The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-07-21
COUSIN
LISA
BY DONALD Cl1AMBERLIN

When l tell you that my name is
6hovaloff you immediately picture
man with heavy beard, shocky hair.
large and thick set form. In other
words. you fancy me to be Russian.
If you We're to see nae you would be-
hold rather small man with closely
cut light hair and clean shaven face.
Moreover l cannot speak word Of
Russian. l can only speak English
and American English at that. for I
was born In the United States and
till recently had never been off 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
lean girl and died within a year after
l was born.
My father brought a little money
| with him from Russia. which he used
to a profit and left my mother in com
Portable circumstances. When l was
twenty-five letter came to her stat
ing that the farm which had been in
the Shovaloff family for many years
must be sold. and l was Interested.
She proposed that go to Russia and
look after the matter. l loved travel
and caught ut the plan eagerly.
When reached my fathers former
home I did not wonder that he had
left it. The country round about was
thinly settled, though 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 brother and a
sister in Russia. The brother had
died unmarried, but the sister. wild
ow, still lived. She had but one child.
Il daughter, who Jointly with me would
inherit the farm. She was Il very odd.
though very pretty, little damsel
about seventeen years old could not
talk with my aunt or my cousin be-
cause they spoke no English and I no
Russian. but we found an interpreter
who served our purpose fairly we'll.
There was no hotel in the place. and
I was obliged to set up dwelling of
my own. This did in Il small house
which had been vacated. A middle
aged woman who spoke little Eng
fish consented to be my housekeeper
and do my cooking. My aunt did not
invite me to stay at her house. Why l
knew not.
The business that brought me to
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 II visit
from my Cousin Lisa. She came in.
all bushes and with Il shrinking man
ner. My housekeeper being present.
| saw no improperly in her coming.
but nevertheless wondered ut 1t. Not
| being able to communicate with her
more than to say good morning. ask
was anything could do.for my cOn-
sin. A few words pissed bAtween the
two. and the housekeeper.>yith some
embarrassment thought, said that
there was only one thing ! could do
for my cousin, but had better find it
| out for myself.
concluded that had struck anoth-
er Of the strange customs OF the coun-
try and that l might as well let it
work itself out. Lisa assisted the
housekeeper in the work. and went
out about the business concerning
which had come to Russia. did not
return till evening. expecting surely
that my cousin had gone. What was
my surprise to find her still there.
How long," l asked my housekeep.
er, lis Lisa going to stay here?'
always, unless you turn her out"
.Turn her Out!' -.---.-----.----