Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-07-27
mainder among his own selected on

ping. AS the water carrier was the
first human being whom his eyes had
beheld in the streets Of Moscow each
day he sent for Dmitri. The astonish-
ed young moujik was told that Vel
ifi Kniaz, a grand duke, the czars
brother-in-law, wanted to see him. He
obeyed dumbly and was ushered into
the presence of an amiable man not
much older than himself and appar-
emily about as much embarrassed.
Whether from ignorance Of the scale
used on such occasions, or whether
shyness impelled him to err far on the
side Of generosity, Prince Henry press
ed three notes for a hundred rubles
each into the youths hand. Dmitri
stood amazed, staring at the money
and uttering never word. Prince
Henry nodded cheerfully and bade him
go.
Clutching the notes in his fist Dmitri
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
were a thief. His pay was six rubles
S3) 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 pos
sibility Of a rich relation. AS he hug.
ged the reality Of his fortune, which
made him a richer man than anybody
in his village, fear seized him.
He left his masters horse and cart,
took his few rubles of savings from his
hox 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 fer the town nearest his
village and on the journey kept silent
in the chorses Of holiday makers.
He had twenty miles to walk from
the station to his village. AS he
trudged on with the three hundred ru-
BILE notes in his boot his fear grew
deeper. He would be by far the rich
est man in the place; but how explain
It?
Again the terror came over him as
he thought that his neighbors could
only believe that he had robbed rich
man. He saw no way Of enjoying his
luck. He would give his sun-scorched,
worried head a rest and say nothing
about It. So he appeared in the viii
lage and said simply that he had come
nome.
In the early hours Of the next morn
ing his people were awakened by hor-
rified, despairing shouts. They found
Dmitri beside himself with grief, his
eyes devouring a shapeless, muddy
mess that he was holding up to the
light.
MY three hundred rubles!" he
groaned and reached again down into
his boot for another pinch Of unrecog-
nizable currency. His brothers were
not less astounded and soon as much
afraid as himself. Among them they
could identify In the trambled, STAIN
ed paper pulp the faint traces Of the
long image stamped Russian hundred
rubles note.
The family council voted to hush up
the business, but Dmitri would not be
silenced. He got out into the village
and shouted for his money until his
delirium landed him in the police cell.
At first he was taken for harmless
madman, but when the police in their
turn deciphered the ruined notes they
believed they had big case. He gave
the police the name Of his last employ
er. He had left his place without Civ
ing notice-a serious police offence in
Russia
For a week he lay in prison until a
statement came from his employer that
Dmitri had disappeared leaving the
horse and cart in the public road. The
water contractor could suggest no ex-
planation Of the 300 rubles. Dmitri
protested that they were given him by
Veliki Kniaz-why, he did not know.
BY this time Prince Henry and his
wife had returned to Germany.
Dmitri persisted in his story and a
fortnight later the owners Of the
princes lodging were traced. They in
their turn attested that Prince Henry
had sent for the water carrier, among
other attendants, the day he left. They
telegraphed to him explaining young
Dmitris disastrous story.
The answer came from the prince
affirming his tip Of 300 rubles and ask
ing that the notes be honored and paid
over to Dmitri And among the local
coronation pardons was one to the wa
ter carrier for quitting his post with
out notice.