Evening star., 1928-04-11
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
BY FEoDoR NJ. DosToYEvsKY
THE THIEF.

CFeodor Mlkailovitch DostoyevsiSy 1892
al. was famous Russian novelist who
lived Tor many years IN exile ln Slhes1a
One Of his hest known books Is Crime and
Punishment
am only a poor tailor. with very
little work to do and that but poorly
paid for, yet / am human nevertheless.
have my sympathies and I know how
% take pity. 1 once had good job
working for a baron, but he went away
and died. and then had hard time
shifting for myself-and Ernelian.
met him in a tavern, and a forlorn
creature he was. He was expelled from
the army for being a drunkard. The
most diSreputable figure you can inn
agine-he wore anything he could get,
regardless Of fashion or At. Anything
decent was Immediately sold and money
spent for liquor.
Yet he was not a roisterer; really he
was very gentle and had a kind DISPOSE
ton. He would never ask for anything.
But If you should happen 70 see him
you'd know he was dying for drink,
and Il you had any heart in you you'd
buy it for him. Then, like a stray dog
you patted. he would attach himself 70
you and follow you about wherever you
went. I bought him a drink and he
followed me- That was how it started.
/ could not afford 70 have him tag
ging along, for you must feed even a
stray dog who has acknowledged you his
master ] had bread for breakfast.
luncheon and supper, now and then
spiced with little onion-ano Emelian
shared this meager fare with me. Some
how. ] could not refuse him and send
him on his way alone. There was some
@aMsa T. f-s@ -. hi
Anyway, he stayed with me as close as
q faithful hound for two years.
he was often drunk Where he got
tn. money TO buy vodka / never knew.
/ never gave him any. fed him. but
seldom bought him more than an oc-
casional drink Once moved and
thought had lost him, but he found
me, and there he was again.
/ came to care for him like a younger
brother I wanted TO reform him.
gave him good advice about giving up
drink and making something Of himself
Forget vodka" / said Take a look
at yourself-you are in rags. Your
cloak looks more like holes than cloth.
Il is hardly decent, Come 10 your senses
and start anew"
He always listened 10 me grayely,
but II did no good. He seemed 20 have
SysEAE &lE& tlEd~ ~ wa k&It MDEbAa Md4AAE
20 work for money. He seemed to have
soured toward all conceptions of sue
cess II had turned bitter In his mouth
when he first slipped OF IL, If I'm not
mistaken. Wei, was failure myself
What could / say?
Once told him that If he came home
drunk again ! would not let him In, but
would make him sleep In the cold hall
He cid not show up for three days. and
I became worried about him. / really
missed him. Then the third night
found hlIa IN the nall, half frozen. /
tod him never 10 do that again~-it
would disgrace me. Besides, / explained
that had not really meant what / sad
He was very sensitive. He would
sometimes weep when / lectured him
for hts worthless life. Then / felt as
though some one had wounded me, and
was sorry for him again. lie mad such
a gentle soul that ] could never blame
him for long in my heart.
Really, don't know whether / should
tel the rest Of ths story ! don't sup
pose IL matters much, nov that look
back 70 Il.
But-Yell. owned a pair Of beautiful
blue DTeeehes, which / had once made
for merchant But he didn't ike
them and refused ~ take them, 80
had them on my hands. ] kept them