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The flitchell Wagon -
is without doubt the best
farm wngon sold in this mark
et today The users of wng
ons have learned this hence
the unprecedented demand
But we are prepared to supply
all despite unusually largo
sales
OOP
u
j
Mi
Furnaces and Stoves
We have a good line of furn
aces and heating stoves
If you are intending to put in
a furnace this fall be sure to
inspect our stock and get es
timates
Farm Machinery
We are prepared to meet your needs in Press
Drills 5 Disc Drills 5 Hoe Drills Gang Plows
Sulky Plows Disc Harrows Pipe Frame Har
rows Corn Shelters etc Call on us when in
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We have in stock
the Maleablo the
Jewel and tbo Round
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sides a large stock of
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Cooks
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We always carry a
large stock of Barb
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We can also supply
your needs in all
kinds of Builders
Hardware and
Tools
Oils
We have always on
hand Axle Grease
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and Belt Dressing
We also carry Lin
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w Harflware m
ATTENTION
LAND
OWNERS
and buyers if you want to sell be sure and see
me soon I have inquiry for all kinds ol lands
DO IT NOW
If youjwant to buy call on me and let me quote
my price and thus save you money
LELindeman
Office East Side Main St
Over McConnells Drug Store
HcCook Nebraska
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I
sfe SOWERS
CONTINUED FEOM LAST WEEK
IiMiig over ruts and through puddles
ue usual Russian rural thoroughfare
not because Prince Pavlo wanted to
give the peasants work not because
he wanted to save them from starva
tion not at all although in the gratifi
cation of his own whim he happened
to render those trilling services but
merely because he was a great barin
a prince who could have anything he
desired Had not the other barin Steiu
inetz by name superintended the work
Steinmetz the hated the loathed the
tool of the tyrant whom they never
see Ask the starost the mayor of
the village He knows the barius and
hates them
Michael Roon the starosta or elder
of Osterno president of the mir or vil
lage council principal shopkeeper may
or and only intelligent soul of the 000
probably had Tartar blood in his veins
To this strain may be attributed the
narrow Tartar face the keen black
eyes the short spare figure which
many remember to this daj although
Michael Roon has been dead these
many years
It was late in the autumn one even
ing remembered by many for its death
roll that the starosta was standing at
the door of his small shop He was
apparently idle He never sold vodka
and the majority of the villagers were
in one of the three thriving inns which
drove a famous trade in strong drink
and weak tea It was a very hot even
ing
The starosta shook his head fore
bodingly It was cholera weather
Cholera had come to Osterno had
come the starosta thought to stay
It had settled down in Osterno and
nothing but the winter frosts would
kill it when hunger typhus would un
doubtedly succeed it
Therefore the starosta shook his
head at the sunset and forgot to regret
the badness of the times from a com
mercial point of view He had done
all he could He had notified the
zeinstvo of the condition of his village
He had made the usual appeal for
help which had been forwarded in the
usual way to Tver where it had ap
parently been received with the usual
philosophic silence
But Michael Roon had also -telegraphed
to Karl Steinmetz and since
the dispatch of this message had the
starosta dropped into the habifc of
standing at his doorway in the even
ing with his hands clasped behind his
back and his beady black eyes bent
westward along the princes highroad
On the particular evening with which
we have to do the beady eyes looked
not in vain for presently far along the
road appeared a black speck like an
insect crawling over the face of a
map
Ah said the starosta Ah he
never fails
The word soon spread that a car
riage was coming along the road from
Tver Ail the villagers came to the
doors of their dilapidated wooden huts
Even the inns were emptied for a time
By
Henry Seton IMerriman
Copyright 1895 by HARPER Z BROTHERS
I
I
As the vehicle approached It became
apparent that the horses were going
at a great pace Not only was the loose
horse galloping but also the pair in
the shafts The carriage was an open
one an ordinary north Russian travel
ing carriage not unlike the vehicle we
call the victoria set on high wheels
Beside the driver on the box sat an
other servant In the open carriage sat
one man only Karl Steinmetz
As he passed through the village a
murmur of many voices followed him
not quite drowned by the rattle of his
wheels the clatter of the horses feet
The murmur was a curse Karl Steu
metz heard it distinctly It made him
smile with a queer expression beneath
his great gray mustache
The starosta standing in his door
way saw the smile He raised hs
voice -with his neighbors and cursel
As Steinmetz passed him he gave a lit
tle jerk of the head toward the castle
The jerk of the head might have been
due to an inequality of the road but it
might also convey an appointment
The keen haggard face of Michael
Roon showed no sign of mutual under
standing and the carriage rattled on
through the stricken village
Two hours later when it was quite
dark a closed carriage with two
bright lamps flaring into the night
passed through the village toward the
