Year: 1868

/ Taganrog. Ii will cost great deal of
money, but the pow bought two years
ago is quite spoiled, and hand labor is
not to be had for love or money. The
peasants when required to work assemble
in the courtyard before the palace, and
try to drive hard bargain. Unless their
demands are at once complied with they
use threatening words, and nothing can
be done with them. The artesian wells.
sunk by order Of the German geologist,
have all proved failures, and the cost has
absorbed most of the money in the agent S
hands. Then the locusts destroyed all
the maize-nine thou sand acres of IN
dian corn all devoured by them The
live stock sent from abroad, the English
COWS and pigs, the Spanish merino sheep,
and the Austrian poultry have not thriven.
The cold has killed most of them and the
breeds have become mixed. Only some
ol the sheep remain of the pure breed inns
ported. The trees. to. tronrplomtc,l
from a distant forest TO the gaIden near
the palace have withered. Nothing has
prospered but some rye-grass.


This is uncomfortable news, but the
colonel deals it out very glbly, as if he
was saying n lesson learned off by heart.
When he has finished speaking the peas
ants are admitted. | notice the agent
seizes this opportunity to take glass Of
wine and light his cigarette, to show that
he is on easy and familiar terms with his
employer. The spokesman of the coun-
try people then advances and goes down
on his knees again, all those behind him
crossing themselves When he rises lie
speaks for II considerable time in low,
monotonous V ice. At G conclusion of
his haranguc he knccls down again and
kisses the feet Of his landlord The peas.
ants have come to ask for new church.
They have subscribed considerable sum
among themselves, and they now expect
TO have the necessary amount c mpleted.
When their request is granted they 20
away croaeing themselves and utcring
muttercd thanks. Then the husircss of
the day is over


There are no ncighbor> no doctor,
lawyer, nor scholarly priest All the
houses around for days journey are
hovol' their inhabitants Doors There
is a colonel of Cossacks and some officers
Of his regiment quartered about; but
they are drunken, quarrelsome fellows,
with whom IT is quite impossible TO hold
social intercourse. All we can do is to
walk over the estate. There is neither
shooting, fishing, nor saddle.horses. But
| am promised a wolf hunt.


Meantime we start for our ramble over
the home farm. There is no dairy. not
pint OF milk nor a drop of cream. nor n
pound of batter, nor n fresh egg. There
are some lean oxen about, and thousands
OF sheep, The men and women on the
farm are both dressed alike in the same
untanned sheepskins and knee boots.-
There is no difference in their costume.
save that the men wear a black brimless
felt hat and the women tie their heads up
with handkerchiefs. If we meet any man
or women alone there is the customary
salutation on the knees: but observe
that If two N three peasants are together
they pass on without notice. On returns
ing home we find a deputation of three
priests come for money. They are al. of
the peasant class, without education OF
refinement. They are very humble in the
presence of the great man, who is rather
brusque and impatient with them but
they are persistent and they get what
they came for, though my friend begins
to vince and look grave at the demands
made on him. We dine quite alone, no
guest or civilized being within hail any
where: : and by and by an old woman,
who was my friends nurse, comes in with
n bottle of home made medicine, for the
making of which she is famous. We
have some talk with her, and she takes
away present and some kind words
Towards nine o'clock we 90 to bed tired
out, weary with travel, dazed by the
wind.


The next morning find the colonel's
brother, who is one Of his sub-agents ON
another part Of the estate, waiting for me
in britzka and we are soon galloping
through the brisk morning air towards the
| quarters of the wolves. Russian gentle.
men have little taste for sport, and my
friend remains at home to settle accounts
with his agent. Nevertheless, great
preparations have been made to insure US
success. All the country side are out +;
perhaps hundred beaters with sticks,
and score of yeomen on horseback with
guns We have met on the borders re y
large forest Here and there are bee
hives about and the sale of honey ap
pears considerable branch of local trade
The beaters are soon lost in the wood, and
the sportsmen are posted at convenient
places to wait for the game. We heal
the cries and shouts of the country people
in the distance, but hour after hour passes
away and no wolves appear Just as


am growing drowsy, however, and have


almost ceased TO think Of them at all, {


large grey wolf comes through the WOO


at a slouching trot, stops suddenly on tn


borders of ditch, and looks across at me


/ have time 10 take up my gun leisurel,
enough and fire. When the smoke ha
cleared away the wolf has disappeared. =
1t was almost impossible, however. I
have missed him, so we go in pursuit an
find the beast few yards off, hidden i
) some brushwood, but quite dead. Thong
, we wait many hours after this, some hun