Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-04-26
THE COWARD.

THE COWARD.
The land surveyor, Glyeb Gavrilovich
Smirnov. arrived at the station Gnilush-
ka. There was still a distance of about
thirty or forty versts TO the farmhouse,
whittier be had been called to survey
the land IF the driver is not drunk
and the horses are not battered jades.
the distance would be even less than
thirty versts. otherwise it would make
fully fifty versts)
Would you please tell me where ! can
find posthorses around here?" the sur
veyor inquired of the station gendarme.
what kind? Posthorses? You can't
find even dog on this road within a
hundred versts, lis certainly out of the
question to look for posthorses. But
which way are you gOing?"
Il am bound for Dyevkino, the estate
of Gen. Khokhotov."
'Well!' yawned the gendarme, Ego
little distance away from this station,
there are sometimes peasants in that
yard who take strangers"
The surveyor heaved a sigh end
walked away from the station. There,
after long quests talks and hesitations.
he found strong, morose-looking and
peck marked peasant, dressed in q torn,
coarse gray coat and bast shoes.
The devil knows what a horrible
wagon this is."' the surveyor frowned,
getting into the wagon. ITS hard to
tell which is the hind part, and which
the front"
What's there to tell? Where the
horses tail is, that is the front. and
where your honor is sitting-that is the
hind part"
The little horse was young, but lean.
with legs set wide apart and with bitten
ears When the driver lifted himself a
little and dashed the horse with whip
she only nodded her head, but when he
gave vent TO 4 few oaths and dashed her
once more the wagon began to squeak
and shake as though with fever. After
the third blow the wagon rocked, and
only after the fourth the wagon stirred
from its place.
Are we going to ride all the way like
thisI' asked the surveyor. feeling the
horrible humping of the wagon, and
wondering at the capability of the Rus
sian drivers to combine slow, turtle
like pace with Il jolting that turns the
soul inside out.
Wen get there all right" the driver
cor 0led him. The horse is young and
HfiSks Just give 0tF Tune To StuTt at Run
speed, ard you'll not be able to hold her
back. Go ahead-you cursed thingr'
1t was twilight when the wagon left
the station. On the right of the sur
yeyor dark, frozen plain stretched
without an end. If oneo were til sgos that
way il seemed, he would surely land at
the worlds end. On the horizon. where
the plain disappeared, and blended with
the sky, the cold autumn sun was drowsi-
u setting. On the left side of the road
hillocks rose in the darkening air; they
were either last years haystacks or Il
village. The surveyor could see nothing
in front of him, for there his view was
obstructed by the broad, clumsy back of
the driver. 1t was quiet and cold.
What duh place this is..' thought
the surveyor, trying to cover his ears
with the collar Of his overcoat. 'And
the driver is not reliable either Just
see. how broad-shouldered he is Such
2 child of nature can drive a mans soul
cut With n single touch of the finger,
And his face is rather beastly. suspi-
eions. "Eh. dear" asked the surveyor,
what is your name2'
My name? Kim"
Well. Kim, how is it around this
neighborhood? Dangerous? Have pco-
pie been robbed here?"
No; thank God. Who is going to rob
Its good that there are no robbers
around here. But for any event I've tax
en- along three revovers.n auoth the sur
veyor, untruthfully. And it's pretty
dangerous. YOU know, to fool with re-
Nolver. One man can hold his own
against ten robbers"
1t became dark. The wagon suddenly
creaked. squeaked, began to shake, and
as though unwillingly. turned to the left.
Where IS he driving met" thought the
H. 4.
ahead all the time. and now he has
turned to the left. Before | know it, the
rascal may bring me into the thick of
the forest. -and-such things have
happened"
listen. he addressed himself ID the
driver $50 YOU say il is not dangerous
hereE What a PITY love 10 fight with
robbers. Judging from appearances,
am thin, sickly. but | have the strength
of bun. One day | was attacked by
three robbers, What do you think was
the result? | deal one such a blow that
that, You understand, he fell dead on
the spot, and the other two were sent 10
Siberia, 10 the galleys. And l really
don't know whore | get 50 much
strength. | take strong fellow, like
yourself. with one hand, and-and |
crush him.
kim turned around, glanced at the Slr-
yeyor. his face began 20 quiyer and he
dashed the horse.
Yes, my dear boy" went on the sur
yeyor. Heaven forbid anybody to start
with me. Aside from the fact that the
rohher would remain without arms and
legs, he would also he brought before the
court Of Justice. | know all the judges
aud police captains. | am an important
government official. l am here. but the
authorities know where | am
they are watching that no harm should
hefall me. There are sergeants aud pos
licemen stationed behind each and every
hush or the road. Hold on" suddenly
cried the surveyor. Where are you
driving nowg"
why. can't you see? Its the forest. :
Indeed, the forest" thought the sur
veyor. And | became frightened. But
| must not show my agitation. He has
already noticed that l am afraid, Why
is he looking around IL re 80 frequently
He is surely plotting something. Before,
he was driving slowly, step by step
while now-~-See how ne is rlShing"'