The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-08-21

Crimean sun, Nothing stirred eN- l cept some restless or flea-bitten dog, ! but in the strip of shade under the | caves, on a bench which ran the length of the house, lounged yellow serge-c clad soldiers in every attitude of heat and boredom Along the glen, in the shade 1 of rock and tree, stood sentries, as ln- visible to me when on the opposite bluf as I was then to them, but now as 1 painfully apparent to me as l--- But l was in the middle of the peonies be- fore this thought had had time to take shape. Unfortunately, in moving started a stone, which fell over the cliffs on to the rocks below, ringing 1 through the still air like pistol-shot' It was instantly answered by hoarse challenge from the beach, repeated few yards further on, and again fur- ther, until the flle-fire of Russian gut turals died away round the next head land, and far inland up the glen.
 Well" thought I, they are certain ly sentries, and evidently a cordon. ] wish I had never seen the countess. Better be convicted of poisoning post master than arrested for trespassing on the czar shall surely be shot, and probably sent to Siberia, for this is the Livadia cordon, and I am inside of il"
 I carefully parted the peonies which screened me from the beach, and look ed down. A soldier was standing ank- le-deep in the ripple in an odd, con- strained attitude. I wondered what he was doing, until noticed that little bright 70" under his cheek was rifle barrel, and that I was looking down ', of the peony bed. A half hour, I should say, passed; I held my breath all the time. I was reused by a noise of clam bering below, and slid one eye, towards the edge of the peony bed. Close un- derneath the round red face of Rus sian private rose over the rocks; he clambered steadily up, holding his rifle over his head, and stopping occasional lyly to wipe the sweat out of his eyes; for the rocks were steep and held the heat like a furnace, and he was Northerner and man of the Plains. At the foot of the little cliff he stop ped he looked at the peony bed at the top, he looked at the twenty feet of steep rock below it.. then picked up a pebble and threw it up as a deputy. "Hoosh!" said he. I scuff1ed among the peonies {, to represent startled an- imal, and he sat down with his back to the cliffs, with the air of man who has done more than his duty and means to neglect 1t a little. I picked bunch of the peonies and looked out again; he still, like good Russian, had his eyes fixed on Constantinople
 I crept into the woods and through them, keeping a line which would take me out of the angle of the cordon with in which I was caugt. In the woods I passed the other two cordons without difficulty for I was on the lookout and
 they not. Presently I came against a holly hedge, broke through it. and found myself in labyrinth of gardens, through which I wandered for hours, feeling like a character in the Arabian Nights Never again shall I see such a sight as those acres of undercliffs.
 I frequently passed gardeners; they disturbed me no further than by their profound bows; finally in a Greek tenn pie arranged as an orchid house, 1 came upon two young ladies cutting flowers, My peonies appeared to draw their at- tention, and after a little whispering one asked in Russian: Pray, sir, would you tell us where you found those peo-
 nies? My sister and I have often look ed for them in the park, but in vain. Oh, thank you! Indeed, we did not mean to deprive you-but if they were really intended for us-at least you must allow us to compensate you;' and l she handed me her basket of orchids 'The peonies," said I, grow on the , bluff inside the outside cordon; but
 they are difficult of access, and if l ! might sometimes bring some' ] ITO General V-'s quarters in the , left wing" said she. We will ex- } change them for some of these flowers which-are also difficult of access" ) A harsh voice outside called, "Sonya, Masha!"
 That is the general we must not } stay; do svidanya,' said they. I thought I must not either and hur- ried away through the other end of the temple; but I now had a purpose A bunch of peonies had brought me into Livadia; a basket of orchids should get me out of it.
 ] walked as quickly as dignity would permit towards distant stone wall in which was a gate and 8 grille faced outside with sheet iron. Beside it stood a guard-house, before it two sen- tMes, and the great golden double eag-
 le sprawled and gaped above. As , came up the two soldiers crossed bayo- nets before the gate.
 "Why haven't you opened the gate?'
 said l. T shall positively have to wait : Your well-bornship will pardon, said one; none may pass"
 "Absurd" said I. You know who . am; open at once."
 Your high-well- -bornship will deign to have patience; it is an order. His l majesty arrives tomorrow"
 "Of course, but I hasten to her su-
 preme excellency the Countess W 7 with these flowers from the noble la- ! dies, the daughters of his excellency ! the highly honored General "" But I have not the key, your excel lency," said the poor man in great dis i, ress.
 "Disgraceful negligence" said I; "go : get it at once"
 " But the sergeant has it; and he is ! digging potatoes, and I dare not leave 7, my post"
 1 turned away in despair, to try some
 where else, when, in the distance, up the vista of gardens, I saw the two