Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-18
DIMITRI, The WATER CARRIER
True story of u Russian Victim
of the Whims of For
tune.

ST. PETERSBURG, July 1T was at
the czar's coronation in Moscow that
Dtmitri, the water carrier. encountered the
drama OF his life. The story has not been
published, for in Russia It Is not permitted
to name living royal percentages in such
circumstances Moreover Dimitri's mad
ness from the sudden possession OF riches
would not be a very surprising thing to
his countrymen, accustomed to the mind
of the peasant muJik.
Moscow is a city Of palaces, but most
of them are too wanting in modem com
fort to be used as Icdgings by distinguished
guests. Some hundred foreign royalties
were In the old capital together by the
cars invitation to see him crowned. Most
had to be boarded out among the families
of officers OF the Russian court.
Among these were the sister of the cars
bride and her husband. Prince Henry OF
Prussia, who stayed in the residence, near
the little Moscow river, Of a colonel in the
cars suite. From his window Prince
Henry became interested in the regular
early morning proceedings of Dimitri, the
water carrier.
The business seemed quaint to western
eyes, but nature has given Moscow a very
small supply of running water and en-
cheering had then done nothing to in
crease II. Vodovos, or water contractors,
furnished each house with its daily ra-
tons. after the manner of milkmen.
Twenty-year-old tow headed Dimitrl
placidly filled his barrels and fixed them
In a row between the long shafts of his
cart. Then he went his rounds all un-
knowing that he was ministering to the
wants Of the cars brother-in-law
When the Hastings were over and the
guests preparing to depart rim Henry
bethought himself Of distributing tips. The
princes host delicately suggested that the
staff of attendants would appreciate their
gifts doubly II they came from the princes
own hand. Moreover that would defeat
the purpose of the Russian official major
attached to Prince Henry's suite. who
proposed to relieve him OF the trouble of
distribution by drawing on him for a lump
sum-, keeping t~hree-quarters of it and dL
viding the remainder among his own Sc
lected ~onhangers.
The prince decided to do his own tip
ping. As the water carrier was the first
being whom his eyes had beheld
in the streets of Moscow. each day he
sent for Dimitri. The astonished young
mouJik was told that a Veliki Kniaz, a
grand duke the cars brother-in-law,
wanted to see him. He obeyed dumbly
and was ushered into the presence of an
amiable man not much older than him
self and apparently about as much EN-
barrassed.
Whether from ignorance OF the scale
used on such occasions, or whether shy
ness impelled him to err far on the side
OF generosity, Prince Henry pressed three
notes for 100 rubles each into the youths
hand. Dimitri stood amazed, staring at the
money and uttering never a word. Prince
Henry nodded cheerfully and babe him 10.
CIutching the notes in his fist, Dimitrl
made his way blindly back to his cart
BY the river side. He sat on the shaft and
tried to realize what it all meant.
Nobody in his position, he reflected.
could have so much money unless he we're
a thief. His pay was 6 rubles G9 a
month, with a shakedown TO sleep on in
the stable. Windfalls do not happen to
moujiks, for the class compartments OF
life in Russia are too firmly fixed by law
to allow the possibility OF a rich relation.
AS he Rugged the reality Of his fortune,
which made him a richer man than any
body in his village, fear seized him.
He left his masters horse and cart, took
his few rubles OF savings from his box In
the stable and after hiding the princes
tip In the sole OF his top boot hurried to
the railway station. He took a train for
the town nearest his village and on the
journey kept silent in the choruses OF holt
day makers.
He had twenty miles to walk from the
station to his village. AS he trudged on
with the 800 ruble notes in his boot his
fear grew deeper. He would be by far the
richest man in the place; but how ex-
plain III
Again the terror came over him as hC
thought that his neighbors could only be-
lieve that he had robbed a rich man. HI
saw no way OF enjoytE; his luck. HI
would give his sun-scorched, worried heaC
a rest and say nothing about IL So h