diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 304055 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-h/21216-h.htm | 1679 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 0 -> 117405 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-h/images/decoration.png | bin | 0 -> 2085 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-h/images/illus_001.jpg | bin | 0 -> 127814 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-h/images/top1.png | bin | 0 -> 4354 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-h/images/top2.png | bin | 0 -> 4277 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-h/images/top3.png | bin | 0 -> 4445 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-h/images/top4.png | bin | 0 -> 4517 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-h/images/top5.png | bin | 0 -> 4462 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/c001.jpg | bin | 0 -> 124158 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/f001.jpg | bin | 0 -> 106791 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/f002.png | bin | 0 -> 13039 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/f003.png | bin | 0 -> 9212 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/f004.png | bin | 0 -> 14409 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p005.png | bin | 0 -> 27484 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p006.png | bin | 0 -> 38486 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p007.png | bin | 0 -> 36597 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p008.png | bin | 0 -> 34371 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p009.png | bin | 0 -> 36896 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p010.png | bin | 0 -> 37394 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p011.png | bin | 0 -> 27500 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p012.png | bin | 0 -> 33013 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p013.png | bin | 0 -> 35410 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p014.png | bin | 0 -> 35118 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p015.png | bin | 0 -> 36984 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p016.png | bin | 0 -> 35192 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p017.png | bin | 0 -> 37812 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p018.png | bin | 0 -> 36663 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p019.png | bin | 0 -> 33730 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p020.png | bin | 0 -> 32482 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p021.png | bin | 0 -> 34546 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p022.png | bin | 0 -> 35242 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p023.png | bin | 0 -> 35640 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p024.png | bin | 0 -> 36487 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p025.png | bin | 0 -> 35899 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p026.png | bin | 0 -> 27086 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p027.png | bin | 0 -> 3612 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p028.png | bin | 0 -> 5921 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p029.png | bin | 0 -> 30853 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p030.png | bin | 0 -> 35639 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p031.png | bin | 0 -> 34509 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p032.png | bin | 0 -> 36766 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p033.png | bin | 0 -> 36750 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p034.png | bin | 0 -> 34259 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p035.png | bin | 0 -> 33958 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p036.png | bin | 0 -> 34485 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p037.png | bin | 0 -> 34210 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p038.png | bin | 0 -> 37097 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p039.png | bin | 0 -> 37440 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p040.png | bin | 0 -> 34475 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p041.png | bin | 0 -> 31546 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p042.png | bin | 0 -> 37813 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p043.png | bin | 0 -> 29641 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p044.png | bin | 0 -> 1572 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p045.png | bin | 0 -> 3743 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p046.png | bin | 0 -> 1606 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p047.png | bin | 0 -> 31431 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p048.png | bin | 0 -> 35979 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p049.png | bin | 0 -> 36657 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p050.png | bin | 0 -> 36958 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p051.png | bin | 0 -> 34909 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p052.png | bin | 0 -> 36842 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p053.png | bin | 0 -> 35040 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p054.png | bin | 0 -> 36680 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p055.png | bin | 0 -> 33617 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p056.png | bin | 0 -> 36040 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p057.png | bin | 0 -> 36257 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p058.png | bin | 0 -> 33029 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p059.png | bin | 0 -> 34865 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p060.png | bin | 0 -> 32269 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p061.png | bin | 0 -> 34318 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p062.png | bin | 0 -> 34756 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216-page-images/p063.png | bin | 0 -> 33574 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216.txt | 1507 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 21216.zip | bin | 0 -> 30200 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
79 files changed, 3202 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/21216-h.zip b/21216-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..75529e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-h.zip diff --git a/21216-h/21216-h.htm b/21216-h/21216-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a005bc --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-h/21216-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1679 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Catharine's Peril, by Mrs. M. E. Bewsher. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + img {border: 0;} + .tnote {border: dashed 1px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + ins {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin dotted gray;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: justify;} + + .bbox {border: solid 2px; margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .unindent {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: dashed 1px;} + .right {text-align: right;} + .hang1 {text-indent: -3em; margin-left: 3em;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Catharine's Peril, or The Little Russian +Girl Lost in a Forest, by M. E. Bewsher + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Catharine's Peril, or The Little Russian Girl Lost in a Forest + And Other Stories + +Author: M. E. Bewsher + +Release Date: April 25, 2007 [EBook #21216] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATHARINE'S PERIL *** + + + + +Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Emmy and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was made using scans of public domain works in the +International Children's Digital Library.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Front Matter"> +<tr><td align='left'><img src="images/cover.jpg" width="258" height="400" alt="Cover" title="Cover" /> +</td><td align='left'><img src="images/illus_001.jpg" width="262" height="400" alt="Frontispiece" title="Frontispiece" /> +</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + + + + + + +<h1>CATHARINE'S PERIL;</h1> + +<h3>OR,</h3> + +<h2>The Little Russian Girl Lost in a Forest.</h2> + + +<h2><i>A TALE FOUNDED ON FACT.</i></h2> + + +<h2><span class="smcap">By</span> MRS. M. E. BEWSHER,</h2> + +<div class='center'><i>Author of 'The Little Ballet-Girl,' 'The Gipsy's Secret,' etc. etc.</i></div> + + + +<h2>AND OTHER STORIES.</h2> + + + +<h4>Seventh Thousand.</h4> + + + +<div class='center'> +<big>EDINBURGH:</big><br /> +OLIPHANT, ANDERSON, & FERRIER<br /> +<small>(LATE WILLIAM OLIPHANT & CO.).</small><br /> +1881.<br /></div> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class='center'> +<i><small>MORRISON AND GIBB, EDINBURGH</small></i>,<br /> +<small>PRINTERS TO HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE.</small><br /></div> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/top1.png" width="300" height="56" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + + +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + + + + + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> +<tr><td align='right' colspan='2'>PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>CATHARINE'S PERIL; OR, THE LITTLE RUSSIAN GIRL LOST IN A FOREST</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_5'>5</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE SHABBY SURTOUT</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_27'>27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>JANE HILL</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_45'>45</a></td></tr> +</table></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/top2.png" width="300" height="57" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + +<h2>CATHARINE'S PERIL;</h2> + +<div class='center'>OR,<br /> +<br /> +THE LITTLE RUSSIAN GIRL LOST IN A FOREST.