The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-11-03
Too Many Funerals.

Copyright. 1905. by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
, Stepan Metrof rushed into his house.
where his wife was getting the dinner,
pale as ghost and his eyes starting
out OF his head.
"Whnt is IT, Stcpan? For the love of
God. what is It? Have you been
drawny
YES must XIII the minister OF the
Interior"
The wife covered her face with her
hands and trembled: then she said. at
IS you who must die, not the minis
~ fer"
"Rathcr. we must both die"
IL mean you must die to the world"
How can do that, Natalief"
leave It TO me-"
Mctrof shook his head doubtfully.
Nevertheless he bad confidence in his
wlfe's ingenuity and hoped. In
week he was apparently very III. His
wife sent for Alex Gagin. president Of
the circle. 10 come and see him. Nc
trof was in bed. His wife said that
worry over the order TO kill the min
lister was driving him into the grave.
In two weeks from that time Natalie
sent again for Gagin. who came and
saw Metrof lying In his coffin. Natalie
had painted his face SO that he made
dlsagrceable looking corpse.
"See what you have done!" she said.
covering her hands and weeping CO.
piously.
"Achl'' exclaimed Gagin contemp-
tuOusly "Your husband was cow
ard" and went away. But in mo-
mcnt he returned and, taking hand
glass. placed It before Metrof's nos
trls Aietrof heard him aslS for the
glass and when the test was made held
his breath Gagin. catching no mois
tnre on the glass. went away again
mis- time for good.
The next day Natalie, IN the garb
OF widow. followed coffin IN which
there were stones and boards 60 the
grave and new man was chosen 10
xiii the minister.
Two years later Metrof ana his wife
were living I'm New York. kecpir~ n
wine shop. One day man entered
the shop and. sitting at table, called
for n glass of wine. At seeing Metrof
ne looked at him kcenly. Metrof went
into back room where he found
Nntnlie and told her that Peter Ka.n
vIsof. one Of the circle which bad or
dered him to XIII the minister. was in
the shop and had recognized him. Il
shall be followed and murdered" he
added.
Natalie instead OF giving way 10
grief began To think.
"You must die again" she said pres
emily.
"rhat game win not work twice"
at Will. but must be done dlfereni-
ly."
Metrof kept revolver in the house.
His wife went out and got n paper
OF red dye and n little sponge. Put
ting water and the dye on the sponge
and handing her husband the revolver
loaded with blank cartridges. she gave
him instructions what TO do, Metrof
went out into the shop, where he
found the stranger waiting Metrof
went up to him and said: "You have
recognized me. | am lost. But | can
stand this strain no longer | will save
you the trouble OF furnishing me-
with that ne stepped back to the door
through which he had come. put the
revolver to his temple and fired. lie
fell into Natales arms. and red
stream triclled from his temple She
had squeezed the sponge. She drew
him into the room and shut the door
refusing to admit any one but the po
lice
The next morning the papers men
toned suicide IN the Bowery, and
Mptrofs representative corpse was
buried again.
sas After the funeral Natalie. widow
for the second time. sold the shop and
went west where she was Joined by
her husband. Having bought farm
they settled to its cultivation, hoping
that there would be no necessity fol
any more funerals
one day when the couple were on q
train who should walk down the aisle
but Peter Katavsof. AS he passed
them and saw Metrof he stopped, his
eyes fixed on him with astonlshment
Then he passed on. and the hunted
man knew that his life was again the
object OF the dreaded circle.
Metrof believed that Katavisof would
report him to the circle Mt st. Peters
burg and some one would be commits
stoned to kill him. He never went out
of his house at night and in the day
always carried weapons. one nigh
there was knock at his door. Nata
lie motloned him to conceal himself
while she answered the summons.
man with shocky hair and beard
whom both recognized for a Russian
entered and asked for something L
eat The reply TO his request was 1
bullet from Metrof sent through thu
heart
Natalie found on the body papers &
satisfy her that he had been sent [,
xii. her husband. Copying his hand
writing. she wrote the circle in hi
name that he had succeeded but b.
must go into hiding TO escape the law
Natalie told her neighbors that he
husband had been murdered, showed