Evening star., 1927-11-12
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
THE NAUGHTY BOY
BY ANTON CHEKHOy.

- Anton Pavlovich CheShov. born in 1860
died in 1904. He was one of the best
He has been hailed as the greatest figure
III RUSSIAN literature since Turgenev. He
mane mrl.e. besides some lao short stories on
among them the famous Cherry Orchard .
Ivan Lapkin. pleasant looking
young man, and Anna Zamblitzky, a
| young girl with a little snub nose
walked down the sloping bank and
| sat down on a bench. The bench
was close to the waters edge, among
thick bushes and a hanging will.
| low. A heavenly spot, indeed. You
! sat down and you were hidden from
the world. Only the fish could see
you and the tiny ripples which
flashed over the water like lightning.
| These two young people had rods.
| fish hooks, bags, tins of worms and
everything else necessary. Once
seated they at once began to fish.
| II am glad we are left alone at
| last" said Ivan, looking around to
| make sure. 1--WE got a lot to tell
| you, Anna-tremendous. When
RI saw you for the first time-look
out, you've got a niZzle! I
understood then why ] am alive. as
you might say, and where my idol
| was to whom / could devote my hon.
est. Woodworking life--look out, it
| muct be a big one! 1T is biting
/. =. I. When / saw you--for the first
time IN my life, Anna, / fell in love
fell in love passionately. hopeless
ly, Now. don't pull, that's not the
| way. Let the fish go ON biting. :.
Tell me. darling--tell me, will you
not let me hope? MOI / know I'm
not worth it. / dare not even think
of it-may / hope for Pulf
Pull
Anna lifted the hand that held the
rod, pulled--cried out. A silvery
green fish shone in the air.
Goodness. It's a perch! Help
quick. It's slipping off,"
The perch tore itself violently from
the hook. danced in the grass flip
Hopping for a moment toward its ma
tive element and suddenly leaped into
the water.
But instead of the little fish that
he was trying to recapture, Ivan quite
by accident caught hold of Anna s
hand--quite by accident he pressed
it to his lips. She drew back but 1t
was too late-quite by accident their
lips met and kissed: yet it was an alb
solute accident. They kissed and
kissed. Then came vows and assur-
ances-blissful moments,
There Is, however. no such thing
as absolute happiness in this life. If
happiness itself does not contain a
poison. poison will enter it from out
side. And that is what happened this
time.
Suddenly, while these two young
people were kissing, laugh was
heard. They looked at the river and
were paralyZed with what they saw.
schoolhuy named Kolya. who was
Annals brother, was standing in the
water watching the young people at
their innocent love making and laugh
ing mischievously at them:
. "Aha," he chuckled. kissing, eh?
Well. I'm going to tell mother on
you
Il hope that you-er-as a man of
honor--you should" stammered Ivan,
blushinfi fiery red. ITS very mean
of you to spy on us this way. It's
contemptuouS to tell tales on some
one else-it's a very dirty trick. AS
man of honor--I must say-you
ought"
Give me some money, then, and
I'll keep quiet the young man of
honor replied IF you don't. TIL tell"
Ivan found some small coins in his
squeezed them tightly on his wet fist
two young people did not kiss each
other any more just then.
The next day Ivan brought kolya
some paints and ball from town. and |
his SISTER gave him all her empty pill !
boxes, which he had been wanting for |
long time. After that they found |
themselves obliged to present Kolya !
with a set of cuff buttons with dogs |
heads on them.
Kolya was enjoying this game i'm |
mensely, and in order to keep up the |
gifts he set out to spy on these two |
youngsters some more. Wherever Ivan |
and Anna went. Kolya was sure to be
there also. He did not let them be |
alone for single moment.
''The nuisancer' said Ivan angrily. |
so young man and yet already |
such scoundrel! What on earth will
become of such boy when he finally
grows up?"
AL through the Summer the young