The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-09-03
COUSIN
LISA
By DONALD CHAMBERLIN

When I tell you that my name is
Shovaloff you Immediately picture q
man with a heavy beard, shocky hair,
large and thick set form. In other
words. you fancy me to be a Russian.
II you were to see me you would be-
hold a rather small man with closely
cut light hair and clean shaven face.
Moreover I cannot speak a word OF
Russian. I can only speak English
and American English at that, for
was born In the United States and
till recently had never been or the
North American continent.
My father was born In the province
Of Perm in eastern Russia. lying next
to Siberia. He came to America when
he was very young. married an Amer
ican girl and died within q year after
I was born.
My father brought a little money
with him from Russia, which he used
to q profit and left my mother In COM
Portable circumstances. When / was
twenty-five letter came to her stat
ing that the farm which had been In
the Shovalofr family for many years
must be sold, and l was interested.
She proposed that l go to Russia and
look after the matter. loved travel
and caught at the plan eagerly.
When l reached my fathers former
home / did not wonder that he had
left It. The country round about was
thinly settled, though a village had
grown up near the farm. The people
had their own customs, which had
been handed down to them through
many generations. Some Of these GUS
toms were very quaint.
| My father had left a brother and a
sister in Russia. The brother had
died unmarried. but the sister. a wild
ow, still lived. She had but one child,
q daughter, who jointly with me would
inherit the farm. She was very odd,
though a very pretty. little damsel
about seventeen years old. I could not
talk with my aunt or my cousin be-
cause they spoke no English and l no
Russian. but we found an interpreter
who served our purpose fairly well.
Thcre was no hotel In the place, and
was obliged to set up dwelling Of
my own. This I did In a small house
which had been vacated. A middle
aged woman who spoke a little Eng
lish consented to be my housekeeper
and do my cooking. My aunt did NOT
invite me TO stay at her house. Why
knew not.
The business that brought me ia
Russia was very slow In working Itself
out. and the prospect Of my getting
away was not propitious. had been
In the village several weeks when one
morning / was surprised by a visit
from my Cousin Lisa. She came In
all bushes and with a shrinking man
ner. MY housekeeper being present
I saw no impropriety In her coming
but nevertheless wondered at It MOI
being able to communicate with bel
more than to say good morning. I AJAX
ed the housekeeper to inquire II there
was anything l could do for my cou
sin. A few words passed between the
two, and the housekeeper. with some
embarrassment ! thought said tha'
there was only one thing l could d,
for my cousin. but I had better find Il
cut for myself.
I concluded that had struck anoth
er Of the strange customs OF the coun
try and that I might ns well LET 4
work itself out. Lisa assisted th'
housekeeper I'm the work. and | wen
cut about the business concernin,
which I had come to Russia. did no
return till evening. expecting surel,
that my cousin had gone. What wa
my surprise TO 8nd her still there
"How long," asked my housekeep
or, SIS Lisa going to stay hereT
always. unless you turn her out
!, Turn her out!'
"Yes. And you cannot do that unless
you are willing to suffer the resent
ment of every one hsrsshont"