Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-02-24
CHAPTER XVI.

Rosen. In a few minutes l am inter |
den Linden" mounted on one of those
high-wheeled Berlin droskies conspicu-
GUS to the view of the double stream of
individuals that pour in both directions,
not one of whom but turns curious eyes
on me. A Russian priest is undoubtedly
a rare sight in Berlin, and few even
know to what nationality | belong.
'"The Stein-Strasse is one Of the many
streets that run into the great center
"Unter den Linden" We turn into it,
and presently halt before large house
that has balcony covered with creep
ers. There is an ornamental metal ta-
BILE, and chairs disposed amid grove of
leaf plants. One Of the chairs is occu-
pied by young man in whom, spite OF
his clean shaven chin, trim whiskers, and
general air of lofty responsibility, l at
once recognize the converted Philistine,
erstwhile of the University Of st. Pc
tersburg, Karl Rosen.
My droski stopping at the. door, he
rises and leans over the ratings of the
balcony to bestow on me prolonged
and astonished stare. l wave my hand
eXcitedly, to which he makes no response,
only staring the harder, so | pay the
driver and ring Doctor Rosen's bell,
whose name on large brass plate is an
nounced below it.
When the street door flies open |
mount the fight of stone steps three at
time. A neat maid servant holds open
the door.
"Your master is at home can l see
him." l inquired in German; for like
most Russians of the educated class
am tolerably good linguist
For some moments she regards me
with eyes as round as saucers before She
sufficiently RECEIVERS from her surprise
at sight of me, to reply to my question
"Yes, sir; step in, sir" She precedes
me across hall and pauses at the door
of room, which must be that one with
the balcony, to ask:
What name, sirT
l hesitate for a moment. Herr Lub-
anoff," / reply at length.
She turns the handle and announces
me; then with a last, curious glance,
leaves me within the room.
A figure stands between me and the
light-a dapper little figure, the sight of
which awakens in me a host of pleasant
recollections. l step quickly up to it,
grasp an unresponsve hand, shake it
heartily, forgetting for the moment how
disguised beyond the possibility Of rec,
ognition l am, as | exclaim:
Don Karlos, cid man. how goes II
with thee? Waken up, brother! Surely
: thou hast not forgotten thine old com
rade, Vlasha?"
. "Vlasha," he repeats stupidity
"VlashaT'
Gazing at me always, his grasp begins
to tighten, his features to work. "Vlashf
. it cannot be Vlasha Lubanoff; he wal
-hanged?" He says this obviously, II
. wavering. undecided manner. Doubt
less my familiar voice and other sign
speak to his heart.
WAS he? was he?"
8 fling my clerical hat to the far enC
= Of the room; my wig, my false beard fol
low it; and, twitching up the skirts o
my silken kaftan, l cut caper befor
d him.
Q "Vlasha. Is it possible?' he gasps
and then the tender-hearted little fellow
bursts into tears. ! am grave in all in
e slant. My hands descend on his shape
y ly shoulders, and we look each other il
the face. The tears are streaming dow
his, and my vision grows dim at sight o
:, them, and him.
Half an hour later we are seated wit
our feet under the same mahogany, wit
% coffee before us. | relate my advel
; lures Now and then | hear his shor
quickened breathings or his low, agitate
: laugh. The room is quite dark whe
l arrive at the end of my story.
long pause ensues, during which nothin
is heard save the rumble of vehicles an
the subdued stir of life in the street b'
low.
"Vlasha," he begins, "now that tho
hast made this great sacrifice for III
veal of Russia, what better is she for ii
Has it advanced the cause? What bette
Is she for those hundreds of devote
men, and even women, who have perisl
ed on the scaffold for her redemption
Is tyranny less rampant? In all the'
wears have we advanced a single steI
Seest thou not at least that thy methot
are wrong? There is no help, no eft
cacy in the extreme measures you ado
yet l know that l only waste II
breath in pointing this out to thee.
suppose, thou wilt hasten to league tn
self with the red-hot social democra
here, and get into more mischief
What if at last l have become co
vert to thy gentler creed, karlos"
quietly observe.
"No such luck" he responds with
touch Of bitterness
"Well, well, l will not insist, but pc
haps time may show"
"Vlasha, dear old man! If L cou
only believe that"
Believe nothing" l interrupt, "un
thou hast proof. A man must have liv
his theories before he has earned t
right to talk of them Therefore
mute. In this blatant world one g
sick of this eternal talk, talk. Only o
thing l will observe, that the mind OF
man Is liable to undergo strange me
morphoses in passing through the vail
Of the Shadow, and if he energies to ii
himself still on this side Of the gra
the chances are that he sees things
l.. Ill OF a