The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1904-03-24
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ALEXANDROV|TCH !
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BY WILLIAM H. OSBORNE
copyright, 1903, by T. C. Mcclure. {
Copyright, 1903, by T. C. Mcclure.


be had met death and walked part way
with her hand in hand. 1t WAS sum
mer now, but then 1t had been winter.
AleXandrovitch, for the nonce cast out
of good employment, had started in on
Shankowitch's mare to trudge from
one village to another.
He did not make fine appearance
altogether His clothes were thin, and
he had tied his hands and feet in bur
laps-burlaps picked up In the gutter
and he had started off. Remember,
this had been some years ago He had
started out, bending his muscular body
to the gale, pressing on in the teeth OF
the wind.
He had started out: that was all He
remembered but little else. for he was
but one-third of the way out of Nodo-
losk when the blizzard struck him. But
on he went. running briskly to keep
the blood warm In his limbs and fol
lowing the road as best he could. And
then there had come a time when he
felt his very soul freeze within him.
He cried aloud in agony. But he press
ed on.
Suddenly all this was changed. In
place OF the cold a drowsy warmth
spread over him. He thought that he
was lying wrapped in furs before some
great log fire. Red flames danced be
fore his eyes. Alexandrovitch thought
that he danced and laughed aloud, he
felt so comfortable. But he did not
He was simply staggering through the
deep snow. his head lolling from side
to side and his dark eyes staring at va
cancy. Finally he pitched headfore-
most
All" muttered Alexandroyitch to
himself pleasantly this is indeed n
bed of down, Now shall sleep and
sleep and sleep"
And Alexandrovitch slept. And the
blizzard roared about him. 1t was a
strange thing that but twelve feet to
the right of AleXandrovitch there was
a small cottage. almost covered with
the snow. Inside was young girl
the daughter of Abram Saratovsky.
Saratovsky wes a Jew. a Russian Jew.
There was but one window to this cot
tage, and In this window sat the young
girl, closely wrapped up In rug for
the cold entered and the snow drifted
in through the pane of glass. She was
peerng out, watching the storm. Now
the snow dashed against the house
and blinded her. Then with a sudden
gust it would blow away and open up
wide vista outdoors. During one of
these swlrls the girl caught glimpse
Of something dark that lay prone upon
a bed of snow She shuddered. This
girl was alone. The family had gone
to market at nearby village. There
they would stay until the storm had
spent its force Anna Saratovsky peer.
ed out at the dark spot in the snow,
Obeying n sudden impulse she rose and
ventured to the door Then she re
turned.
ut is nothing" she assured herself.
1T is not Il man. | am seeing sights.
1t is the storm" Again she peered out.
at is-it is a man." she exclaimed tC
herself-"a man who will surely freeze
to DEATH
She gathered her rug close about her.
Then with sudden energy she threw
open the little door and staggered, buf
feted by the storm, across the space
of twelve feet. 1t might just as well
have been twelve yards. The storm
which had designs upon Alexandra
witch, prevented her from reaching
I'm, tint AIaly ipt u
extra effort, she cast off the rug that
hampered her, and then, with a sudden
leap, she plunged forward and fol.
prone upon the dark object by the road
side. The object stirred.
He is alive" exclaimed Anna Sara
toysky-"allve, and | must save him"
The next few moments made a WO
man out of a mere girl. The work OF
those few moments was the work of a
lifetime But she did it. Fifteen min
utes later Anna Saratovsky was rub
binG with snow the hands and face anO
feet of strong young man, who WI,
fair to look upon, and all the faircr be
cause he was in the valley of the shad.
ow of death. At last she was rewarded
AleXandroyltch slowly opened his eyes
and looked into the face of a beautiful
young girl. You are one of the an
gels up in heaven" he murmured
She shook her head. Il am Anna
Saratovsky," she answered.
And all this was some years ago.
In Anna Saratoysky's village Alex
androvitch lived and moved and had
his being. He was Russian, and she
was Jewess, but to him she was one
Of the angels up in heaven
1t was early summer in the village
One night without sound 200 men
stole each from his house and met un
der cover of the darkness In the mar
ket place. Suddenly a mighty shout
went up from them.
THE Jews, The Jews" they cried.
death to the Jews" That WAS the
beginning; after that, battle, murder,
sudden death, blood and fire, fire and
blood. The men were Russians; their
neighbors were the Jews Each man
turned upon his neighbor; each man
armed himself and struck and struck
anu 81 uSh ~ nil htA tiAtIeu hplut
after home, dragging the innocents in
to the streets and Strengthening them
like cattle. Alexandrovitch was a Rus
sian. He, too, sought house. He was
almost too late. Two people of the
name of Saratovsky lay wetering in
blood. They lay there at their door
post, where Aiexandrovitch had lain SO
many months before Alexandroyitcb
look ed upon them. His heart bled with
pity.