The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-03-07
RUSSIAN PEASANTS LONG JOUR.
NEY.
Travelled to Paris and Rome to Inter
view Owner Of Land.

view Owner Of Land.
A Russian peasant passed through
Vienna on Christmas day on his way
back from a long and tedious jour
ney. to Rome, where he had gone tc
perform what was, in the eyes of him.
self and the members of his village
community, duty of simple honesty
and good faith He was without bag
gage and was clad in the heavy cloth
ing worn during the Russian winter.
He stayed in Vienna only few hours,
and continued his journey to his COM
munity to report the success of his er-
rand.
The rural community of the district
of Voronzh, in the government OF the
same name, recently held a well'at-.
tended meeting and passed resolu-
tions to the following effect: First, to
destroy no property in the district;
second, to expel from the district at
once man named Nicolsky, the local
agent Of the Revolutionary party, and
third, to purchase the holdings of the
great landed proprietors of the dis
trict. The largest estate belonged TO
M. Narychbine, formerly first secre-
tary of the Russian embassy at Paris
and now Russian minister TO the Vat
lean.
In order to carry ont the third res
olution it was decided to send mes
senger to NJ. Narychkine He was
believed to be in Paris. so peasant
named Nicolas Petrovitch Therni-
scheff was charged with the duty of
conveying the peasants offer TO their
lord. Thernischeff was supplied with
money, and started on his journey.
He talked nothing but Russian, but in
spite of this he managed TO make his
desires known along the line, and,
with simple directness of purpose
which won for him the sympathy and
help of the foreign railroad officials,
he made his way TO the French capi.
tai. There he found the Russian En-.
bassy. The first Russian words ne
had heard in q long time informed
him that NJ. Narychkine was in Rome,
so he at once decided to continue on
to Italy. He was placed on the right
train by his embassy in Paris, and
finally found NJ. Narychkine in Rome.
The peasant made his purpose
known to the diplomat in simple
language: Our contract with you for
the tilling of your ground expires on
the first of January" he said, and
have come to offer to buy the land.
We do not wish you to have a bad
opinion of us; we want you TO know
Of the resolutions we have adopted.
bad, and the times are bad. We want
TO buy your entire estate, and we ask
you to give it to lis at a price which
we can pay, and to make an equitable
arrangement as to the method of pay
ment. We desire to be honest, and
we will not have recourse to violent
or dishonest ways"
NJ. Narychkine accepted the offer.
A fair basis of valuation was arrived
at, and terms as to payments possible
and acceptable to the peasants were
then and there concluded between the
proprietor and the messenger of his
tenants.
In Rome Thernischeff saw the Pope,
who gave him his blessing. In de-
scribing his interview with the Pom
tiff the peasant said
81 kneeled before him, for I per-
ceived him to be venerable, good,
and sanity man."
From Rome, Thernischeff travelled
back to Russia by way Of Vienna. He
is tall man, advanced in years, but
sturdy and rugged, and his strong,
clear-cut features suggest that direct
ness of purpose which has led him far
afeld in foreign lands for the ac-
complishment of a simple duty. He
minded one of the sterling men who
| lived under Peter the Great.
Thernischeff had little TO say Of his
impressions Of foreign lands, hut it
was evident that he was returning to
his fellows in Russia with the lleenest
satisfaction at being able to report 10
them the successful outcome of his
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