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + + +<p>In the year 1812, Napoleon Buonaparte, after conquering nearly the whole +of Europe, invaded Russia, and led his victorious army to Moscow, the +ancient capital of that country. Soon this city, with its winding +streets, its hills, its splendid churches, its fine houses and cottages +so mixed together, its corn-fields, woods, and gardens, as well as the +Kremlin, consisting of several churches, palaces, and halls collected on +the top of a hill and surrounded by walls, fell into the power of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span>French.</p> + +<p>Rostopchin, the Governor, impelled by bigoted patriotism, resolved to +set fire to the city confided to him by his imperial master Alexander, +the Czar of all the Russias.</p> + +<p>It was truly a heart-rending sight to witness the misfortunes of the +inhabitants, forced to quit their homes to escape a horrible death.</p> + +<p>The provisions stored in the granaries and other places were consumed in +the flames.</p> + +<p>The conflagration lasted about ten days, until almost the whole of +Moscow was laid in ashes. The main body of the Russian army had retired +towards Tula, and taken up a strong position on the road leading towards +that town, in order to prevent the French from advancing into the +interior of the country. Thus they were hemming them in on all sides, +only leaving them the choice of being starved or burned, or returning by +the way they had come, and wintering in Poland. This latter expedient +might have saved the army had it been adopted in time.</p> + +<p>The terrible Cossacks, first-rate riders, with lances ten feet long, and +a musket slung over<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> their right shoulder, were swarming around +everywhere, and annoying the French outposts, cutting off the foraging +parties, and hindering them in their attempt to penetrate into the south +of Russia, where they would have found plenty of provisions for the +winter.</p> + +<p>Winter was fast coming on—a Russian winter, in all its bitter severity. +The snow began to fall, the rivers to freeze, and crows and other birds +died by hundreds.</p> + +<p>God had sent His frost, and of the 400,000 enemies who had entered +Russia, but very few lived to behold again their native land.</p> + +<p>Amid the confusion and panic that prevailed in the burning city, +Catharine Somoff, the little daughter of a Russian merchant, had been +separated from her relations and friends, and to her dismay found +herself alone in the crowd.</p> + +<p>The weather was intensely cold. Forsaken and half frozen, the child +wandered up and down, not knowing where to find shelter. Both her +parents had mysteriously disappeared, and it seemed as if no one would +claim her. So<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> passed the long hours of the night; and at the dawn of +day, Catharine, worn out by fatigue, cold, and hunger, fell down in +front of a church which the flames had not yet reached, hoping to go to +sleep.</p> + +<p>Sleep soon comes to childhood; and, without doubt, this poor child, +exposed to such a temperature, would never have unclosed her eyes any +more in this world, had not a sutler's wife providentially come to fix +up her little provision market near this church, and, noticing the +lonely one, felt womanly compassion for the desolate, unprotected +Catharine. This humane French-woman took all possible care of +her—indeed, treated her as her own child, and by degrees the young +Muscovite, thus rescued from an untimely death, grew to love her +protectress with all the strength of her affectionate nature.</p> + +<p>Meantime the French army had commenced its retreat, and the sutler's +wife had to leave Moscow.</p> + +<p>Were M. Somoff and his wife alive, or had they perished, like numbers of +their fellow-countrymen, by famine or by fire, or amid the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> numerous +ills of a captured city? This was a problem not to be solved for many +long years. Nothing could be heard of them, so Catharine left her native +place with her kind friend and protectress, the sutler's wife.</p> + +<p>The snow was very deep, and every puff of wind increased the +inconvenience of travelling; in some parts the snow-drifts were so bad +that the poor horses sank into them till nothing but their heads was to +be seen. The days were short, and the fugitives made but little +progress, although they were often obliged to march during the night. It +was owing to this that so many unhappy creatures wandered from their +regiments. The weather was unusually cold. Even those who were fortunate +enough to have on a complete dress of coarse cloth lined with +sheep-skin, the wool left on and worn next the body, and over all a +large cloth <i>shubb</i> lined with wolf-skin, the fur inside, and a warm +lamb-skin cap, their feet encased in boots lined with fur, found their +sufferings very great. What must it have been for those unfortunates who +had but tattered pelisses and sheep-skins half burnt?—how<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> fared they? +They were perishing from exposure, hunger, and cold. Wretched men were +seen fighting over a morsel of dry bread, or bitterly disputing with +each other for a little straw, or a piece of horse-flesh, which they +were attempting to divide.</p> + +<p>It is difficult to imagine what the tenderly-nurtured Catharine Somoff +had to undergo in this perilous journey. The hills and forests around +presented only some white, indistinct masses, scarcely visible through +the thick fog. At a short distance before them lay the fatal river the +Beresina, the scene of untold horrors, which, now half-frozen, forced +its way through the ice that impeded its progress. The two bridges were +so completely choked up by the crowds of people, horsemen, +foot-soldiers, and fugitives, that they broke down. Then began a +frightful scene, for the bodies of dead and dying men and horses so +encumbered the way, that many poor fellows, struggling with the agonies +of death, caught hold of those who mounted over them; but these kicked +them with violence to disengage themselves, treading<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> them under foot. +Thousands of victims fell into the waves and were drowned.</p> + +<p>The reader will not be surprised to hear that at this awful time the +little Catharine was separated from her protectress, who was probably +drowned or killed, or else imagined the child to be engulfed in the +waters of the fatal river. At all events, the Russian child and the +sutler's wife never met again in this world.</p> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="There is a power"> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 8em;">'There is a power</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Unseen, that rules th' illimitable world—</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>That guides its motions, from the brightest star</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>To the least dust of this sin-tainted mould;</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>While man, who madly deems himself the lord</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Of all, is nought but weakness and dependence.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>This sacred truth, by sure experience taught,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Thou must have learnt, when, wandering all alone,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Each bird, each insect, flitting through the sky,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Was more sufficient for itself than thou.'</td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/decoration.png" width="200" height="71" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/top1.png" width="300" height="56" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + + +<p>In spite of all obstacles, Catharine managed to cross over one of the +bridges to the opposite side of the Beresina, and then the poor child +came on with a detachment of the French army as far as Poland. Many of +her companions perished of exposure and want; others were lost on the +way; some lay down from sheer exhaustion, or to try to sleep, and, +ignorant of the hour of march, on awaking found themselves in the power +of the enemy.</p> + +<p>The sick and the wounded anxiously looked around for some humane friend +to help them, but their cries were lost in the air. No one had leisure +to attend to his dearest friend—self-preservation, the first law of +nature, absorbed every thought.</p> + +<p>Under these distressing circumstances, it so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> happened that the +friendless little Russian girl found herself quite alone, <i>forsaken in +the midst of a large forest</i>, where wolves and even bears were +frequently seen.</p> + +<p>The poor child, half-dead with cold, hunger, and fear, the snow nearly +up to her knees, saw ere long, to her intense horror, a savage bear +approaching; and Catharine, making a frantic effort to escape, found her +limbs so benumbed and her weakness so great that she could not move.</p> + +<p>The bear was coming nearer, preparing to attack her, when Catharine, in +mortal fright, uttered a piercing scream, imploring help.</p> + +<p>Thanks to a merciful Providence, at the precise moment that the savage +bear was preparing to attack her, a shot was fired, and the bear fell +dead at the feet of the astonished child.