The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-01-27

compare favorably with those of any
country in the world, and now know
it. Pray do me the honor to sit here
and talk with me a while. We will
change the subject, if you desire. How
do you like our Russia?"
Hardy talked with her for an hour
or SO. She spoke slowly and distinctly
for him, and he found, under such de-
lightful auspices, his French was a
much more practical and useful ac-
quirement than he had thought. They
talked of the increasing activity of the
Chinese marauders, of the possibility
of war with Japan, of the wild flowers
Of Siberia, of Russian and American
society. He found her intensely patri-
otic, and firm in the belief that Rus
sia could crush Japan in a month,
should hostilities actually break out.
AS they were thus engaged in con-
versation the general approached, and,
bowling before the princess, proposed
zakouska to Hardy.
"Ah, monsieur" she laughed, "do
you know the great Russian institu-
tion of zakouska?"
"Yes," he replied, "it was about the
first Russian word I learned, and I
have heard it more frequently than
any other since"
"Then," she said, rising and taking
the generals arm, 1--WE will have "a
kouska in my cabin. Will you do us
the honor of joining us?"
Certainly" replied Hardy, with
alacrity II find it a most delightful
custom!"
And all day long they steamed up
the winding and yellow Amur through
virgin solitudes of rolling prairie,
through interminable stretches of
primeval forest, with medieval Rus
sia on the right and ancient, prehis-
toric China on the left.
The grinding and jarring of the lit
tie steamer on the sand was now a
matter of hourly occurrence. Oc-
casionally large river boat would be
passed, high-foundered and dry, either
deserted or occupied by a few pas
sengers, patiently waiting for the wa
ter to rise. Many rowboats drifted
by, laden with more fortunate people,
going with the swift current rather
than against it. To these the captain
shouted continually:
''How is the water in the Shilka?"
And ever came the same reply:
Failing, slowly falling"
At midnight they ran upon a sand
bank and had such difficulty getting
off that Hardy thought they were
stuck for good. 1t was necessary to
wake up the passengers, with the eX-
ception of her highness, the princess,
and drive them all over to one side of
the boat to list her. After an hour of
most exciting work, during which the
captain dashed forward and back on
the bridge, gesticulating with his en-
tire body and shouting like mad
man, they got off and were under way
again, only to make another hours
stop for wood. This time, as before,
a bewhiskered muzhik was sitting on
the bank by a flaring fire. He could
be seen very distinctly from a great
distance, and as the steamer ap-
preached the officer in command
shouted at him again and again. The
soundness with which he was sleep
ing, with head upon breast and arms
folded upon knees, gave rise to con-
siderable amusement among such Of
the passengers as were awake. The
plank was laid and several of the crew
ran up to him. One of them pushed
him and he sprawled over.
Hes dead!" announced the sailor
"Dead?"
"Yes. sir: trans6xed by an arrow"
He put his foCt upon the mans
breast and, seizing something, pulled.
A moment later he held UP in the
light of the bonfire Chinese war ar
rowl then. throwing it to the earth.