Ellsworth American., 1904-03-02


,,evandrovitch was man with II
,omorv-a memory of death. Alex
.ndrovitch was still young, almost a
tov hut he was younger then, when
bo had met death and walged part way
with her hand in hand. 1t was sum
NOR now, but then it had been winter
AIeyandroyitch for the nonce cast out
of good employment, had started in on
shankowitcb'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
Iops-burlaps picked up in the gutter
and he had started off. Remember
this had been some years ago. He ned
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
hut one-third of the way out of Nodo-
losk when the blizzard struck him. But
on he went. running briskIy to keep
the blood warm In his limbs and fol-
lowing the road as best he could. And
then there had come n time when he
felt his very soul freeze within him.
4 He cried aloud iu~agony. But he press
q ed on.
Suddenly all this was changed. In
place of the cold drowsy warmth
q spread over him. He thought that he
was lying wrapped I'm furs before some
4 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.
"Ah," muttered Alexandrovitch to
himself pleasantly. this is indeed a
bed of down, Now shall sleep and
sleep aud sleep"
And Alexandrovitch slept. And the
blizzard roared about him. Ii was q
strange thing that but twelve feet to
the right of Alexandrovitch there was
small cottage, almost covered with
the snow. Inside was a young girl.
the daughter of Abram Saratovsky.
Saratovsky was a Jew, 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
peering out. watching the storm. Now
the snow dashed against the house
and blinded her Then with n sudden
gust 1t would blow away and open w
wide vista outdoors. During one of
these swirls the girl caught glimpse
of something dark that lay prone upon
bed of snow. She shuddered. This
girl was alone The family had gone
10 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 u sudden impulse. she rose and
ventured TO the door. Then she re.
turned
1T is nothing" she assured herself
1T is not a man. | am seeing sights
1t is the storm" Again she peered out
1T is-it Is a man. she exclaimed to
herself-"a man who will surely freeze
to deathr
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 stor~n
which had designs upon Alexandra
witch, prevented her from reaching
him. But only for time. Making an
extra effort she cast off the rug that
hampered her. and then, with a sudden
leap. she plunged forward and fell
prone upon the dark object by the road
side. The object stirred.
HE is alive" exclaimed Anna Sara
tovsky-"alive. and I must save him."
The next few moments made a wo
man out of mere girl. The work OF
those few moments was the work of a
lifetime. But she did 1t. Fifteen min
utes later Anna Saratovsky was rub
bing with snow the hands and face and
feet of a strong young man, who was
fair to look upon, and all the fairer be
cause lie was in the valley of the shad
ow of death. AT last she was rewarded
Alexandrovitch slowly opened his eyes
and looked into the face of IA beautiful
young girl. You are one of the an
gels up in heaven" he murmured.
She shook her head. Il am Anna
Saratoysky," she answered.
And all this was some years ago.
In Anna Saratovsky's village Alex.
androvitch lived and moved and had
his being. He was a 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 a 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 tha Jawsi' That was the