Year: 1879




1t was a clear, cold winter evening, at
st. Petersburg, when | called on my
friend Puchanoff. He was a merchant
of very good standing | was a student
full of life and ardor He was mar
ried man, resident at Ida, and came to
St. Petersburg only twice a year where
he remained for about a month at
time [ was single, resident in the capt.
tai, of course, where | pursued my
studies. My acquaintance, [ may say
friendship, with Puchanoff began in my
native city, where he had studied Tai
mudical lore before his marriage. AS [
was several years younger than he, L
could not say what pleased him in me.
But liked him for his dreamy, con-
templative nature. He was good-hu
mored, calm, submissive. He would not
lose his head as the saying is, if the
greatest misfortune had befallen him.
A sudden change in circumstances from
opulence to beggary, from vigor to help
aessness, from the surrounding of friends
to loneliness, from an honorable posi-
tion in society to ignominy would not
affect his spirit or disposition in the
least, if he only had the conviction that
he was not the cause Of the misfortune
and that it was beyond his power to
avert it. Some considered him as a very
Indifferent person in all respects insig
nifcant as an individual and without
heart or a mind for what was going on
around him. But had quite different
opinion of him-I knew him better.


There was a depth of sentiment in
Joseph Puchanoff which very few could
fathom there was stability of prin-
ciple in him which very few could un-
derstand. He could not be understood,
because he considered it unnecessary to
make a show of either his sentiments
or his principles. The good and the
beautiful which his mind conceived
lived in him and with him as realities
not as mere distractions. The truth
which his soul embraced, became part
of his life and the motive power of his
actions. 1t will be Just as natural for
him to interfere in behalf of wronged
person at the risk of his best personal
interests, or even to expose his life, his
reputation, his all, in defense of prin-
ciple which he believed to be truc-as
was natural for him to take his meals
and follow up his regular routine of busi-
ness. But he would make no fuss
about his achievement, he would do
what he thought right and 60 ON his
own way without stopping to contem
plate the grandeur of his deed and los
ing himself in self-admiration.


There was deep poetical sentiment,
a flow of romantism in his nature, as
we'll as bent for sarcasm in conversa-
ton. The former was the consequence
of his susceptibility for all that is beau
tiful and grand the latter was the re-
suit of the conviction that there is a
SIcdC ucdl VI NlOIS dDouU pCloOIo dllCt
things in society, against which fighting
is perhaps also the result Of
some bitter experience and disappoint-
ments He despised that which he con-
sidered mean, and noticing that the
world is deceived by it, he spoke about
it with bitter sarcasm.


In appearance, Joseph Puchanoff was
not attractive. He had a beautiful
head, expressive dark-b brown eyes and
well-formed mouth and chin. But his
face was long and the features deeply
marked. His affectionate nature could
be noticed only when he was seen play
ing with children his love of the beau
tiful and the natural-when his was
about his birds and his flowers; his