castle at a gallop
It is the prince the peasantscrieG
crouching in their low doorways It
is the prince We know his bells they
are of silver and we shall starve dur
ing the winter Curse him curse him
They raised their heads and listened to
the galloping feet with the patient
dumb despair which Is the curse of the
Slavonic race Some of them crept to
their doors and looking up saw that
the castle windows were ablaze with
light If Paul Howard Alexis was a
plain English gentleman in Loudon he
was also a great prince in his country
keeping up a princely state enjoying
the gilded solitude that belongs to the
high born His English education had
educed a strict sense of discipline and
as in England and indeed all through
his life so in Russia did he attempt to
do his duty
The carriage rattled up to the bril
liantly lighted door which stood open
and within on either side of the broad
entrance hall the servants stood to
welcome their master A strange pic
turesque motley crew the majortlomo
in his black coat and beside him the
other house servants tall upright fel
lows in their bright livery beyond
them the stablemen and keepers a
little army in red cloth tunics with
wide trousers tucked into high boots
all holding their fur caps in their
hands staading stiffly at attention
clean honest and not too intelligent
The castle of OBterno is built on the
lines of many Russian country seats
and not a few places in Moscow The
roya palace In the Kremlin is an ex
amplea broad entrance hall at the
back of which a staircase as broad
stretches up to a gallery around which
the duelling rooms are situated At
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U
the head of the staircase directly
I great white land is a country In which
It is good to be an emperor a prince a
noble but not a poor man
Paul passed through the ranks of his
retainers himself a head taller than
the tallest footman a few inches broad
er than the sturdiest keeper He ac-
CIIAFTER X
OR a moment Paul looked un
from the papers spread out on
the table before him looked
with the preoccupied air of a
man who is adding up something in
his mind Then he returned to his
occupation He had been at this work
for four hours without a break It
was nearly 1 oclock in the morning
Since dinner Karl Steinmetz had con
sumed no less than five cigars while
he had not spoken five words These
two men locked in a small room in the
middle of the castle of Osterno a room
with no window but which gained its
light from the clear heaven by a shaft
and a skylight on the roof locked in
thus they had been engaged in the ad
dition of an enormous mass of figures
Is that fool never coming asked
Paul with an impatient glance at the
clock
Our very dear friend the starosta
replied Steinmetz is no slave to time
He is late
The room had the appearance of an
office There were two safes square
chests There was a huge writing ta
blea double table at which Paul and
Steinmetz were seated There were
sundry stationery cases and an alma
nac or so suspended on the walls
which were oaken panels A large
white stove common to all Russian
rooms stood against the wall The
room had no less than three doors
with a handle on no one of them Each
door opened with a key like a cup
board
The silence of the room was almost
oppressive A Russian village after
nightfall is the quietest human habita
tion on earth for the moujik the na
tive of a country which will some day
supply the universe with petroleum
cannot afford to light up his humble
abode and therefore sits in darkness
Osterno was asleep the castle serv
ants had long gone to rest and the
great silence of Russia wrapped its
wings over all When therefore the
clear coughing bark of a wolf was
heard both occupants of the little room
looked up The sound was repeated
and Steinmetz slowly rose from his
seat
I can quite believe that our friend
is able to call a wolf or a lynx to him
he said He does it uncannily well
I have seen him do so said Paul
without looking up But it is a com
mon enough accomplishment among
the keepers
Steinmetz had left the room before
he finished speaking One of the doors
of this little room communicated with
a large apartment used as a secretarys
office and through this by a small stair
case with a side entrance to the castle
Before many minutes had elapsed
Steinmetz came back closely followed
by the starosta whose black eyes twin
kled and gleamed In the sudden light
of the lamp He dropped on his knees
when he saw Paul suddenly abject
ly likean animal in his dumb attitude
of deprecation
With a Jerk of his head Paul bade
hijp rise whleh the man did standing
back against the paneled wall placing
as great a distance between himself
i uti the prince us the size of the room
11
Us the entrance hall high folding j
rlnnro rltatlrtcn f lir ilnitiif innri Tvliloli
Is almost a throne room all gorgeous
lofty spacious as only Russian houses
are Truly this northern empire tills
ittempt
said Paul curtly almost
roughly I hear -you are in trouble In
the village
The cholera lias come excellency
Many deaths
Today eleven
Paul looked up sharply
And the doctor
He has not come yet excellency I
sent for him a fortnight ago The
cholera Is at Oseff at Dolja at Kali-
nliilTit to nnnitMilwiPn 1T Iii- fft
knowiedged the low bows by a quick DnZ V 7
00 sos hls hn t0
nod and passed up the staircase Stein- udcf V0
I nliKi ilA nnti1f 1A Tf tr tiflutH linn
mot m ovpnlnf rlrosc tln wualu uuiu iucj
UOIfallltl V W W VWV HUU III-
VinI In flirt rinift isttiA lnc 4 lfr 1
tell him lie takes no notice of me
Yes Interrupted Paul I know
And Ue pe0Ic themselves do they
earlier diplomatic life was waiting
