Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-07-15

to do but to sit ON a throne all day
You shall see for yourself what sort
Of throne he sits on, if you like to come
with me into the palace"
The boy hesitated; but he thought
that, after all, this officer might be on
duty at the palace, and might really be
able to give him peep at its wonders;
Or, if not, the man must be some
merry fellow who liked a joke and
would end by giving him a few ko-
pecks to buy something good for sup
per. So without another word, he
turned and followed his new friend,
who went straight up to the main en-
trance of the palace.
That his companion really was the
Gar, Vaska did not believe for a mo-
ment; but he began to have some mis-
givings on this point when he saw
with what profound respect the senti-
nels at the gate, and the richly dressed
servants within it, saluted his guide
as they passed.
The Czar noticed the boys confu-
sion, and, halting suddenly, called out
rs Droboff there?"
Here l am, at your majesty's SER
vice" answered a deep voice.
And out from the throng Of liveried
attendants came "a tall man in dark
green jacket, trimmed with gold lace,
whose SCARED face and bold, upright
bearing showed him to be an old SOL
dier.
At the word majesty" little Vaska's
eyes grew as round as saucers, but the
Gar, seeming not to observe his
amazement, said to Droboff: e.
Take this boy with you, give him
good supper and find him some place
to sleep. Tomorrow you can show
him through the palace, and then
bring him to me again. Goodnight,
Vaska."
When Vaska awoke the next morn
ing, he thought he must be dreaming,
till the kindly voice of the old soldier,
who may have had a little fellow of
his own somewhere, called to him to
get up for breakfast. And even more
like dream was the day that follow
ed, spent as it was amid marble pill
the magniticence of the Winter Palace.
1t was rather a blow to Vaska to
find that, after all, the Cars throne
was nothing more than a big chair,
covered with gliding, instead of being
solid gold, as he had expected. But
the sight of the imperial crown and
scepter, with enormous emeralds and
Ill 1t,
disappointment.
mo wonder Father Alexander
doesn't wear those things when he
goes about the street, cried he.
They'd be stolen before he had 'em
on five minutes!'
But what the boy enjoyed most of
all was the sight of the great picture
gallery, with the paintings of all the
battles which the Russians had fought
against Napoleon during the war of
1912; and his delight knew no bounds
when old Droboff, who had himself
been in all these battles, told him the
whole story of the great war, and how
bravely the Russian people had periled
their lives to free their country from
lue luNdueE.
And if ever such another war should
come in our time, my boy" the veteran
added, drawing himself up proudly,
"old as l am, I'd turn out and fight
for holy Russia and the CARR
"And so would I!'' cried Vasta,
clenching a fist about the size of an
apple. I'D give my life for him any
day, since he has been so good to me''
Now it happened that just at the
time when Nasta and his guide We're
ending their tour of inspection, the
Gar, who had been very busy all day,
was told by messenger that foreign
of high rank had come to
the palace to see him, and was then
waiting in the Hall of Audience.
The nearest way from the Cars |
cabinet to this hall lay along the great |
corridor which had just been opened |
again after being closed for several |
weeks during the repair of a part of
its oaken flooring. Alexander and his |
attendants We're nearly half way along |
It, when Vaska came suddenly out of |
4 room a little way beyond them.
The boy had been longing all day to |
get a chance of thanking the Gar for |
the kindness exhibited, and when he |
saw the familiar figure coming toward |
him, he forgot all ceremony, and ran |
forward to meet his friend. But scarce |
Y had he stepped upon the newly re-
paired part of the flooring when the |
planks cracked and shook under his |
feet, and then gave way with tre- |
nendous crash. leaving a black and |
,rightful chasm of unknown depth |
at the very spot where the |
Gar was just about to set foot
Vaska, who had had barely time to |
spring from the falling planks ON to |
he solid flooring beyond, was so star
led that he would have fallen back |
nto the gulf had not the Cars strong
land upheld him.
But AleXander's keen eyes perceived |
It once that the beams which We're
eft standing out on either side of the |
zap bore marks of having been cut |
With a saw; and. as he marked it. his
ufdv handsome face grew black as