The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1909-11-20
.THEPROV|S|ONDEALER
By PAUL oRLoFF.

a provision shop In the Malaja Sado-
yaga street. st. Petersburg. The czar
often passed that way. and the locality
was kept under constant surveillance.
Nearly every one In the street was
paid spy.
"What will you buy this morning"
asked the shopkeeper.
"Have you been here 1ong?' asked
the policeman, without replying to the
question.
NO; have just opened"
"You seem to have quite number
of customers, considering that you
have only been here since yesterday
morning"
''Oh. that is very easily explained.
You see. In order to start trade l sell
very cheaply. These fowls could not
be bought anywhere else for less than
rubles the pair. sell them for half
that"
81 see. Where did you come fromT
II have been I'm America for three
years past. 1t is there where I learn
ed how to attract trade. A shopkeeper
In that country will lower his prices
when he first opens. get good Glen
tele. then gradually raise them"
THAT is great country, America"
"Yes. In everything but the govern.
ment. They have no little father
president"
The policeman went out thinking
there could certainly be no harm In
provision dealer who had lived in
America and yet who revered the czar.
The shopkeeper looked at his retreat
ing figure knowingly from the corner
Of his eye and knit his brows. busying
himself at the same time In drawing n
jug of train oil from cask.
That day the trade of the shopkeeper
(KobozeffD thrived to still greater ex-
tent. People were constantly running
to his shop and out with parcels under
their arms. The eyes of the spies were
on the place. but Kobozeff was so jolly
with his customers and gave such good
weight and large measure that II was
quite natural he should thus suddenly
step into brisk trade Only his fel-
low tradesmen were jealous of him.
and one of them shook his head and
said the officials of the government
bad better look out-there must be
something wrong about this provision
dealer who was selling goods so low.
People who lived in the Malaja Sa-
dovaga street. hearing of the low
prices for which Kobozef sold goods.
began to go into his shop to purchase.
! For, though II had not been noticed.
those who were continually running
out with bundles were strangers of
the neighborhood. But those would be
purchasers of the neighborhood did
not seem to find what they wanted.
Either Kobozeff had not what they
were looking for In his stock or his
price on that particular article was
as high as that of other dealers or of
inferior quality. But the provision
man went on selling people from other
localities ana kept everybodr in IL good
humor by his jokes. his banter and his
smiles. But one woman. who sold
butter and eggs from her shop oppo-
site. wondered how he could keep sell
Ing goods without amy apparent repien
ishing Of his stock. Goiag over. she
asked him bow he did it.
oh" he replied. 81 get in all my
stock IL the early morning before my
competitors are out of bed, learned,
! the business In America. where trades,
men hustle"
! One morning carriage stopped be.
! fore Kobozef's shop. and young girl
( alighted. K0bozeff was waiting on u
customer ard started as she entered.
/ II am told" she said to the shop.
keeper. that your pheasants are
/ prime. How much the pair"
"Will yonr ladysh!p wait II moment
/ TIL do W. these eggs for tils woman.
and ! will show them to you
! When the customer had departed the
lady. leaning over II pair of birds she
was examining. whispered to Kobozef:
"He has changed Iris plans He
lunches with the Grand duchess Cath.
crime Mirhaelovna and will return by
another route"
"Ach.' replied Kobozeff. paling.
Then we. too. must change our plans,
but for our certain death
Have you all ready bcrc:" asked
the girl.
''The work is JUST finished. The tun.
mel Is complete fr'pm behind my wife's
bed TO the center of the street"
And where is the earth you have
taken out!"
Carried away IN parcels by supposed
customers"
What will you do now!'
Give our lives to the cause
| At that moment u boy with "A basket
on his arm entered the shop.
II will take these pheusants." said
the girl. handing kobozeff coin.
and she went to her carriage. the
tradesman following with the birds.
Then she was driven nway. She was
the Countess Perouskaya. In league
with the conspirators bent on assassi-
mating Alexander II. by exploding a
mine under Malaja Sadovaja street. on
which he was expected to pass. She
was one Of those watching for indica-
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