. hurried TO II
castIe and ratified the knocker vigorou
IL A servant responded and inquire
what was wanted.
Your master, said Petroh. Il mu
zee him at once.
Return tomorrow" SAID the ma
1.-THE comics abed, fatlgued oy nun
ing"
Il must see him now, tell you, I
trof persisted 1T is life or death! "
IS bid you."
Guessing from Norvitskis manner tn
something serious did demand his ma