Amador ledger., 1904-04-01
ALEXANDROV|TCH
By WILLIAM H. OSBORNE
Copyright, 1903, by t. c. Mcclure.

AleXandrovitch was a man with a
memory-a memory of death. Alex
androvitch was still young, almost a
boy, but he was younger then, when
he had met death and walked part way
with her hand in hand. 1t was sum-
mer now, but then it 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-
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 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.
"Ah," muttered Alexandroy;tch to
himself pleasantly, "this is indeed
bed of down! Now shall 1 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
small cottage, almost covered with
the snow Inside was young girl,
the daughter of Abram Saratovsky.
Saratovsky was 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 a 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 sudden
gust 1t would blow away and open up
wide vista outdoors. During one of
these swirls the girl caught a glimpse
Of something dark that lay prone upon
q 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 sudden impulse, she rose and
ventured to the door. Then she re-
turned.
''It is nothing" she assured herself.
ut Is not man. 1 am seeing sights.
1t is the storm" Again she peered out.
"It is-it is a man." she exclaimed to
herself-"a man who will surely freeze
to deathw
She gathered her rug close about her.
Then with sudden energy she threw
open the little door and staggered, buff
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
him. But only for time Making an
extra effort, she cast off the rug that
hampered her, and then, with 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 must save himr'
The next few moments made a wo-
man out of a mere girl. The work of
those few moments was the work of
lifetime. But she did it. Fifteen min
utes later Anna Saratovsky was rub
bling 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 he 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 a beautiful
young girl. You are one of the an
gels up in heaven" he murmured.
She shook her head. 81 am Anna
Saratovsky," she answered.
And all this was some years ago.
In An1H Saratovsky'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 a sound 200 men
stole each from his house and met un-
der cover Of the darkness in the mar
ket place. Suddenly mighty shout
went up from them.
"The Jews! The Jews! they cried.
death to the Jewsv 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
and struck to kill. They entered home
after home, dragging the 1nnocents in
to the streets and slaughtering them
like cattle. Alexandrovitch was q Rus
sian He foo sOupht a ho,,sa ua ,yos