</p> + +<p>The stranger, when he came to the spot where Catharine was still +cowering, trembling with fright, looked with an eye of pity on the +lonely little creature whose safety had been so wonderfully entrusted to +him.</p> + +<p>He proved to be a Polish lord named Barezewski,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> and taking some bread, +cold meat, and wine out of his hunting-pouch, he gave them to Catharine, +who soon felt better for the refreshment she so much needed, and cheered +by the unexpected kindness of the gentleman, who now took her hand to +lead her to his castle, at some little distance.</p> + +<p>The countess received the poor outcast with much tenderness, and in a +short time the young Muscovite was able to relate all she knew of her +interesting and eventful history. The noble Pole and his lady were moved +to tears by Catharine's recital of her sufferings and the horrors she +had witnessed on the road; but, thanks to their compassionate sympathy +and kindness, she soon ceased to think of what she had undergone, and +was capable of appreciating the comforts and blessings now surrounding +her.</p> + +<p>Several years passed, bringing no intelligence of Catharine's parents; +meanwhile, she grew in wisdom and in loveliness of mind and person, and +no expense was spared to make her an elegant and accomplished young +lady. She had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> attained her sixteenth year when an important event took +place.</p> + +<p>On the anniversary of the Russian child's wonderful and providential +deliverance from a frightful death, it was customary each year to have a +grand feast at the Castle, when the gentle and beloved Catharine Somoff +would relate anew her thrilling history, and review the kindness shown +her by her generous protectors, who looked upon her in every respect as +their own child.</p> + +<p>The season had come round once again, and she was in the middle of her +tale, when a gun was heard at a short distance from the Castle. The +weather was very stormy; the wind blew violently, the snow fell in large +flakes, darkening the sky; it was almost impossible to see a yard before +one.</p> + +<p>'Doubtless it is some lost traveller imploring assistance, or perhaps +being attacked by wild beasts, so numerous in the forest. It is +impossible to be hunting or shooting merely for pleasure in this +dreadful weather,' exclaimed Count Barezewski, giving orders for his men +to provide torches and other needful apparatus, and come<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> with him to +find out what was amiss. They set off in the direction of the forest +whence the report of the gun had proceeded—the identical spot where +Catharine Somoff had been threatened by the bear some years ago. Great +anxiety was felt at the Castle during the hour that passed before the +brave Barezewski appeared, followed by his men, who bore the body of a +bleeding Russian on a litter.</p> + +<p>Catharine hastened to look at her fellow-countryman, and then expressed +a wish to dress his wound. The stranger was soon restored to +consciousness by the humane attentions of his hosts, and able to express +his gratitude, as well as mention a few particulars of his adventures on +this wintry day.</p> + +<p>He said: 'I am a Muscovite merchant on my way to Warsaw. Before leaving +this part, I wished to go and see a friend living at some little +distance. I took my gun, and walked to his castle, where I was belated. +The snow fell in large flakes; I lost my path. In vain I sought the +proper road, when, noticing two men coming in my direction, I hastened +to ask them to put<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> me in the right way. I did not mistrust them the +least in the world, and was patiently awaiting their reply, when +suddenly both these rascals rushed upon me, throwing me to the ground, +and robbed me of the small sum of money I had in my purse. I uttered a +cry; then one of them, evidently intending to kill me, pointed his gun +at my heart, and fired.'</p> + +<p>All this time Catharine had kept her eyes intently fixed upon the +stranger's countenance; she seemed to recall some well-known features, +without being able to remember where she had seen them. Her heart beat +violently, and her interest in the new-comer became greater every +moment; indeed, her feelings appeared to be excited in an unaccountable +manner. Count Barezewski begged his guest to give him a few details of +the terrible fire at Moscow, which had caused so much misery and +distress to both Russians and French. The Russian seemed to feel a very +great disinclination to comply with his host's request; however, when he +reflected upon the hospitality and kindness he was receiving, he knew +not how to refuse.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> His voice betrayed excessive emotion as he described +the sad sight of this immense conflagration; but as soon as he came to +his own private misfortunes, he burst into tears, and with a deep-drawn +sigh exclaimed:</p> + +<p>'Alas! this awful fire not only deprived us of a great part of our +fortune, but, far worse, of her who formed our chief joy, our cherished +daughter. Amid the frightful panic that prevailed, whilst my wife and I +endeavoured to save some of our most valuable effects from the rage of +the devouring element, we lost our only child, then in her seventh year. +Her nurse had taken her for safety to a house situated in a by-street +occupied by a friend of ours, where the fire had not yet reached; but +both the child and the nurse disappeared, and since this melancholy +catastrophe all our numerous and anxious inquiries respecting them have +proved utterly fruitless. Probably they were killed by a falling +edifice, and so buried in its ruins; at least, this is my opinion, for +my dear wife still has the hope of again beholding our long-lost but +dearly cherished child.'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> + +<p>Catharine, who had listened with the most heartfelt interest to this +touching recital, could not restrain her emotions any longer. She threw +herself on the stranger's neck, exclaiming,</p> + +<p>'My father, my dear father!'</p> + +<p>It was a most affecting moment. We will not attempt to depict the joy +and the thankfulness that filled the hearts of both parent and child. +Let our young readers try to imagine themselves in Catharine's +situation, or else in her father's; then only can they enter into the +real sentiments that overpowered them both. How pleasure and pain are +intermingled in this life!</p> + +<p>Catharine's delight at being re-united to her dear father was +undoubtedly great, but sorrow at the prospect of leaving friends like +the Count and Countess proved a trial to the affectionate and grateful +girl.</p> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Then happy those, since each must draw"> +<tr><td align='left'>'Then happy those, since each must draw</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">His share of pleasure, share of pain;</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Then happy those, belov'd of Heaven,</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">To whom the mingled cup is given,</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Whose lenient sorrows find relief,</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Whose joys are chastened by their grief.'</span></td></tr> +</table></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/top3.png" width="300" height="57" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + + +<p>When the first excitement of this unexpected meeting had somewhat +subsided, Catharine, in her turn, told of the wondrous and providential +dealings to which she was indebted for her preservation amid countless +perils.</p> + +<p>The good sutler's wife was not forgotten in this extraordinary account; +and with what sensitiveness and touching expressions of gratitude she +disclosed to her attentive listener the innumerable acts of kindness she +had received all these years from the noble Polish lord and his lady, +who had loaded her with constant benefits, and had in every respect +treated her as their own child.</p> + +<p>In a few days Catharine's father had quite recovered from the effects of +his wound. His<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> business required attention, and he was impatient to +restore his beloved child to her mother's arms, so father and daughter +bade adieu to the Polish Count and Countess, but not before assuring +them that their gratitude would never cease as long as they lived.</p> + +<p>M. Somoff and his long-lost Catharine returned to Moscow, where they +were welcomed with surprise and joy by the delighted mother, who forgot +all her sorrows when once more embracing her child, who had been lost to +her for so many long years.</p> + +<p>Very soon the young Russian's marvellous history became known. She was +asked in marriage by an officer holding high rank in the army, and in +due time she became his wife.</p> + +<p>Ten years passed.</p> + +<p>Great changes had taken place on the Continent of Europe. Poland had +proclaimed its independence, and Nicholas, the Emperor of all the +Russias, had an immense army in the field to repress the efforts of this +brave but most unfortunate nation.</p> + +<p>The horrors that were perpetrated, and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> sad issue of this too +unequal warfare, are well known.</p> + +<p>Catharine's husband had taken part in this campaign, and she had +followed him to the camp.