Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-11-07
THE WOMAN WHO
COULD NOT DIE.

A Strange and Grew. .one daIe
BY Count Leo ToIstoi.

- - =.
Her hood and the apron that conceal
ed the dark skirt she wore. all but for
n narrow strip In the back. and the
scarf fastened croSSwise over her
breast were dazzlingly white. On her
left arm she carried basket of home
made sweetmeatS. in her hand n stout
cane
She shufllcd along In the attitude of
a half open penknifc. but approaching
the bench where sat. raised herself a
little so that l could see her face. 4
veritable network Of wrinkles. Hers
! said 10 myself. must have been a
long. laborious life, life full OF cares
aud diSappointmcnts if the lines by
which misfortune had marked her
countenance tell its story
"Sit down. little mother" said
making room for her
Thanks. my lord. If / nav lean
against the fence a bit. | will be all
right again. When an old thing like
sits down and gets up. there is al
ways a shooting pain in ones back"
Then. how old may you be. little
mother?"
Eighty and more years-dOn't know
for ce1ain. But it's all in the books
at the village parsonage where l was
born"
Then You are not a Moscow wom-
amp
"Oh. dear, no; l am Ekatrina. from
Wadowice. One of my daughters mar
ried n Moscow lad. Peter, who works
In the nail factory. When I felt death
approaching. went to live with them.
thinking my last hours would pass
pleaSanter in the society Of those /
love. Ones relatives. If they are not
too hard hearted. will at least place n
handful OF straw under the tired head
when It's all over so the soul may de-
part easier from what has been its sin
full abode"
And are the children good TO you?'
How could they be otherwise? An
old woman, unable TO escape misfor-
tune. must Toe content anywhere. But
things are not exactly going as l
hoped"
Whats wrong. then?"
Death disappointed me. came
here TO die, YOU know. yet l am living,
living. living all the time Look at me,
my lord. Would you suspect that there
is more than II spark left In mei Gods
wrath! / seem to have more lives than
n cat. Had it all planned out to n nice
ty: wasn't going TO give them any trou-
BILE whatever. After the police had
been duly notified of my arrival that
was TO be the end of IL. / reckOned. My
son-in-law went to the factory as usu-
nj. my daughter busted herself about
the house while / sat in corner by
the firesidc TO work over the down
feathers i had collected the past year
My sole ambition was to cure enough
for bed. the inheritance | meant to
leave behind. And all the time | muir
INJURED prayers one after the other and
then began anew. Death. which /
thought so near. should find me well
employed
IL waited n month. another. a third
who didn't come was death. | run
cold when ! think OF It," And Ekatri-
ma trembled as she leaned on her cane.
Zone Sunday In the fourth month
the Janitor came up. Peter he said,
you must get permit of residence for
the little mother. That's the law
my son became frightened Does 1t
cost much?' he asked when be found
his tongue again.
About 2 rubles quarter
Then my son got down his tobacco
pouch and gave Its contents 10 the jan
itor. who forthwith withdrew just as
II there were no police I'm the world.
When he was gone. | said: Sonny.
don't you trouble about permit OF res
idence for me. l came here TO die. not
to live. True l am still breathing. but
ready to collapse any minute
And my daughter said: That's
right Why spend any money on herr
If she doesn't die today. It's tomorrow
or next day. She says SO herself and
dying people don't lie
You see. my lord" continued the
old woman. I'VE all agreed on this dy-
ing business and felt quite satisfied
that IL would come Off In good season.
But now that death has disappointed
us don't think. my lord. tina; | was
shamming at amy time. Even then, at
the very beginning cf my martyv,lom,
II ! may ccH il So without diSrr.pect
to the good saints even t.sn | was