The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-07-22
THE UNFINISHED DTEE.

Our life in the little Russian town where our regiment had been detailed was not distracting. Our one amuse- ment was dining with former officer who lived alone in the little out of the way village and who kept his table ready for as many of us as cared to dine with him.
 No one knew why he had left the ser vice and no one dared to ask him. Ills principal occupation was pistol shoot ing. and the walls of his rooms were riddled with holes, while his skill i'll the art was so well known that had he pro posed to shoot at a pear fastened on the top of the helmet of one of us, we would have permitted him without a word. His marksmanship was perfect. One night there were ten Of us dlh- ing with Slyvio, as will name him for
 purposes of convenience, and all drink ing heavily. After dinner the cards were produced and we began to play
 with the exception of Sylvio, who al-
 ways refused to join us.
 1 Presently an officer who had but late | ly joined the regiment and was not ac-
 customed to the ways of our host ap-
 pealed to him to settle disputed point | As usual. Sylvio refused to have any
 thing to do with. it.
 Then the young fellow, hot with wine and excitement and considering him.
 self insulted by his host, seized a heavy candelabrum which was standing on
 the table and threw 1t at Sylvio, who
 fortunately dodged it. Sylvio rose, pale
 with anger, his eyes flashing.
 Leave this house, sir he command ed. "and thank your protecting fate
 that this happened in my house.
 Naturally we expected that the affair
 would end in duel and looked upon
 the young lieutenant as already dead
 but to our intense astonishment Sylvio
 passed the matter over with slight
 explanation and nothing more wassaid
 Apparently he was satisfied. .....,....
 was not, however. A man who
 would tamely submit to an insult like
 that was not friend for me, and l
 promptly broke off all relation with Sylvfo, although until then had known
 him better perhaps, than any one else
 in the regiment. .gs Not long after this he came into our rooms. an open letter in his harfds, and
 begged us to come to farewell dinner at his house, as he was going away m 2 mediately. \. ,g3f% , T expect you. expect you Withou , fail,,'' he added turning to me. - The next night nearly all the regi' f met's officers were at Sylvios house l where, except for the dining room 3 furniture, everything was packed ant the rooms bare: It was merry din I ner and a late one, but as I stared 7 leave with the others Sylvio detained . me, saying he wanted to speak with me n We sat for some time in silence be y side the empty table strewn with bot ] ties and dishes Presently my com = panion spoke.
 f q do not believe we shall ever met r again. he said, 'fbut in any case h should be sorry to go away and leav }. you thinking that I was a coward. e seemed strange to you that did nc Il challenge the drunken fool who thre' ' the candelabrum at my head, since l. was my right to choose the weapon n and to fire the first shot. assure yo
 did not spare him out of generosit - Had been able to punish him witho1 tt risk to myself should have done so. " t looked at Sylvio in amazement tn s was the last thing I should expected - hear him say
 l. Ut Is perfectly true" sylvio col g tinued. q cannot risk my life no, l. Six years ago received blow and u