Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-03-03
.mkeR/LL CoNRfNk

distinct blur of houses, out of which
large and clear the towers and
domes of numerous churches, many of
them overlaid with gold-leaf, and gilt.
tering gorgeously in the light of the
sun.
At eight the train drew up in the
modern and commodious station at
Moscow, and the American, as he
looked about him, felt that he was in
the heart of European civilization
one more
Wang, who was invaluable through
his ready wit and his knowledge of
Russian, attended to the baggage and
engaged a sledge to take his employer
to the ~Slaviansky Bazaar, OF hotel, the
best caravansary in the city, and a
very sumptuous and comfortable inn,
as it proved.
For several days he devoted his en-
tire attention to business, comforting
with merchants and going over lists,
prices and accounts with Wang. Mean
while. whenever he went into the
streets, the interminable procession of
sledges was there, and he watched
them constantly, always with one face
in his mind-that graceful head held
so high, with its crown Of hair the
color of ripe wheat and fine as spider
threads. Many ladies of pure Russian
type he saw, their faces peeping sau
oily from collars and hoods of costly
fur, and often he would start and his
heart would throb more violently as
he thought he recognized the prin-
cess. He would generally realize his
mistake, however, before the sledge
would dash by with it's jingling bells.
He would have gone away without
calling on her had he finished his
business as quickly as the original
plan contemplated, but old Emery,
who had come UP as far as Irkutsk,
kept writing to him, sending new
commissions. Emery, by the way, was
becoming jubilant. The diplomatic
relations between Russia and Japan
we're growing less cordial every day;
the demands of the latter country
, were waxing more and more insistent
and difficult to evade. The Japanese,
too, according to Emery's advices,
were rushing preparations for a death
grapple with the bear on a gigantic
scale.
This means war, my boy" wrote
the old man, "and wal means bust
ness!"
So Hardy worked away, enlarging
his acquaintance with the Moscow
merchants, while his respect for the
magnitude of their operations and for
the greatness of the city's industries
steadily grew.
And one evening, as he walked home
/ to his hotel, he saw the Princess Ro
manovna. There raj no mistake
about it this time, and he realized
} that, when it was indeed she, there
, could be no mistake. She was lean
} ing back in a sledge with high curvins
dash, luxuriously piled with skins. Or
! an elevated seat in front sat he
coachman and footman, the former
, directing the energies of four milk
white steeds, whose tails were tied il
i knots, but whose long names streamet
wildly in the wind. Two of thes
/ horses were running free, and, thu
untrammeled, the beauty and grace O
their movements was a sight to be re
d membered for a lifetime. The prir
cess wore a white round cap of full
and her cheeks, deliciously reddene
v by the excitement and the keen teet
| of the wind, were snuggled in the sol
collar of a white fur cloak. Hard
:. noticed, with a thrill of distinct pleas
o ure, that no man, but an older woman
accompanied her.
p And the princess saw Hardy. AS h
arrested his steps at the edge Of tn
a. curb and grayely lifted his hat, sh
| bowed and, leaning forward, touche
the coachman and called to him. Tn
d horses came to a sudden stop, rearln
upon their launches and plunging an
:? slipping in a wild tumble. Present.
ID they stopped and stood trembling. TIL
n sledge drew up to the curb.
le why, Mr.. Hardly" exclaimed th
u princess in Russian, II had no ide
t, that you were in Moscow. How Ion
have you been here?"
y "A little over two weeks"
"Over two weeks and have not bee
to call on me! do not consider tn;
y kind. Nine. Prebioff, this is M
ID Hardy, the American whom told yc
IN about, who rescued me from tt
to Chinese brigands, and performed sue
IN feats of valor on the Shilka. / do NJ
1T see why he ever rescued me at all,
lie he does not think me worth calli1
n. on
a "The princess has talked constant
e of you,'' said Nine. PresSoff; half Il
r. young men in Moscow n waiting
challenge you. Hearing of your wo
derful skill, they have all taken
practicing with the pistol. The pr
prietors of the galleries are gettil
Oh rich. and one can scarcely sleep nigh
on account Of the constant popping
The princess laughed merrily. ~
are positively in%corrigible, Anna" 81
said. "But'-turning to Hardy-"tt
me why you have not been to see M
to What excuse have YOU to offer, sir?"