The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-11-09
ANNA GREG0RIEVNA.

ANNA GREG0RIEVNA.
Bouynoff and | roomed together for
three years We first became acquaint-
ed by mere chance. We had come To
the university from two remote prov
inces and had never heard of each
other before.
fell in with him on the staircase of
large house, as the two of us were
climbing the fourth flight of stairs, lie
being slightly ahead of me. We must
have seen each other in the gateway,
however, where we had paused to read
this notice in a woman's handwriting
"a Furnished Room for a Single Man.
Board if Desired"
Each of US was interested in the in
scription, and perhaps if was because
he smelt a competitor in me that Bouy-
noff headed me off and, hastily cross
ing the courtyard, went up the stair
case named in the notice. AS to my
self, am never in q hurry, so l took
the thing easily and followed at a slow
pace. When / raised my foot to set it
upon the first step of the dirty stairway
BouynOff was already on the landing
of the next floor, and the landlady was
opening room No. % on the first floor
when had only just begun climbing
up the third. However, since our OBJ
jective point was one and the sam. we
were bound TO meet, and so we did, at
room No. p. l was admitted after
Bouynoif.
The room was quite spacious one,
with two windows overlooking the
courtyard, with a table, bedstead,
sofa, wardrobe, bookcase aud
looking glass, the last named article of
furniture dangling over the sofa and
rejecting objects in q topsy-turvy man
ner.
"wen, how much ?'' Bouynoff asked
of the landlady, a dignified looking
woman, tall, rather solidly built, with
pleasant, genial face and a gentle
voice.
Thirteen rubles," was the answer.
docs that include tea?'' asked
BouynofT.
"It does. And, if you please, you
can have board, too" Board alone is
six and half.n
Il see. Thirteen rubles for the room
alone, did you say ?i asked Bouynoff,
who was evidently not going to hire
his board here. why such price?
You know IS is not lucky number"
be added, with a faint smile.
"Well," answered the landlady with
a laugh, 'in case of money l3 is bet
ter number than u
Il think you are right. Only / am
afraid it is rather too high for me-D
"An right, you can have it for l2."
"I am afraid even that's more than
l can afford"
Here the landlady was called away
and my rival and myself were left
alone. He faced about to me and said.
Maybe yaa can afford to pay the
price she asks. You can have the
room, then. / shan't be in your way"
''No, thank you. It's a small room
I am looking for. 1 can only pay :
rubles a month";
"Can you? That's just what | iE-
tended to pay"
"But it's hard to find room at that
price, l remarked. II have been look
ing for one for three days. They don't
seem to have any small rooms at all. +"
"Three days Why, have been at
it more than a week. l have nearly
worn out my boots climbing the stair
cases, as many as i've stories at time.
But look here. l have . plan-how-
ever, excuse me, are you student ?"
YES"
"What class? ?'i
"Just entered"
Capital"
We introduced ourselves and shook
hands.
But what is your plan ?'' l asked.
'.Why, can't you see? It's plain
enough. You have set aside seven
rubles for the room and so have /.
Which means that if we took this room
together we should economize two
-rubles month-quite enough for eiga'
rette tobacco, isn't it,"
II like your plan very much, indeed
if we can get along"
What nonsense! Why shouldn't
we?'
When the landlady returned We told
her Of our plan. She had no objection
and the bargain was closed. The only
difficulty was that the room had bu
one bed and the landlady had none Il
spare, bat volunteered to sleep on tbs
lounge.
That Was the way we came To b,
roommates. Every summer We w ult
20 each to his parents, aud on coming
tack We would seek each other out anc
again hire room together Thus vi
changed our lodgings several times
but when both Of us were in the fourth
class We stumbled across the landlads
at whose house we had met for the frs
time, but who now lived on anothel
street, aud again took room OF her.
We got along splendidly. Oar char
acters we're well suited. and there wa
not the least friction. We economical
time as well as money, for besides usinl
the same room, candles, tea and sugar
we would study together, which proves
at once more convenient and cost "a
less time than getting our lessons sepa
rateIy. Each of US was gentle of dis
position and yielding, and nothing wa
further from our thoughts than tha
our relations should ever becom
strained.
Our landlady was the widow Of
tchinovnik Ia government clerk an
q, fod,a from ubaf was leff of Thei