Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-11-19

~, 1901.
"You know himT
PERSONALLY, and at various times he
has fulfilled difficult missions with sue.
cess"
"AbroadT
"In Siberia ITSELF"
"Where does he come fromT
"From Omsk. He is q Siberian"
"Has he coolness, intelligence. cour-
ageY
"Yes, sire; he has all the qualities
necessary to succeed even where others
might possibly fail"
what is his age?"
Thirty"
."Is he strong and vigorousT
"Sire, he can bear cold, hunger, thirst,
fatigue, to the very last extremities."
"He must have a frame Of iron."
"Sire. he has,"
"And a hearth
"a heart Of gold"
"His name"
"Michael Strogof."
'Is he ready to set out?"
"He awaits your majesty's orders In
the guardroom."
"Let him come in," said the czar.
| In a few minutes Michael Strogoff,
| the courier, entered the imperial IL
brary.
The czar fixed a penetrating look
upon him without uttering a word,
while Michael stood perfectly motion
less.
Michael Strogoff was tall, vigorous,
broad shouldered, deep chested man.
His powerful head possessed the fine
features Of the Caucasian race. His
well knit frame seemed built for the
performance Of feats Of strength. 1t
would have been difficult task to
move such man against his will, for
when his feet were once planted on the
ground it was us il they had taken root.
AS he doffed his Muscovite cap locks
CT thick curly hair fell over his broad,
massive forehead. When his ordinari-
ly pale face became at all flushed. 1t
arose solely from more rapid action
| Of the heart, under the influence Of q
quicker circulation. His eyes Of deep
blue looked with clear, frank. firm
gaze.
The slightly contracted eyebrows in
dicated lofty heroism-"the hero's cool
courage" according to the definition OF
the psychologist. He possessed fine
nose, with large nostrils, and well
shaped mouth, with the slightly pro-
jecting lips which denote q generous
and noble heart.
Michael Strogoff had the tempera-
ment of q man Of action, who does not
bite his nails or scratch his head IN
doubt and indecision. Sparing OF ges-
lures as of words, he always stood mo-
| tionless like soldier before his supe-
rior, but when he moved his step show
ed a firmness, freedom Of movement,
which proved the confidence and vivac-
ity Of his mind.
Michael Strogoff wore handsome
military uniform, something resembling
that of light cavalry officer In the
feld-boots, spurs, half tightly fitting
trousers, brown pelisse, trimmed with
fur and ornamented with yellow braid.
On his breast glittered a cross and
medals.
Michael Strogoff belonged to the spe-
cial corps Of the cars couriers, rank
ing as an officer among those picked
men. His most discernible character
istic-particularly in his walk, his face,
| in the whole man, and which the czar
perceived at q glance-was that he was
a "fulfller of orders" he therefore
possessed one Of the most serviceaole
qualities in Russia-one which the cele-
brated novelist Turgenef says will
lead to the highest positions in the
Muscovite empire"
In short, If any one could accomplish
this journey from Moscow to Irkutsk
across the rebellious country, surmount
obstacles and brave perils Of all sorts,
Michael Strogoff was the man.
A circumstance especially favorable
| to the success Of his plans was that he
was thoroughly acquainted with the
country which he was about to trav-
erse and understood its different dia-
iects, not only from having Travelled
there before, but because he was OF
| Siberian origin.
When he was fourteen, Michael Stro-
goff had killed his first bear quite
alone. That was nothing. But after
stripping 1t he dragged the gigantic
animals skin to his fathers house,
many versts distant, thus exhibiting
remarkable strength In boy so young.
Gifted with marvellous acuteness,
when every object was hidden In mist
or even in higher latitudes, where the
polar night is prolonged for many days,
he could find his way when others
would have had no idea whittier to d.
rect their steps. He had learned to
read almost imperceptible signs. the
forms of icicles, the appearance OF the
smaM branches Of trees, mists rising
far away on the horizon, vague SOUNDS
In the air, distant reports, the flight OF
birds through the foggy atmosphere
thousand circumstances which are so
many words to those who can decipher
them. Moreover, tempered by snow
like Damascus blade in the waters OF
Syria, he had frame Of iron, as Cen
eral Kissoff had said, and, what was
no less true, a heart Of gold.
The only sentiment Of love felt by
Michael Strogoff was that which he en-
| tertained for his mother, the aged Mar
| ia, who could never be induced to leave
the house of the Strogorfs ut Omsk, on
| the banks Of the Istish, where the old
huntsman and she had lived so long to-
gether. When her son left her, he
went away with full heart, but prom
Using to come and see her whenever he
could possibly do SO, and this promise
he had always religiously kept.
When Michael was twenty, 1t was de-
cided that he should enter the personal
service of the emperor Of Russia, In the
corps of the couriers Of the cZar. The