Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-06-03
NIKoLAEW.


in the forest by the great river.
Every time / returned from m
shooting trips l saw him sitting on tn
bench outside the neighboring log hu
He sat leaning his gray head again,
the wall and gazing into the whit
northern summer night.
Now and anon he would acconpan
me on my shooting trips, but withou
taking an active part in them. Fl
did not care for small game. Hi
| bear-houud remained behind to guar
the hut.
One day we had camped on tn
sandy river beach, and lighted tn
fire in order to cook our dinner an
! boil the water for tea. The snipe
seethed and fried in their own juice
| exuding white and aromatic fron
their plump breasts, which had burs
when the dead birds fell to TIN
| ground.
Nikolaew reused himself, spat tn.
| remains of the sugar into his hand
| and helped himself to another mus
of tea
1T avails!' he said. in a hard voice
clenching his hand. This, our instinct
to possess life and make it perfect
can never die, even if earth be spIin-
over the infnity of space. $
When L thus look out over the river ]
feel burning desire to hunt and be
hunted for dear life once more, yes
for life's own sake! Some day it will
end by my disappearing in the river
again. The time has come!
The, arrow of war is passing from
hand to hand.
1.-The arrow of war? Disappear in
the river 30 I asked N aYuazat47opt
Yes, ] once saved my life in the
Neva. 1t is long ago now. l have
never told you about it, But today |
happened to think of it. That, too,
was chase of life or DEATH
How SOP
1--WE have told each other many a
hunting tale by now. So why not add
this to the lot You have guessed, of
course, that l belong to the veterans
of the revolution. that is a
secret no longer. From time
to time / used to stay in Petersburg,
sometimes under the name of Petrow,
sometimes of Iwanow, or some other
name as common as my own. One
day, just as i was going to leave my
room at the hotel, there was a knock
at the door, and an affected, scented
monkey rushed in. exhibiting all the
signs of Joyful recognition. / saw,
however, at once, what kind of fellow
/ had to deal with
How do you do. my dear Niko-
laew! Delighted to see you again! You
understand
my own Ldptismal name, right up TO
my face.
Excuse me, you are mistaken l
answered, rather sullenly.
Surely, l would never have
thought it of you! Fancy forgetting
ones old friends like that.
Friends, do you say? Friends, be
damned
II could control myself no longer.
There's the door Don't you I'M
derstand! Be off"
Il went at him. and he disappeared
fast enough, squirting out of the cor
ner of his eye.
II was tracked, and had at most a
days respite before they would be at
my heels Towards evening they will
take me, unless ] am mean enough to
give away my comrades. They are in
no hurry. I'm in the trap, and they
can clap the lid whenever ii suits
them. Well! a days a dayl
Break or bear! | thought as 1 opened
the door.
When / reached the street ! found
another rascal waiting for me- One
of those ours whose services are to be
bought for rouble or so a day. /
recognized him instantly in the crush
of the street.
Passing the great hotel, l walked
| into the bar as though to look for
someone. and slip out of the other en-
trance, where the guests drive up. He
stands close by, reading a playbin /
| look at my watch, casually, and call q
| lichatsch, the one that seems to own
the best horse.
'Halloa! You are not engaged p
" No. sir
Make your horse gallop, 1 say,
| in an undertone, jumping into the
| open cab. Drive straight ONT
He lithely swung his arms and
/ gave the horse a tap with the rains.
| The trotteT bent its head almost unto
| its chest and went forward at a mad
| pace. l had the money ready when.
a few minutes later. l jumped out at
| the station. l reach the entrance of
the arrival platform safely and
breathe more freely. Rut,
| just outside stands a cyclist. looking
about him and biting his nails i'm a
| restless sort of way. So the other one
had remained at the departure sta
| ton.
THE same thing over again. we
| fly past all the carriages on the right
side of the Nevsky. Only the mad
| course of the horse is heard in the
smooth, wood-paved street.
| look back. The cyclist is living close
10 his right-hind wheel With a move
ment as though l would hold nv hat.
l push ii off quickly, at the same tim
| gripping the ccachman by the right
| arm.
stop! Stop! My hat. YOU
| foolr -
He tugs at the rains so sharply
| that the horse rears. The cyclist has
not been able to stop in time. He tries
| to turn aside, but slips and fails
Would that he had broken his
| kneecap!
Go on! Here are ten rouhles. ri
give You ten more l. You drive as