The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-03-23

government Of Tver; not famine
government, mind you. for these are
the Volga provinces Samara, Pensa
j Voronish, Vintka and dozen others
No. Tver the civilized, the prosperous
the manufacturing center
The street, bounded on either side BY
! low wooden houses, is, singularly
enough, we'll paved; this, the traveller is
told, by the tyrant Prince Pavlo who
made the road because he did not like
driving oVsr ruts and through puddles
the usual Russian rural thoroughfare:
not because Prince Pavlo wanted to
give the peasants work, not because
ne wanted TO save them from starya-
tlon, not at all, although in the gratif-
cation OF his own whim lie happened
TO render those trifing services, but
merely because he was a great '.barin,"
a prince who could have anything he
desired. Had not the other BARN, Stein
metz Dy name, superintendent the work
-steinmetz, the hated, the loathed, the
TOOL OF the tyrant whom they never
see! ASK the "starost," the mayor of
the village. He knows the BARNS and
hates them.
Michael Room, the starosta or elder
OF osterno, president of the mir, or vii
iage council, principal shopkeeper, may
or and only intelligent soul of the 900.
probably had Tartar blood in his veins,
10 this strain may be attributed the
narrow Tartar face, the keen black
eyes, the short, spare figure which
many remember to this day. although
Michael Room has been dead these
many years.
It was late in the autumn, one even
ing remembered by many for it's death
rolL that the starosta was standing at
the door OF his small shop He was
apparently idle. He never sold vodka
and the majority Of the villagers were
IN one OF the three thriving inns which
urove famous trade in strong drink
and weak tea. It was very hot even
| ing.
| The starosta shook his head fore
bodingly. It was cholera weather,
! cholera had come to Osterno; had
come, tie starosta thought, to stay.
1t had settled down in Osterno, and
nothing but the winter frosts would
kill it, when hunger typhus would I'M
doubleday succeed it.
Therefore the starosta shook his
head at the sunset and forgot to regret
the badness of the times from a COM
mercial point of view. He had done
| all he could. He had notified the
zemstvo Of the condition of his village.
He had made the usual appeal for
| help, which had been forwarded in the
usual way to Tver, where it had ap-
parently been received with the usual
philosOphic silence.
But Michael Room had also tele-
graphed to Karl Steinmetz, and since
| the dispatch of this message had the
starosta dropped into the habit of
standing at his doorway in the even
| ing, with his hands clasped behind his
| back and his beady black eyes bent
| westward along the princes highroad.
On the particular evening with which
we have to do the beady eyes looked
not in vain, for presently far along the
road appeared black speck like an
| insect crawling over the face Of a
map.
"Ahr'' said the starosta. "Ah, he
never failsr'
The word soon spread that car
rage was coming along the road from
| Tver. All the villagers came to the
! doors Of their dilapidated wooden huts
| Even the inns were emptied for time.
| AS the vehicle approached it became
apparent that the horses We're going
at a great pace. Not only was the loose
horse galloping, but also the pair in
the shafts. The carriage was an open
one, an ordinary north Russian travel
| ing carriage, not unlike the vehicle we
call the victoria, set on high wheels.
Beside the driver on the box sat an
other servant. In the open carriage sat
one man only, Karl Steinmetz.
AS he passed through the village a
murmur of many voices followed him,
not quite drowned by the rattle of his
wheels, the clatter Of the horses feet.
The murmur was a curse. Karl Stein
metz heard it distinctly. It made him
smile with a queer expression beneath
his great gray mustache.
| The starosta, standing in his door
way, saw the smile. He raised his
voice with his neighbors and cursed.
AS Steinmetz passed him he gave lit
tie jerk of the head toward the castle.
The jerk Of the head might have been
due to an inequality of the road, but it
might also, convey an appointment.
The keen, haggard face of Michael
Room showed no sign Of mutual under
standing, and the carriage ratified on
through the stricken village.
Two hours later, when it was quite
dark, closed carriage, with two
bright lamps fiaring into the night,
passed through the village toward the
castle at gallop.
ct is the prince" the peasants cried,
crouching in their low doorways. 1T
is the prince. We know his bells, they
are Of silver, and we shall starve dur
ing the winter. Curse him, curse him!'
They raised their heads and listened to
the galloping feet. with the patient,
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