understand it to follow out
I r i tn i to
for him at the head of the stairs
The two men bowed gravely to each
other Steinmetz threw open the door
1 J A II vl
Paul passed through the ranks of his re
tainers
of the great room and stood aside The
prince passed on and the German fol
lowed him each playing his part grave
ly as men in high places are called to
do When the door was closed behind
them and they were alone there was
no relaxation no smile of covert de
rision These men knew the Russian
character thoroughly There is be it
known no more impressionable man on
the face of Gods earth Paul and
Steinmetz had played their parts so
long that these came to be natural to
them as soon as they passed the Volga
They knew that the people around
them were somewhat like the dumb
beast These peasants required over
awing by a careful display of pomp
an unrelaxed dignity The line of
demarcation between the noble and
the peasant is so marked in the land
of the czar that it is difficult for others
to realize or believe it
F
my instructions
The starosta spread out his thin
hands in deprecation Hp cringed a
little as he stood
Your excellency he said knows
what they are It is slow They make
no progress For them one disease Is
as another Bog dal e Bog vzial they
say God gave and God took
He paused his black eyes flashing
from one face to the other
Only the Moscow doctor excellen
cy lie said significantly can manage
them
Paul shrugged his shoulders He
rose from his seat glancing at Stein
metz who was looking on in silence
with ids queer mocking smile
I will go with you now he said
It Is late enough already
The starosta bowed very low but he
said nothing
Paul went to a cupboard and took
from it an old fur coat dragged at the
scams stained about the cuffs a dull
brown doctors know the color Such
stains have hanged a man before now
for they are the marks of blood Paul
nut on this coat He took a Iontr soft
j silken scarf such as Russians wear In
winter and wrapped It round his
throat quite concealing the lower part
of liis face He crammed a fur cap
down over his ears
Come lie said
Karl Steinmetz accompanied them
downstairs carrying a lamp in one
hand He closed the door behind them
but did not lock it
When the starosta unceremoniously
throw open the door of the miserable
cabin belonging to Vasilli Tula Paul
gave a little gasp The foul air pouring
out of the noisome den was such that
it seemed impossible that human lungs
could assimilate it There were at least
seven persons sleeping in the hut Two
of them did not get up One was dead
the other was dying of cholera
A heavily built man reached down
from the top of the brick stove a cheap
tin paraffin lamp which lie handed to
the starosta By the light of this Paul
came into the hut The floor was filthy
as may be imagined for beasts and hu
man beings lived here together
Taul pushed his way not unkindly
toward the corner where the two mo
tionless forms lay half concealed by a
mass of ragged sheepskin
Here lie said this woman Is
dead Take her out When will you
learn to be clean This boy may live
with care Bring the light closer little
mother So it is well He will live
Come dont sit crying Take all these
rags out and burn them All of you go
out It Is a fine night You are better
In the cart shed than here Here j ou
Tula go round with the starosta to his
store He will give jou clean blan
kets
They obej ed him blindly Tula and
one of his daughters dragged the dead
body which was that of a very old
woman out into the night The staros
ta had retired to the doorway when
the lamp was lighted his courage hav
ing failed him The air was foul with
the reek of smoke and filth and infec
tion
We are starving excellency Tula
said I can get no work I had to sell
my horse in the winter and I cannot
plow my little piece of land The gov
ernment will not help us The prince
curse him does nothing for us He
lives in Petersburg where he spends
all his money and has food and wine
more than he wants
Paul turned round sharply and shook
the man off
Go he said with the starosta and
get what I tell you A great strong
fellow like you has no business on his
knees to any man I will not help you
unless you help yourself You are a
lazy good-for-nothing Get out
From hut to hut Paul went all
through that night on his mission of
mercy without enthusiasm without
high flown notions respecting mankind
but with a simple sense of duty that
was his This was not the first time by
any number that he had gone down
into his own village insisting in a
rough and ready way on cleanliness
and purity
The Moscow doctor was looked up
on in Osterno and in many neighbor
ing villages as second only to God In
fact many of the peasants placed him
before their Creator They were stu
pid vodka soddened hapless men Th
Moscow doctor they could see for
themselves He came in a very tangi
ble thing of flesh and blood built on a
large and manly scale He took them
by the shoulders and bundled them out
j of their own houses kicking their bed
ding after them He scolded them he
rated them and abused them He
brought them food and medicine He
understood the diseases which from
time to tune swept over their village
No cold was too intense for him to
brave ahould they be In distress He
asked no money and he gave none
But they lived on his charity and they
were wise enough to know It
Paul Alexis half Russian half Eng
lish understood these people very
thoroughly He took advantage of
their ignorance tneir simplicity their
unfathomable superstition He gov
erned as no other could have ruled
them by fear ana kindness at once He-
CONTIKCXD OK TBSED PAQBJ
F
