Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-01-18

II will answer for him to your males
ty.''
''Has he been in the service of til,
palace %
sfYes, sire"
"You know him?"
PERSONALLY, and at various times hi
has fulfilled difficult missions with sue
cess"
'tAbroadY
| SIN Siberia itself"
''Where does he come from?"
"From Omsk. He is Siberian" :
s'Has he GOODNESS, intelligence, cour
age?"
4 eyes, sire; he has all the qualities
necessary to succeed even where others
might possibly fail"
What is his ageY
''Thirty."
'Is he strong and vigorousY'
"Sfre, he can bear cold, hunger, thirst,
! fatigue, to the very last extremities.''
"He must have framesof IRON"
"Sire, he has"
"And a hearth
"A heart of gold" !, "a ssssaSsSs
Ellis name?" 49, Ns$SErssssss
| michael Strogof."
| "Is he ready to set OUT"
sHe 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 car fixed penetrating look
upon him without uttering word,
while Michael stood perfectly motion
| less.
Michael Strogof 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 as if they had taken root.
As he dotted his Muscovfte cap locks
of thick curly hair fell over his broad,
! massive forehead. When his ordinari-
ly pale face became at all flushed, it
| arose solely from a more rapid action
of the heart, under the influence Of a
quicker circulation. His eyes of deep
blue looked with clear, frank, firm
gaze.
The slightly contracted eyebrows in
Dictated 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 a generous
and noble heart.
Michael Strogoff had the tempera-
ment of a 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 firmness, a freedom of movement,
which proved the confidence and Yivac-
fly of his mind.
Michael Strogof wore handsome
military uniform, something resembling
that Of a light cavalry officer In the
field-boots, spurs, half tightly fitting
trousers, brown pelisse, trimmed with
fur and ornamented with yellow braid.
On his breast glittered cross and
medals.
Michael Strogof belonged to the spe-
cial corps of the cars couriers, rank
ing as an officer among those picked
men. His most discernible character
stic-particularly in his walk, his face,
in the whole man, and which the car
perceived at a glance-Was that he was
a "fulfIler of ORDERS" He therefore
possessed one of the most serviceable
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 Strogof was the man.
A circumstance especially favorable
to the success of his plans was that he
was thoroughly acquainted with the
w
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- /
golf had killed his first bear quite
alone. That was nothing. But after
stripping it he dragged the gigantic
animals skin to his fathers house.
many yersts distant thus exhibiting
remarkable strength in a boy SO young.
Gifted with malgelous acuteness,
when every object was hidden in mist
or even in higher attitudes, where the
polar night is prolonged for many days,
he could find his way when others /
would have had no idea whittier to di-
rect their steps. He had learned to
read almost inPerceptible signs, the /