The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-11

he came Tor the last uIne 10 the country.
In his thick. curly locks there was not yet a
eray hair and gray showed only in his black
beard near the cheek bones. His face
was smooth, rosy, the back Of the neck
was broad and strong and the whole body
was clothed in fat from s~elf-indulgent
town life.
Twenty years ago he had completed
his military service and returned from it
with money, At first he started a shop 3,
then he abandoned the shop and began to
trade in cattle. He used to go to Tcher-
kassi for his goods ~(cattle) and drive them
to Moscow.
In the village of Gaya, in his brick house
with iron roofing, lived his old mother,
bis wife with two children, a girl and a boy,
and besides these an orphan nephew, adumb
lad Of is years, and a laborer. Korney had
been twice married.
His first wife had been a weak, invalid
woman and had died without children, and
as a widower no longer young he married
for the second time a healthy, handsome
girl. the daughter Of a poor widow from
the ~neighboring village. The children were
those of the second wife. -
Korney had cold his last cattle 80 adj
vantageously in Moscow that he had accu-
mulated some 5000 rubles. Having ascer-
tanned from a fellow villager that not far
from his village a wood was being sold at
a bargain by a ruined landowner it &C.
Cured to him to deal also in timber. He
knew this business, having before his army
service been an assistant overseer to a timber
merchant.
At the railway station Of Gaya Korney
met a fellow villager, the one eyed Kousma
Kousma drove out from Gaya with his pair
Of poor, rough coated little horses to meet
every train and fetch back passengers. He
was poor and therefore disliked all the rich
and especially disliked Korney, whom he
called by the diminutive ~Kornyoushka.
korney, in his fur coat and overcoat,
carving a little trunk and a bundle, came
out to the ent trance Of the station and, stick
ing out his abdomen, stood putting and
looking around. It was morning, the
weather was quiet and dull, with a slight
frost.
We'll, have you not found passengers,
'L'ncle kousma?" be said. will you
take mel"
All right. Give us a ruble and I will"
well, 20 kopecks is enough
You've grown q stomach and want to
cheat a poor man out of 20 kopecks."
Well, all right, come on" said Korney,
and having packed his trunk and bundle
into the small sleigh, he spread himself out
on the hind seat. Kousms remained on
the drivers seat.
All right, go on"
They drove over the uneven road by
the station into the smooth road.
well, and how are you getting on in
the country" asked Korney,
Well, things do not amount to much
How is II that Is my old woman alive?'
The old woman is. The other day she
vent to church. Your old woman is alive
Your young missis is also alive. What
could all her, She has taken a new work.
man
Kousma gave an odd laugh, ae it appeared
10 korney.
What workman? And how about
Peter he demanded.
Peter is i'll. She took Evstigney Bell
from Kamenki," said Kousma. That liz,
from her own village
rs that so?7 said Korney.
As far back as the time when Korney
eourted Martha among the people the
women goesiped something about this
Evstigney,
Yes, Korney vass~ilievitch, said Kousma
the women get too much power nowadays.'
That is true murmured Korney. Your
gray horse has grown DID, he added, wish
ing to change the conversation
4 am not young myself. 1t matches
It's MASTER said Kousma in answer to
Koney's words. whipping up the rough
costed crooked legged horse.
Half way on the road to the villa &c there
was an inn. Korney told the driver to
stop and entered the house. Kousma
turned the horse toward the empty trough
and put right the ~breechband, not looking
at Korney, but expecting him to offer him
. drink.
Well, come in. Uncle Kousma, and have
a drink" said Korney coming out to the
porch
An right" answered Kousma. pretend
ing to he in no hurry.
Korney ordered a bottle Of vodka and
Offered it to Kousma. kousma, who had
not eaten anything since the morning.
Immediately became talkative and straight
say approaching Korney he related to hin
In a whisper what was being said in the
villa ge. 1t was being said that his wife
Martha had taken as workman her former
lover.
What does it matter to me2 1t is for
you I'm sorry said the tipsy Kousma.
Only it's not we'll; the people laugh. IL
seems she's not afraid of shining. Yes,
but wait a Bit say l Give time and the
master will return Yes, that's 20, brother
Korney Vaesilievitch."
Korney listened silently to what Kousma
was saying, and his thick eyebrows de-
scended lower and lower over his bright
eyes, which were as black as coal.
We'll, will you give the horses a drink?'
was all he said when the bottle was fin
iehed. IF not, let's start"
He paid the innkeeper and went out.
He reached home in the twilight and the
first to meet him. was this very Evstigney
Bell Of whom he could not heip thinking
oil the way. Korney exchanged greetings
with him. Remarking the thin pale face
Of the busting 'Evstigney Bell, Korney
shook his head doubtfully.
He lied, the old dog thought he refer
ring to Kousma's words. yet who knowsf
However, I'll find out"
Kousma was standing by the horses