</p> + +<p>We will not stop to describe the heartrending scenes connected with this +war, but merely inform the reader that Warsaw was taken by assault; and +in this is included a whole chapter of misery. On this fatal day many +thousand Poles as well as Russians lost their lives. In the course of +the evening after the battle, the superior officers of the triumphant +army went to inspect the scene of the late bloody combat, where heaps of +dead and dying were lying in confusion, for there might be seen the +victor and the vanquished side by side.</p> + +<p>Moved by charity, touched with compassion for the fate of those to whom +fortune had been so unpropitious, Catharine's husband sent all who still +retained a breath of life to the hospitals and ambulances. He was just +on the point of leaving this desolate spot, when, casting his eye on a +heap of corpses being covered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> over with earth, he noticed a Polish +officer of high rank, decorated with numerous crosses and medals. He +thought he saw some signs of animation, so he had him removed, and +carefully conveyed to the house in which Catharine then was. Once there, +every possible care was bestowed upon him. By degrees he recovered from +his lethargy, and looked around the room.</p> + +<p>Catharine was sitting at his bedside. Suddenly she uttered a cry: she +had recognised the Polish lord Barezewski, her preserver and benefactor.</p> + +<p>The Count recovered from his wounds, but he had only escaped one peril +to fall into another even more terrible; his name was on the list of +proscribed persons, and the mildest punishment for this in Russia means +degradation and exile to Siberia.</p> + +<p>Catharine no sooner discovered the fresh misfortune impending over the +noble Pole than she determined to risk everything, and obtain an +audience of the Czar Nicholas, when, falling before him, she embraced +his knees, and with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> tears implored him to accord the pardon of her +generous protector, Barezewski.</p> + +<p>Nicholas, much touched by her gratitude and her earnest entreaties on +behalf of the Polish lord, graciously granted his pardon.</p> + +<p>Perhaps some of my readers may think Catharine need not have been so +frightened at what she had to do in seeking an interview with the +Emperor; but in our highly-favoured land we can scarcely enter into her +feelings, for in Russia the sovereign is all-powerful, and, especially +in past days, political offenders, or those taking their part in any +way, were punished with the greatest severity.</p> + +<p>I will tell you what happened during the reign of the Empress Elizabeth +to the most beautiful and delicately nurtured lady at the court of +Russia, because, poor creature, she had the misfortune to offend her +imperial mistress. She was condemned to the <i>knout</i>, a fearful +instrument of punishment made of a strip of hide, which is whizzed +through the air by the hangman on the <i>bare</i> back and neck of the +hapless victim, and each time it tears away a narrow strip of skin<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> from +the neck along the back. These blows were repeated until the entire skin +of the lady's back hung in rags; then this woman's tongue was plucked +out by the roots, and she was at once sent off to Siberia.</p> + +<p>What does 'sent to Siberia' imply? Worse, far, far worse than any +criminal, however vile and hardened, endures in our beloved country. We +frequently hear of persons being condemned to penal punishment for many +years, or even for life; but this is <i>absolutely nothing</i> compared to +being exiled to Siberia, a place where the criminals of the Russian +empire, and persons suspected of intrigues, are often sent without even +knowing the cause of their banishment.</p> + +<p>A faint idea of what the poor unfortunate exiles have to suffer may be +gleaned from the description which follows:—'Barren and rocky +mountains, covered with eternal snows, waste uncultivated plains, where, +in the hottest days of the year, little more than the surface of the +ground is thawed, alternate with large rivers, the icy waves of which, +rolling sullenly along, have never watered a meadow or seen a flower +expand.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> The Government supplies some of the exiles with food, very poor +and very scanty; those whom it abandons subsist on what they obtain by +hunting. The greater number of these hapless beings reside in the +villages which border the river from Tobolsk to the boundaries of +Tschimska; others are dispersed in huts through the plains. For these +unfortunates not a single happy day exists.'</p> + +<p>To such a state of exile and misery would the noble Polish lord have +been reduced if Nicholas had not granted Catharine's petition. This tale +shows how the eye of a tender and watchful Father is ever over the young +and unprotected. How true are these beautiful words:</p> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="No earthly father loves like Thee"> +<tr><td align='left'>'No earthly father loves like Thee;</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">No mother, e'er so mild,</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Bears and forbears as Thou hast done</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">With me, Thy sinful child.'</span></td></tr> +</table></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE SHABBY SURTOUT.</h2> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="My reader, need you ever say"> +<tr><td align='left'>My reader, need you ever say,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>With Titus, 'I have lost a day,'</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>When right, and left, and all around,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>God's poor and needy ones are found?</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/top4.png" width="300" height="57" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + + +<h2>THE SHABBY SURTOUT.</h2> + + +<p>I had taken a place on the top of one of the coaches which ran between +Edinburgh and Glasgow, for the purpose of commencing a short tour in the +Highlands of Scotland. It was in the month of June, a season when +travellers of various descriptions flock towards the Modern Athens, and +thence betake themselves to the northern or western counties, as their +business or fancy leads. As we rattled along Princes Street, I had +leisure to survey my fellow-travellers. Immediately opposite to me sat +two dandies of the first water, dressed in white greatcoats and Belcher +handkerchiefs, and each with a cigar in his mouth, which he puffed away +with marvellous self-complacency. Be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span>side me sat a modest and comely +young woman in a widow's dress, and with an infant about nine months old +in her arms. The appearance of this youthful mourner and her baby +indicated that they belonged to the working class of society; and though +the dandies occasionally cast a rude glance at the mother, the look of +calm and settled sorrow which she invariably at such times cast upon her +child seemed to touch even them, and to disarm their coarseness. On the +other side of the widow sat a young gentleman of plain yet prepossessing +exterior, who seemed especially to attract the notice of the dandies. +His surtout was not absolutely threadbare, but it had evidently seen +more than one season; and I could perceive many contemptuous looks +thrown upon it by the gentlemen in the Belcher handkerchiefs. The young +gentleman carried a small portmanteau in his hand, so small, indeed, +that it could not possibly have contained more than a change of linen. +This article also appeared to arrest the eyes of the sprigs of fashion +opposite, whose wardrobes, in all probability, were more voluminous: +whether they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> were paid for or not, might be another question.</p> + +<p>The coach having stopped at the village of Corstorphine, for the purpose +of taking up an inside passenger, the guard, observing that the young +gentleman carried his portmanteau in his hand, asked leave to put it +into the boot, to which he immediately assented. 'Put it fairly in the +centre, guard,' said one of the dandies. 'Why so, Tom?' inquired his +companion. 'It may capsize the coach,' rejoined the first,—a sally at +which both indulged in a burst of laughter, but of which the owner of +the portmanteau, though the blood mounted slightly into his cheek, took +no notice whatever.</p> + +<p>The morning being fine at our first setting out, the ride was peculiarly +pleasant. The dandies talked of horses and dogs, and fowling-pieces and +percussion-caps, every now and then mentioning the names of Lord John +and Sir Harry, as if their acquaintance lay among the great ones of the +land. Once or twice I thought I saw an expression of contempt in the +countenance of the young gentleman in the surtout, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> in this I might +be mistaken. His attention was evidently most directed to the mourner +beside him, with whom he appeared anxious to get into conversation, but +to lack for a time a favourable opportunity.</p> + +<p>While we were changing horses at the little village of Uphall, an aged +beggar approached, and held out his hat for alms. The dandies looked at +him with scorn. I gave him a few halfpence; and the young widow, poor as +she seemed, was about to do the same, when the young gentleman in the +surtout laid his hand gently on her arm, and dropping a half-crown into +the beggar's hat, made a sign for him to depart. The dandies looked at +each other. 'Showing off, Jack,' said the one. 