Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-13

gu1shed travelling companion, il you go
on the Alexsay, the Princess Roman
ovra. who has been here visiting her
relative, General Romanoff. She has
made a sensation in the garrison Soc
iety here. She's a stunning-looking
woman"
Women do not interest me-" re.
piled Hardy, II came here to work, not
to mingle in fashionable society, and.
anyhow, suddenly remembering his
changed fortunes,-.'it is not likely
that a princess would become wildly
enthusiastic over a store-keeper.'
The customs officials proved little
troublesome, and Rardy's baggage was
loaded on the backs of several Korean
boys, in ragged, filthy garments, and
with pitiful. pathetic, beautiful girl fea-
lures. They were equipped with wood
en- platforms built out from their
backs and supported by means of
straps passed over and under the
shoulders.
"Gcsteeneetsa!' commanded the
agent, as soon as the trunks and val
ises were lifted to these platforms.
The boys moved away, bending low
under their heavy burdens. But
hold en- a minute" added the agent,
I'D better pay them here, as you
don't understand the language and
they wouldn't be satisfied, no matter
what you gave them"
He put few coins into each of the
outstretched plans and the boys de-
parted.
What does 'gusty' -something-or-
other mean?" asked Hardy. Get alons
with you? l noticed they moved off
very meekly after you said it
"Gosteenneetsa? It's the RussiI.l
word for hotel and you had better re-
member it. BY the way, those boys
will wait at the hotel till you come,
if it is three days from now, and will
set up pitiful wall for more money
They'll bother the life out of you If
you show the least sign of yielding.
have paid them the regular price and
a little over. Just slap their faces and
give them kick or two and they will
leave. There's no other way to treat
them. They are the very dregs Of
humanity, whining beggars and
thieves, mere vermin in human form.
I'll put you into droshky now and tell
the man to drive you to Consul
Greener's. Sorry can't go with you,
but we're pretty busy here"
At the agents summons, a carriage
resembling victoria came UP, drawn
by two active, nervous little horses,
one between the shafts and wearing
a huge arch of wood over his launches
the other running free, between long
loose traces. The isvoschik got down
from the box and saluted,-he was
stolid-appearing Russian, wearing a
blouse, shiny claimants hat and a
pair of high boots, into the tops OF
which his trousers were tucked
Swinging the long lash of his Whip
about the horses's ears, he yelled ct
them, and Hardy was. off through the
hilly rocky streets of Vladivostok, his
carriage bounding over stones and dip
ping into ruts, while the maddened
sueeds, their ears lying low and their
bellies close to the ground tore and
scrambled along. The whip-lash of the
reckless Jehu writhed continually IN
the air, cracking like series of pistol
shots. The feet of the horse under the
arch clattered rapidly with the regular
sound of resolute galloping, while the
other at times ran close to him, at
times far away, with a quarter of the
width of the road between himself and
his mate Occasionally he turned, for
moment, at right angles to the an
imal between the shafts, then, at a
crack of the lash, he would turn head
on and leap forward, giving the car
riage a jerk that nearly broke the
back of its occupant.
Down almost perpendicular declivi-
ties they ricochetted, the horses scam
pering like rabbits to keep out of the
drosnky's way, and around unexpected
corners, the two rear wheels of the
vehicle sliding sidewise and throwing
shower of stones into the air. Hardy
wondered if the agent had promised
the isvoschik a great reward if he
broke the record for speed, or if he
had told him that somebody was
breathing his last and that he was
running a race with death. But this
seemed hardly possible, for, from his
perilous seat to which he was clinging
with both hands, he could see other
droshkies flying about. as though all
the cabmen Of Vladivostok were mad.
At times the isvoschik, catching sight
of some shrine or church, would rise
to his full height, cross himself reyer-
emily, then drop back into the seat
swear at his frightened and frantic
steeds, and let off another volley from
his whip-lash.
Once. as they were going UP hill
the two steeds running neck. and neck
another droshly came flying down
and as it swayed from side to side
| like quadriga in a chariot race, the
hubs clicked against those of Hardy
vehicle in passing.
A woman was its occupant. and, IL
the brief glimpse that Hardy got OF
her, he noticed that her hair was vel
lew and that she was Enthusiastically an
1 aristocrat. The isvoschik looked about
with democratic friendliness anG
shouted, pointing over his shoulde,
with his whip-stock:
'Romanovna.
! BY Jove!" calculate Hardy, "sht
certainly is beautiful"-and he specu
lated as to whether he would ever at
| tain a position. here in Siberia which