The Washington times., 1907-08-11

y = was . hot June day. The air
was still. The foliage Of the for
est was shining. thick and green
Rare were the yellowed leaves
E that fell from the branches and
the Indens. Odorous flowers en-
ameled the eglantine thickets; the
clearings were carpeted with lucem;
the wheat. thick, bending. unduIating,
was ripe to bursting.
In tho fields. the moor-hen cried. In
the oats and the barley quail whistled
and disported by turns. The nightin-
gale In the wood emitted only an occa-
sional trilL The heat was dry. The
dust on the roads was a finger deep
where undisturbed, and, under the
slightest whifr Of wind, II rose IN
dense clouds which drifted sometimes
to the right and sometimes to the left
The peasants are completing their
buildings and hauling manure; the
hungry cattle are waiting under the
burning sun for their provender; the
cows and the young calves accom-
panied by the cowherds are hurrying
TO their stables switching their tails.
Small boys are guarding the horses on
the roadsides. Women are dragging
sacks Of grass pulled IN the woods.
Little girls and maidens race together
TO thicketa where nestle the strawber-
ries they viii sell TO the city people
who have come into the country for
the summer. These last. who occupy
villas OF Pretentious architecture. are
either strolling under parasols IN light,
elegant. costly costumes along their
graveled walks or they arc sitting In
the shade Of groves which are fitted
with tables, and. overcome by the
heat. are drinking tea or cooling bev-
erages
Near the superb villa Of Nicholas
5emiOnOvitch. adorned with a tower. a
veranda, little balconies, a gallery-aU
fresh. new and splck and span. stands
a carriage drawn by three horses
wearing bells. which, for fifteen rou-
bles the round trip, has brought 4
gentleman from 5t- Petersburg. This
gentleman, a politician, tolerant. very
much IN view, who serves on all the
committees and all the commissions
who composes with great tact the me-
Lhorials 10 the sovereign, and who calls
himself a faithful subject. this gen
Ueman mas come to pass the day (for.
as an exceedingly busy man, he never
gives more than a day) with his
friend. a playmate Of his boyhood. and
almost OF the same party. They dif-
Ter only regarding the manner IN
which constitutional principles sbouId
be applied.
The st. Petersburgian Is first OF all
european with slight penchant for
socialism. He draws enormous sala-
Sies IN tae positions he fills. Nicholas
sernionoVltch. on the contrary. is a
grue Russian. orthodox. somewhat
piavophDe. and possesses several thou
land declatines OF land.
They have dined in the garden; thew
lave been served a dinner OF fv.
courses: but. by reason Of the heat
-ney nave eaten almost nothing su
that the pains OF the cook. yvrn 70
~eives 40 rCubles a month. and the
labor OF his sculllOns. who have been
particularly Jealous out Of respect for
tha guest. haves practically gone for
noihing- These diners have relisbed
only the cold soup, the fresh salmon
anC the parti-colored ices. attractive
IN form. ornamcntcd with fIaments OF
sugar. and surrounded by tiny cakes
-he other diners were the physician.
a very liberal man; the tutor OF the
children. a student a fierce revolu-
tlonary socialist whom only Nicholas
Semionovitch can hold in check. Mary
the wife Of Nicholas Semionovitcb and
TIE three CHILDREN. OF whom III.
smallest did not appear until the des-
sert The dinner was a trine dull:
hrst because Mary. an excessively
nervous woman, vas anxious about the
stomach Of Goga Ghe pet name OF
Nicholas. the youngest child. and.
secondly. because the moment the con-
versation touched on politics. the stu
dent. in order TO show that he Nas
PaSe Four