'Ay, ay, successful at +our last benefit, you know,' rejoined the other; and both again burst +into a horse laugh. At this allusion to his supposed profession, the +blood again mounted into the young gentleman's cheek; but it was only +for a moment, and he continued silent.</p> + +<p>We had not left Uphall many miles behind us, when the wind began to +rise, and the gathering<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> clouds indicated an approaching shower. The +dandies began to prepare their umbrellas; and the young gentleman in the +surtout, surveying the dress of the widow, and perceiving that she was +but indifferently provided against a change of weather, inquired of the +guard if the coach was full inside. Being answered in the affirmative, +he addressed the mourner in a tone of sympathy, told her that there was +every appearance of a smart shower, expressed his regret that she could +not be taken into the coach, and concluded by offering her the use of +his cloak. 'It will protect you so far,' said he, 'and, at all events, +it will protect the baby.' The widow thanked him in a modest and +respectful manner, and said that for the sake of her infant she should +be glad to have the cloak, if he would not suffer from the want of it +himself. He assured her that he should not, being accustomed to all +kinds of weather. 'His surtout won't spoil,' said one of the dandies, in +a voice of affected tenderness; 'and besides, my dear, the cloak will +hold you both.' The widow blushed; and the young gentleman, turning<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +quickly round, addressed the speaker in a tone of dignity which I shall +never forget. 'I am not naturally quarrelsome, sir, but yet it is quite +possible you may provoke me too far.' Both the exquisites immediately +turned as pale as death, shrank in spite of themselves into their +natural insignificance, and scarcely opened their lips, even to each +other, during the remainder of the journey.</p> + +<p>In the meantime the young gentleman, with the same politeness and +delicacy as if he had been assisting a lady of quality with her shawl, +proceeded to wrap the widow and her baby in his cloak. He had hardly +accomplished this when a smart shower of rain, mingled with hail, +commenced. Being myself provided with a cloak, the cape of which was +sufficiently large to envelope and protect my head, I offered the young +gentleman my umbrella, which he readily accepted, but held it, as I +remarked, in a manner better calculated to defend the widow than +himself.</p> + +<p>When we reached West Craigs Inn, the second stage from Edinburgh, the +rain had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> ceased; and the young gentleman, politely returning me my +umbrella, began to relieve the widow of his now dripping cloak, which he +shook over the side of the coach, and afterwards hung on the rail to +dry. Then turning to the widow, he inquired if she would take any +refreshment; and upon her answering in the negative, he proceeded to +enter into conversation with her, as follows:—</p> + +<p>'Do you travel far on this road, ma'am?'</p> + +<p>'About sixteen miles farther, sir. I leave the coach six miles on the +other side of Airdrie.'</p> + +<p>'Do your friends dwell thereabouts?'</p> + +<p>'Yes, sir, they do. Indeed, I am on the way home to my father's house.'</p> + +<p>'In affliction, I fear?'</p> + +<p>'Yes, sir,' said the poor young woman, raising her handkerchief to her +eyes, and sobbing audibly; 'I am returning to him a disconsolate widow, +after a short absence of two years.'</p> + +<p>'Is your father in good circumstances?'</p> + +<p>'He will never suffer me or my baby to want, sir, while he has strength +to labour for us; but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> he is himself in poverty, a day-labourer on the +estate of the Earl of Hyndford.'</p> + +<p>At the mention of that nobleman's name, the young gentleman coloured a +little, but it was evident that his emotion was not of an unpleasant +nature. 'What is your father's name?' said he.</p> + +<p>'James Anderson, sir.'</p> + +<p>'And his residence?'</p> + +<p>'Blinkbonny.'</p> + +<p>'Well, I trust that, though desolate as far as this world is concerned, +you know something of Him who is the Father of the fatherless and the +Judge of the widow. If so, your Maker is your husband, and the Lord of +Hosts is His name.'</p> + +<p>'Oh, yes, sir; I bless God that, through a pious parent's care, I know +something of the power of divine grace and the consolations of the +gospel. My husband, too, though but a tradesman, was a man who feared +God above many.'</p> + +<p>'The remembrance of that must tend much to alleviate your sorrow.'</p> + +<p>'It does indeed, sir, at times; but at other times I am ready to sink. +My father's poverty and advancing age, my baby's helplessness, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> my +own delicate health, are frequently too much for my feeble faith.'</p> + +<p>'Trust in God, and He will provide for you; be assured He will.'</p> + +<p>By this time the coach was again in motion, and though the conversation +continued for some time, the noise of the wheels prevented me from +hearing it distinctly. I could see the dandies, however, exchange +expressive looks with one another; and at one time the more forward of +the two whispered something to his companion, in which the words +'Methodist parson' alone were audible.</p> + +<p>At Airdrie nothing particular occurred; but when we had got about +half-way between that town and Glasgow, we arrived at a cross-road, +where the widow expressed a wish to be set down. The young gentleman +therefore desired the driver to stop, and, springing himself from the +coach, took the infant from her arms, and then, along with the guard, +assisted her to descend. 'May God reward you,' said she, as he returned +the baby to her, 'for your kindness to the widow and the fatherless this +day!'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span></p> + +<p>'And may He bless you,' replied he, 'with all spiritual consolation in +Christ Jesus!'</p> + +<p>So saying, he slipped something into her hand. The widow opened it +instinctively; I saw two sovereigns glitter on her palm. She dropped a +tear upon the money, and turned round to thank her benefactor, but he +had already resumed his seat upon the coach. She cast towards him an +eloquent and grateful look, pressed her infant convulsively to her +bosom, and walked hurriedly away.</p> + +<p>No other passenger wishing to alight at the same place, we were soon +again in rapid motion towards the great emporium of the West of +Scotland. Not a word was spoken. The young gentleman sat with his arms +crossed upon his breast, and, if I might judge by the expression of his +fine countenance, was evidently revolving some scheme of benevolence in +his mind. The dandies regarded him with blank amazement. They also had +seen the gold in the poor widow's hand, and seemed to think that there +was more under that shabby surtout than their 'puppy brains' were able +to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> conjecture. That in this they were right was speedily made manifest.</p> + +<p>When we had entered Glasgow, and were approaching the Buck's Head—the +inn at which our conveyance was to stop—an open travelling-carriage, +drawn by four beautiful grey horses, drove up in an opposite direction. +The elegance of this equipage made the dandies spring to their feet. +'What beautiful greys!' cried the one; 'I wonder who they can belong +to?' 'He is a happy fellow, anyhow,' replied the other; 'I would give +half Yorkshire to call them mine.' The stage-coach and +travelling-carriage stopped at the Buck's Head at the same moment; and a +footman in laced livery, springing down from behind the latter, looked +first inside and then at the top of the former, when he lifted his hat +with a smile of respectful recognition.</p> + +<p>'Are all well at the castle, Robert?' inquired the young gentleman in +the surtout.</p> + +<p>'All well, my lord,' replied the footman.</p> + +<p>At the sound of that monosyllable the faces of the exquisites became +visibly elongated; but without taking the smallest notice of them or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +their confusion, the nobleman politely wished me good morning, and, +descending from the coach, caused the footman to place his cloak and +despised portmanteau in the carriage. He then stepped into it himself, +and the footman getting up behind, the coachman touched the leaders very +slightly with his whip, and the equipage and its noble owner were soon +out of sight.</p> + +<p>'Pray, what nobleman is that?' said one of the dandies to the landlord, +as we entered the inn.</p> + +<p>'The Earl of Hyndford, sir,' replied the landlord; 'one of the best men, +as well as one of the richest, in Scotland.'</p> + +<p>'The Earl of Hyndford!' repeated the dandy, turning to his companion. +'What asses we have been! There's an end to all chance of being allowed +to shoot on <i>his</i> estate.'</p> + +<p>'Oh, yes, we may burn our letters of introduction when we please!' +rejoined his companion; and, silent and crestfallen, both walked +upstairs to their apartments.</p> + +<p>'The Earl of Hyndford!' repeated I, with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> somewhat less painful +feelings. 'Does he often travel unattended?'</p> + +<p>'Very often, sir,' replied the landlord, 'especially when he has any +public or charitable object in view; he thinks he gets at the truth more +easily as a private gentleman than as a wealthy nobleman.'</p> + +<p>'I have no doubt of it,' said I; and having given orders for dinner, I +sat down to muse on the occurrences of the day.