Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1905-05-11
The Cars MESSENGER
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two men at his back, unless he really
had some business there.
80 the leader of the band saluted
me politely, and said that he laid his
forehead i'll the dust before the mes
scnger of the great Car with a lot
more riSmarOle OF the same sort; and
then the whole party turned and rode
back toward Samarcand. with me and
my COssacks il the center.
I'VE slept at DjiZak that night, just
where the desert ends and the noun
tain begins. The governor pitched a
tent i'll the garden behind his house,
and entertained the messenger of the
great Car sumptuously. Ny Cossacks
who, like true Russian soldiers. felt
quite safe SO long as their command
ing officer showed no sign of anxiety
ate about two pounds Of pilaff Ga
mess Of rice and muttOu) apiece, and
then fell asleep quite comfortably.
My slumbers, however. were not so
quiet by any means. l had heard
enough Of the Amer to be sure that
be wouldn't be easily taken in; and If
he found me out, it would be only
being tortured TO death by inches in
sted of getting cnt down at once
Once or twice l thought of waking
up my Cossacks and making a run for
it; but every time | looked out Of the
tent there were two or three Bokhari-
Otes strolling about with guns on their
shoulders, and ! soon saw that there
was nothing for it but to go right
through with it to the end
I'VE started again Il little before
sunrise, and got to Samarcand about
noon. The view of the Tchepan-Ata
Hills, standing out over the rush and
foaming Of the river, was very fine;
but to my great disgust, as soon as we
got to the outskirts of the town, they
blindfolded me with a silken scarf, so
L missed seeing the very thing that
especially wanted to see.
I'VE passed through several streets,
seemingly crowded, to judge by their
noise. Then I felt myself led I'D
winding path and through a gate; and
then, all at once, the bandaga was
taken away from my eyes, and | found
myself in a large paved court, in the
midst Of which, Oh a pile Of cushions.
sat short, fat, heayy-looking old man.
with small, narrow black eyes.
The moment the Bokhariotes who
were with me came near him, they all
| fell upon their faces: and then l guess
4l~se Ill
| Ameer himself.
What seek you here, Oorooss?"
asked the Amer, looking keenly at
me.
$50 then I plucked up courage and
told him as steadily as | could (for
the unsheathed swords all around
were rather unpleasanty suggestive)
that l had brought him gifts from the
Car, giving him at the same time my
gold watch and my revolver
"HeWas delighted with the revolver,
and must needs fire it off at once,
nearly shooting some of his own at
PENDANTS. But just as all seemed to
be going well he piercingly glanced
at NE and said:
Surely, my brother, the Car,
would not send such gifts without
sending 6 letter with them?
For q moment 1 felt cold all over,
for then it seemed as if we were fairly
caught at last, and l knew what
mercy We might expect from these
ruffians if once the trick were found
out.
Il could see my Cossacks looking as
thought struck me.
About a week before, my brother
in st. Petersburg had sent me play
bill Of the Alexander Theater, with the
program Of my favorite play of Shak-
speare.
Il drew it out of my pocketbook
with q flourish. and said:
The king hath spoken wisdom.
and, 10. the letter of the Car Of
Ooroosistan (Russia) is before his sub
lime eyes
The Ameer looked at it, like mon
key at a Greek inscriptions; but the
huge double eagle and the big Alex
ander' (the only word he could read
quite satisfied him.
He dismissed me with rich pres
ents, and gave me an escort from his
own guard as far as the frontier,
where l was mighty glad to find my
self again.
LAS for the precious playful. it was
laid up with al. honor In the archives
OF Bokhara, and when our fellows took
Samarcand- seven years later they
must have been rather astonished Il
| find it there. "-Golden Days.