Bridgeton pioneer., 1913-10-02
The Provision
Dealer of St.
Petersburg
BY IVAN VRONSKY

e0vereigns who ever ruled over that
.esnpire. Proof that he was man of
.aadranced ideas is to be found in the
Fact that he emancipated the serfs, or
8loves. Furthermore, he was about to
give his country constitution. On ac-
seunt of this intention it has been
claimed that he was assassinated at
Ehe instigation of those nearest to him.
the bureaucrats, who were opposed to
reforms. But later developments have
d1sproved this. More than thirty years
have elapsed since his assassination.
and the preliminary methods adopted
30 insure It have been brought out.
The circumstances attending the act
, Itself were apparent at the time.
On the day Of his assassination the
- rzar was returning to his palace after
n visit. -Four revolutionists were sta
: f5sned along the route on which he
7Mzs driven, each with a bomb in his
armpit. As the emperor passed the
= frst imam the latter threw his bomb.
Attendants and horses of the imperial
garbage were killed, but Alexander
Wzs a1nhurt- He stepped out of the
garbage, and another bomb fell at his
= feet, shattering bis legs. He was driv.
" en TO the palace In sleigh and died on
1.-The way.
There Is story underlying this as
@eassination. Indeed, the world Is but
great story book containing myriads Of
-stDries. That leading up to Alexander
1Ls death has been told in various
forms. There is no need to distort the
main incidents In the following yer.
6Snn they are given as they were after
: the tragedy developed by the police:
On the street called Malaja Sadov.
aga dn st. Petersburg one morning a
shop that had been for some time va.
=sant was opened by a man whose sign
1ead "Peter Novgorod, Provision Deal
er." Other shopkeepers were inter /
Rsted to know what plan the man
= would adopt to deprive them of their
arade, for it would appear that what
= De gained they would lose. So they
TAtched to see what customers would
- Into his shop.
Though Novgorod soon sprang into a
r14xr business, his competitors found
That they lost nothing of their own
Very few persons living in that 10
Eaf5ty went into his store to trade
TSasSs Who did go, or most Of them
were from other parts Of the city.
Om Ivan Balichin. who kept butch
er shop opposite Novgorod's place.
when not working at his own business
WAS usually interested in Novgorod's
He noticed that the provision dealer
saeemed to b.. selling a great many
,Xsods, but was seen to get them in only
small quantities One day when Ba-
lNhcafn was having dull trade and
anguh devote himself to his neighbors'
Anairs, instead of his own. he observed
Ynzt 80 many customers emerged from
tine shop opposite that it seemed the
4 whole stock must have been bought out
:, Hs~eral times over. Before closing time
Z HafachiD crossed the street, ostensibly
I'D chat with his neighbor. but really
s1ur the purpose Of observation.
e. >-sGocd evening, friend Novgorod." he
Eadd *How have you found trade to
aay7"
Fair" replied the other. "You know
G nave but recently started"
~fYes, know that, and l do not
understand how you have so quickly
worked up so extensive a trade"
Is -Well," replied Novgorod. my trade
ssymes largely from customers who have
Saeaft with me before. Besides, in
-order TO do business I am giving long
credits. don't know how shall come
out in the end. but hope for the best"
you will come out as any trades
nsan will come out who does business
I'm that way. You will make lot OF
had debts. How often do you find 1t
. necessary to replenish your stock?"
- my stock! Oh. am supplied by
= xsaaxchant who puts me to a great
{ deal sof trouble in that respect You
nee, having no partner, l have no one
sto do the buying. for buying and SELL
ling are two different matters. so get
= euerything through one man. But
since he runs shop himself he has no
~&fme to attend to my affairs during
9nsfness hours. The consequence is
~4he early morning and sometimes at
-z1ght.''
-sT see," said Balichin. II noticed to-
Gay that you sold great deal and
Uvust have had a plentiful supply OF
shand."
THAT is because last night 1 was
rrwuEed out of bed at II o'clock to take
in two carloads of provisions"
At this juncture a customer came In
gzNd, seeing Balichin talking with the
asncpkeeper. offered to wait till he had
been served. But Balichin said that he
was enly gossiping and told the Gus
toner to go ahead with his purchases.
THE latter asked to see some butter.
Novgorod plunged knife into a firkin
2Ed gave it to him to taste. The man
made wry face.
lis that the best butter you haveT'
A, Ne asked.
Eyes. Don't you like itY'
"Nike it! 1t is nothing but oleomar-
al