</p> + +<p>This, however, was not the last time that I was destined to hear of that +amiable young nobleman, too early lost to his country and mankind. I had +scarcely returned home from my tour in the Highlands, when I was waited +upon by a friend, a teacher of languages in Edinburgh, who told me that +he had been appointed Rector of the Academy at Bothwell.</p> + +<p>'Indeed!' said I; 'how have you been so fortunate?'</p> + +<p>'I cannot tell,' replied he, 'unless it be connected with the +circumstance which I am going to relate.'</p> + +<p>He then stated that, about a month before, he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> was teaching his classes +as usual, when a young gentleman, dressed in a surtout that was not over +new, came into his school, and politely asked leave to see his method of +instruction. Imagining his visitor to be a schoolmaster from the +country, who wished to learn something of the Edinburgh modes of +tuition, my friend acceded to his request. The stranger remained two +hours, and paid particular attention to every department. When my friend +was about to dismiss the school, the stranger inquired whether he was +not in the habit of commending his pupils to God in prayer before they +parted for the day. My friend replied that he was; upon which the +stranger begged that he would not depart from his usual practice on his +account. My friend accordingly prayed with the boys, and dismissed them; +after which the stranger thanked him for his politeness, and also +withdrew. Nothing more occurred; but, four or five days afterwards, my +friend received a letter from the Earl of Hyndford, in which that +nobleman, after stating that he had satisfied himself as to his piety +and ability as a teacher,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> made him an offer of the Rectorship of the +Academy at Bothwell.</p> + +<p>'Was your visitor fair-haired,' said I, 'and his surtout of a claret +colour?'</p> + +<p>'They were,' replied my friend; 'but what of that?'</p> + +<p>'It was the Earl of Hyndford himself,' said I; 'there can be no doubt of +it.' And I gave him the history of my journey to Glasgow.</p> + +<p>'Well, he took the best method, certainly, to test my qualifications,' +rejoined my friend. 'I wish all patrons would do the same; we should +have better teachers in our schools, and better ministers in our +churches.'</p> + +<p>'All patrons, perhaps, are not equally qualified to judge,' said I; 'at +all events, let us rejoice that, though "not many wise men after the +flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called," still we see one +here and one there distinguished by divine grace, to the praise and the +glory of God the Saviour.'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> +<h2>JANE HILL.</h2> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/top5.png" width="300" height="57" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + + +<h2>JANE HILL.</h2> + +<div class='center'>'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'</div> + + +<p>Some years since a fire broke out in one of the narrow alleys which +abound in the poorer parts of the town in which I live. It originated, +as fires so often do, in the carelessness, or rather helplessness, of a +tipsy woman, who had thrown herself across her bed, and lain there in a +drunken stupor, while a candle, which she had left burning on a table in +the room, had fallen over and set fire to some shavings, by which the +flame had gradually been communicated to the furniture and to the house. +The author of the mischief was rescued; she lived on the ground floor, +and the firemen had gained access to her room through the window from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +which the smoke was first seen bursting, thus giving the alarm of fire +to the neighbourhood. She was quite insensible, partly from the effects +of drink, and partly from being half-suffocated with smoke; but she soon +recovered, while the effects of the mischief she had wrought lighted +upon other and more innocent heads. It was an old rickety house, and the +landlord had determined on putting it into thorough order, as otherwise +it ran the risk of tumbling to pieces altogether. He had therefore given +notice to all his tenants to quit; and they had done so, with the +exception of the woman I have mentioned, who caused the fire, and a very +respectable widow, who, with five children, occupied the attics. These +women had been allowed to stay two or three weeks after the tenants of +the first floor had left, because they had not succeeded in getting +houses to suit them; and the work of patching up the old house not +having yet been begun, they had remained in it on sufferance. The +opening of the window gave the fire the draught which was all it wanted +to gain fresh strength for its fatal work; and in two or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> three minutes +after the unfortunate woman who had caused it had been carried out, the +flame might be seen leaping upwards with fearful force and rapidity, as +if furious at having been disappointed of its prey. I had been spending +the evening with a friend, and had to pass the alley where the fire was; +and as the house was very near the end of it, I could see and hear what +was going on without being in the very thick of the crowd.</p> + +<p>It was a fearful but a glorious sight. The night was frosty and clear; +and as the flames darted out of the windows, and threw out showers of +sparks, the bright red glare of the fire made the sky in relief seem of +the most intense dark blue. Some one told me that the house was empty, +so I was rather enjoying the grand beauty of the scene, when, hearing a +fearful shriek, my eye was attracted to the attic windows of the house, +and I perceived, to my horror, a woman and several children standing at +it. Clear and distinct they stood against a black background, with the +ruddy glow of the flames robing them in a crimson<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> light, and at the +same time revealing the agony of terror which was expressed in their +countenances. 'Go to the back of the house,' shouted the firemen, 'we +can do nothing for you there.' But the little group stood paralyzed with +fear, unable to attend to the directions which were given them, or +perhaps unable to hear them, for the fire was roaring and crackling +enough to deafen any one. Three brave men of the fire-brigade went with +a ladder round to the back of the house, while the engines kept the fire +somewhat down by constantly playing on the front, as far as the confined +space would allow of their doing so. In reality, I suppose, not many +minutes elapsed from the time that the firemen had carried round the +ladder till one of them appeared at the window where the women and +children stood: to me it seemed an age; and what must it not have +appeared to the poor sufferers themselves? As the man came forward and +joined the group, and the flame lighted up his tall, strong figure, a +deafening shout from the crowd hailed his appearance, and encouraged him +to his perilous task. It seemed at first as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> if the woman were too +stupified to understand what he said to her, for we saw him put a child +into her arms, and then push her from the window. He himself managed to +carry two little ones, and to send a boy and girl of some ten and twelve +years of age after their mother. Then we lost sight of them all, and +there was another interval of terrible suspense, when a shout from the +crowd which had collected at the back of the house announced that +something important had taken place there. In a few minutes we learned +that, by the help of the other two firemen, who had also mounted the +ladder and made their way into the house, the poor woman and all her +children had been saved.</p> + +<p>With a thankful and relieved heart I made my way home, determined on the +morrow to seek out these poor sufferers for another's sin, and to see +what assistance could be afforded them; I felt sure they would stand in +no need of further help that night. There is often a princely generosity +among the poor towards their still poorer brethren; and I was confident<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +that many a kind-hearted man and motherly woman would willingly forego a +night's rest and comfort, if, by so doing, they could afford a shelter +to these poor houseless ones. Nor was my confidence misplaced, for, on +going to inquire after the family on the following day, I found that +they had been well looked after and taken care of. It was now, however, +that their real difficulties were to begin. The poor widow, whose name +was Martin, had lost her little all—her scanty furniture, the decent +clothing which it had cost her many a hard day's work to earn money +enough to buy, and many a wakeful hour at night to keep in order and to +mend, all were gone. They had been in bed when the alarm of fire had +awoke them, and had nothing on but their night-dresses when they were +saved. She had been an industrious, hard-working woman, had long +struggled bravely and womanfully against poverty and difficulties, but +this last blow seemed fairly to have broken her spirit; and when I went +to see her, I found her sitting at the fireside of the kindly neighbour +who had given her a night's shelter,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> looking the very image of blank +and helpless despair. She was a proud woman in her way, possessed of +that pride which one likes to see and so heartily respects, and which, +alas! is so fast dying out among us,—the pride of honourable +independence, which would willingly work day and night rather than +receive charity from strangers. The bugbear of her life, since ever she +had been left a widow with five helpless little ones to support, had +been the Union Poor's-house; and now want, starvation, and the Union +seemed staring her in the face. It was pitiful to see the spasm of +positive pain which crossed her face as I put a trifle into her hand on +leaving. She murmured a few words of thanks; but I heard her say with a +deep sigh, as I left the room, 'I'm nothing better than a beggar now, +living upon other folk's charity.'