Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-03-19
ALEXANDROV|TCH
By WILLIAM II. OSBORNE
Copyright. las. by T. c. Mcclure.

WIS iitNn WIN
memory a memory Of death. Alex
androvitch was still Young. almost n
boy. but he WIS younger then. when
he had met death and walked part way
with her hand in hand. Ii was sum
mer now. but then il had been winter.
Alexandrovitch. for the nonce east out
Of good employment. had started in on
Shank owitch's mare To trudge from
one village To- another
He did not make a fine appearance
altogether His clothes were thin. and
he had tied his hands and feet in bur
laps -burlaps picked mp in the gutter
and he had started of 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 ont OF Nodo-
losk when the blizzard struck him. But
on he Went. running briskly TO keep
the blood warm i'm his limbs and fol-
lowing the road as best he could And
then there had come 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 Alexandrovitch to
himself pleasantly. this is indeed
bed Of down. Now shall sleep and
sleep and sleep"
And Alexandrovitch slept And the
blizzard roared about him. Ii was a
strange thing that hut 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. a Russian jew
There was hut 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 sudden
gust II would blow away and open up
a wide vista outdoors. During one Of
these swirls the girl caught glimpse
OF something dark that lay prone upon
a bed of snow. She shuddercd. This
girl was alone. The family had gone
Ia market AT nearby village. There
they would stay until the storm had
spent its force. Anna Saratovsky peer
ed ont at the dark spot In the snow.
obeying sudden impulse. she rose and
ventured 10 the door Then she re-
turned
sit is nothing" she assured herself.
1T is not II man. | am seeing sights.
II is the storm" Again she peered out.
at is-it Is a man." she exclaimed 10
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 10y the storm. across the space
OF twelve feet. II might just as well
have been twelve yards The storm.
which had designs upon .xlexandro-
witch, prevented her from reaching
him. But only for a time. Making an
extra effort. she cast of 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 him.
The next few moments made wo-
man out of mere girl. The work of
those few moments was the work of
lifetime. But she did IL. Fifteen min
utes later Anna Saratovsky was rub
bling with snow the hands and face and
feet OF strong young man. who was
fair 10 look upon. and all the fairer be-
ow of death. Al last she was rewarded
Alexandrovitch slowly opened his eyes
and looked into the face OF 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 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.
II was early summer I'm 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 u 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