The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1910-01-27

OF the cuckoos. that I'LL the forests OF
Siberia with their strange cries, ex-
acty as though millions of invisible
Swiss clocks we're hanging among the
trees. On their return. the two men
heard the sound OF shooting.
my Cod" cried the American. his
face blanchlng as he thought Of ths
princess. Il believe the brigands havN
attacked the boat"
He ran toward the sound. followed
by Smulders. and beheld Gen. Catkon
shooting at q bottle on a stump at a
distance OF 20 PAGES The general was
military governor OF lrkutsk. now on
his way TO his post. from which he
had been absent three months. he
was a gray, corpulent man. with a
kindly face. the only person aboard
OF sufficient rank 10 associate inu-
mately with the princess, In whom he
seemed 10 take a fatherly interest lie
fired now FIVE times and missed, much
10 the amusement OF the princess, who
stood near. In fact, her derisiye
laughter so irritated the pompous
general that he threw the weapon
spitefully on the ground and began to
explain volubly 10 his fair tormentor
What does he say" asked the Ger.
man OF Niennese opera singer from
Nladiyostok, who was also one OF the
spectators: and a moment later he
explained TO Hardy
He says it's an American pistol
from Vladivostok, and that it's no
good"
CORTLAND Hardy picked W the
weapon and examined H. IL was not
an expensive model. but a practical
arm OF honest blue steel He tossed
II Familiarity in his hand and then said
to Smulders: win you ask our fair
Interpreter here TO present my com.
pliments to the general. and tell him
that am an American and beg the
privilege OF proving the excellence OF
this American weapon?"
AS the Viennese addressed the gen.
sal. Hardy lifted his hat gracefully.
The princess clapped her little hands.
nodded pleasantly at the American
and cried: "Bravoi Brayoi" II was
she. evidently. who persuaded the gen.
eral 10 reload the weapon and &C.
cede 10 the request
Nov, as usual. there was a group
OF pessant women standing about, who
had Gene down to the boat from the
Lord knows where, 10 sell milk Hardy
tossed 80 copecks on the ground. and.
picking up 1--WE bottles. walked TO
log neM the stump. where he set
them IN a row. Then he returned "a
the group standing about the general
and commenced firing. The distance
was in reality not great nor the feat
difficult for so good a shot. The ef.
feet. however was spectacular. for
between the rapid cracks" OF the
weapon could be heard the ching.
ching. ching" Of the breaking bottles.
Hardy offered the revolver 20 the
general with q polite salute. but the
latter generously complimented his
Workmanship and begged that he
would keep II. adding to the gift the
box of cartridges which he produced
from a coat pocket The American
was somewhat embarrassed. His pride
was averse TO the acceptance OF tho
gift. yet he was unable 10 explain that
he meant no oifense He stood offer.
ing the pistol to the Russian. while
the latter pressed the cartridges on
him. The princess relieved the situa.
ton by taking the cartridges and
handing them to Hardy with n be.
seeching little moue. He accepted
With courtly bow, as graceful as
though he were saluting n cotillion
partner The princess replied in kind
and walked away on the arm of tho
general.
The only other incident worth re-
cording happened at night. after all
the passengers had retired. A party
OF hidden marauders fred on the boat,
and one Of the bullets passed through
Hardy's cabin window That they were
Chinese was evident from n war-ar.
row, with its iron point, that was
found sticking to the rail the next
morning.
They are becoming very restless"
said Smulders. in his broken English.
but they viii hardly dare much TO
do'-and he pointed &c a long line Of
dusty Cossacks that were trotting
along the military road that skirts the
Amur THE river is well guarded.
and If they make depredations, the
Cossacks take terrible vengeance.
am glad that they did not harm my
Chulia"
Julia was the name OF n Viennese
singer on board, with whom smulders
was fast becoming infatuated.
A little way below Blagovestchensk
they passed the blackened ruins %
Aigum. the once populous Chinese
city which the Cossacks had destroyed
not very long before.
They found the bodies of 1000
men. women and children In the
ruins" explained Smulders. "and into
the river they thousands have driven.
That scare the Chinese, but they also
not like it much"
Il should think" said Hardy that
they would be vexed at such treat
ment, TO say the least
He looked carefully to his rife and
pistol that very day.