</p> + +<p>The following day was a Sunday, the fire having taken place on a Friday +night. The lessons in my Bible-class were sooner over than usual that +day, and I took advantage of the short interval of time before the +concluding prayer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> was offered, to tell my class about the fire, and of +the utter destitution in which the poor widow and her children had been +left. All the girls seemed very sorry, and I heard them discussing the +subject as we were coming out, after the class had been dismissed. The +next morning I was told that a girl wanted to speak to me; and on going +down-stairs I found it was one of my scholars, Jane Hill. She had a +sweet, gentle countenance, and her modest manners, and the attention she +always gave to her lessons, had made her a great favourite with me. I +saw that she felt some timidity in telling me what she had come about, +so I spoke to her encouragingly, and, after a little hesitation, she +said:</p> + +<p>'Please, ma'am, would you give this to the poor woman whose house was +burnt?' and, placing a small packet in my hands, she seemed inclined to +run away.</p> + +<p>'Wait a moment, Jane,' I said, 'and let us talk this matter over.' She +followed me with apparent reluctance, and then, after I had made her sit +down, I opened the little parcel she had given me, and found that it +contained seven and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> sixpence. I knew that her mother, though a most +respectable, hard-working woman, was very poor, as she had several +children, and her husband was in bad health, and in consequence often +out of work for weeks at a time. I was therefore surprised at what, +under the circumstances, seemed to be really a munificent gift, and +asked whether the money could really be spared; 'because you know, +Jane,' I added, 'though it is true "the Lord loveth a cheerful giver," +yet we are told also it is accepted according to that a man hath, and +not according to that he hath not.'</p> + +<p>'Oh, please, ma'am,' she answered eagerly, but blushing deeply, 'I can +spare it quite well, I can indeed; and mother gave me leave to come to +you with it. She knows all about it.'</p> + +<p>'But how do you happen to have so much money to spare?' I said, still +feeling some reluctance in taking so large a sum from her.</p> + +<p>'Well, you know, ma'am, I get half-a-crown a week from Mrs. Higgins, for +going messages and carrying the baby out every day for a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> walk; and so +mother, she said she would keep by sixpence a week to buy me a new cloak +for the winter, as she thought my old one a bit shabby, and she's been +putting it by all summer in a teapot; and yesterday the parson preached +upon that text, how it's more blessed to give away than to get things +given to you. I don't quite mind the words; but mother and me, we talked +it all over when we come home, and tells father about it,—for he has +got one of his bad turns, and can't go to the church,—and I tells them +all about Mrs. Martin and the fire; and I says, "Mother, I don't think +my old cloak is so very shabby after all, and maybe if you could iron it +and bind it, it would do quite well another winter; and at any rate I'll +be better off than Mrs. Martin's children, who haven't got no clothes at +all;" and so mother, she says, "And that's too true, Jenny;" and father +said, "God bless you, my lass, and give you health to wear your old +cloak,"—and oh, ma'am, I did feel so glad that I had something to give +to the poor woman and her children!'</p> + +<p>I was much touched with her earnest, simple<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> way of putting what was in +fact a very great sacrifice as if she really felt it to be none at all. +I remembered the old cloak she had worn the winter before, how thin and +thread-bare it was; but I could not refuse the sweet pleading eyes, +which were looking at me with such anxiety, lest I should reject her +gift; so I said, 'Well, Jane, since your father and mother both approve, +and you yourself are willing to give up your new cloak for the sake of +these poor houseless ones, I can only say, God speed your gift, and make +you to realize, in its fullest sense, the blessedness of giving!' Her +face brightened with pleasure, and she thanked me warmly, as she made +her curtsey and prepared to leave. 'No, I cannot let you go away,' I +said; 'you must come with me, and take this money to Mrs. Martin +yourself.'</p> + +<p>'Oh, please, ma'am, I'd rather not,' she said, looking shy and timid +again.</p> + +<p>'But I want you to go, Jane, because I think this kindness and sympathy +from one so young, and who is not much richer than herself, will do the +poor woman as much good as the money<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> itself. She is very much cast +down; it troubles her to think that she is dependent upon others; and I +think if you could say to her exactly what you have just said to me—if +you told her the real pleasure you have in helping her, it might cheer +and comfort her to think that the charity which is bestowed upon her in +her heavy trouble is not flung at her as we might fling a bone to a dog, +but is the offering of warm, kindly, and loving hearts.'</p> + +<p>I am not quite sure if she understood all that I said to her, but she +made no further opposition to going with me. I therefore got ready as +soon as possible, and we went together to see Mrs. Martin. She was still +with the same kind neighbour who had taken her in on the night of the +fire, and still sat cowering over the fire in the very spot and attitude +that I had left her two days before.</p> + +<p>'She sits that way the whole day,' the good woman whispered to me, 'and +there's no rousing her; she seems gone stupid-like.'</p> + +<p>I went up to her and told her my errand, saying that the money I put in +her hand was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> from the little girl who came with me, and who was anxious +to contribute something to help her in her sore need. She looked at me, +at the girl, and then at the money, and muttered—</p> + +<p>'Yes, yes, I must live on charity now, and then go to the workhouse.'</p> + +<p>'Speak to her, Jane,' I said, while I left the two together, and began +talking to the woman of the house, that they might not feel themselves +observed. I heard Jane speaking at first in very low tones, timidly and +softly; then there was the same sweet, earnest, pleading voice with +which she had spoken to me. In the intervals of my own conversation, I +overheard one or two sentences. I heard her telling of the sermon she +had heard, which seemed to have made a great impression on her mind; and +then I heard her say:</p> + +<p>'I'm sure if it had been mother's house that had been burnt down, and +you had heard how father and mother and me and my brothers and sisters +had no house, nor furniture, nor clothes, you would have done what you +could to help us; now, wouldn't you? And you know<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> it's just the same +thing, only it's you and your children instead of mother and us that's +in trouble; and you needn't mind taking a little help when you would +willingly have given it.'</p> + +<p>'And that's true,' I heard the widow reply, in a tone of greater +interest than I had yet known her speak.</p> + +<p>Her hostess looked at me, and said low, 'Them's the first words she has +spoken in her own natural voice since her trouble.'</p> + +<p>Jane continued, not aware that we were listening to her now:</p> + +<p>'I've often heard father say it's no disgrace to be ever so poor, and to +get help from others, when it comes on us from God's hand, and not +because we are idle and won't work. Many a time he says that, when he is +ill and can't work, and mother gets downhearted, and thinks we'll have +to come on the parish; and he says even going on the parish ain't no +disgrace then, when it ain't one's own fault. But mother says she'd work +her fingers to the bone sooner than she'd go on the parish; and with one +thing and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> another, we've always got on somehow, and so will you, I'm +sure.'</p> + +<p>'Yes,' said the woman, with an energy that startled us all, while it +delighted us,—'yes, I may get on too, with God's help; but not if I am +to sit here with my hands folded, before the fire, thinking of my +trouble instead of trying to mend it. God bless you, my lass, for your +money, which I'll take from you thankfully; and if I can't never repay +you, may He do it. It will serve to get me some clothes, and then I can +work; and who knows but I may have a home of my own again some day?'</p> + +<p>Finding her able and willing now to listen to reason, I explained to her +that some friends who had heard of her loss had placed three pounds at +my disposal for her use, and that she must look upon the help she got +quite as much as coming from God as Elijah did when the ravens fed him, +because it was God who put it into people's hearts to give her money. +She took what I gave her gratefully, and entered warmly into all the +plans which we suggested for her future. It was agreed that she should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +at once take a small furnished room, and go with her children to occupy +it. She said she had for some time had regular work as a charwoman for +three days in every week. This work she could still have; and I engaged +to get her some needlework from a working society, which might help to +occupy her spare time, and bring in a little money. The woman in whose +house she was staying told us that a sister of hers would willingly take +the eldest girl, who was eleven years old, as she wanted a girl to take +care of her baby while she looked after a small shop. She engaged that +for a year her sister should feed and clothe the girl, if she gave +satisfaction; and said that if she behaved herself, she was sure her +sister would keep her till she was old enough to get a better place.</p> + +<p>It was pleasant to see how heartily Mrs. Martin entered into all these +arrangements as they were severally proposed, and the eager gladness of +Jane Hill's face as she listened to our plans, and, with the hopefulness +and inexperience of youth, evidently believed that each<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> one was to lead +to competence, if not to actual wealth.</p> + +<p>The fire did, indeed, in the end, prove to have been the greatest +blessing to the Martins. Many people were led to interest themselves in +the poor widow and her children, who would never have heard of them but +for it. Mrs. Martin got more work to do than she could get through, and +her children obtained situations as soon as they were old enough to work +for themselves. She never forgot the debt of gratitude she owed to Jane +Hill. 'But for her,' she said, 'she believed she would have moped +herself into her grave.'</p> + +<p>The Christmas-day after the fire, I had the pleasure of taking to Jane a +nice, warm, winter cloak. She began to say, in a deprecating way, 'Oh, +ma'am, indeed it's far too kind! mine is quite good yet;' but I stopped +her, saying, 'No, Jane, you must not keep all the pleasure of giving to +yourself. Remember that to others, as well as to yourself, it is true +that "It is more blessed to give than to receive."'</p> + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> + +<div class='tnote'><h3>Transcriber's Notes</h3> +<p>Obvious punctuation errors repaired.</p></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Catharine's Peril, or The Little +Russian Girl Lost in a Forest, by M. E. Bewsher + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATHARINE'S PERIL *** + +***** This file should be named 21216-h.htm or 21216-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/2/1/21216/ + +Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Emmy and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was made using scans of public domain works in the +International Children's Digital Library.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/21216-h/images/cover.jpg b/21216-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b7ca058 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/21216-h/images/decoration.png b/21216-h/images/decoration.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f6573fc --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-h/images/decoration.png diff --git a/21216-h/images/illus_001.jpg b/21216-h/images/illus_001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0a05665 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-h/images/illus_001.jpg diff --git a/21216-h/images/top1.png b/21216-h/images/top1.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5eba9ef --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-h/images/top1.png diff --git a/21216-h/images/top2.png b/21216-h/images/top2.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f05ab9 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-h/images/top2.png diff --git a/21216-h/images/top3.png b/21216-h/images/top3.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c0e59d5 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-h/images/top3.png diff --git a/21216-h/images/top4.png b/21216-h/images/top4.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f945183 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-h/images/top4.png diff --git a/21216-h/images/top5.png b/21216-h/images/top5.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d56e752 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-h/images/top5.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/c001.jpg b/21216-page-images/c001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4ade068 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/c001.jpg diff --git a/21216-page-images/f001.jpg b/21216-page-images/f001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..04d0fd2 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/f001.jpg diff --git a/21216-page-images/f002.png b/21216-page-images/f002.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c96a992 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/f002.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/f003.png b/21216-page-images/f003.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c7c403a --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/f003.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/f004.png b/21216-page-images/f004.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..945be3a --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/f004.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p005.png b/21216-page-images/p005.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8b01986 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p005.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p006.png b/21216-page-images/p006.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f3062eb --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p006.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p007.png b/21216-page-images/p007.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5698602 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p007.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p008.png b/21216-page-images/p008.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f9f7b46 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p008.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p009.png b/21216-page-images/p009.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..046ae14 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p009.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p010.png b/21216-page-images/p010.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0e8041b --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p010.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p011.png b/21216-page-images/p011.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d58964c --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p011.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p012.png b/21216-page-images/p012.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d8b29ba --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p012.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p013.png b/21216-page-images/p013.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c176860 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p013.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p014.png b/21216-page-images/p014.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6b2e029 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p014.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p015.png b/21216-page-images/p015.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..dea8806 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p015.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p016.png b/21216-page-images/p016.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d2ef711 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p016.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p017.png b/21216-page-images/p017.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..edb2eb0 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p017.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p018.png b/21216-page-images/p018.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a24011c --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p018.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p019.png b/21216-page-images/p019.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c4aafcc --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p019.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p020.png b/21216-page-images/p020.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8d430be --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p020.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p021.png b/21216-page-images/p021.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..49ad30e --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p021.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p022.png b/21216-page-images/p022.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9b00e38 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p022.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p023.png b/21216-page-images/p023.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..96828a6 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p023.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p024.png b/21216-page-images/p024.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..852b8d3 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p024.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p025.png b/21216-page-images/p025.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..15bc852 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p025.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p026.png b/21216-page-images/p026.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..db4833d --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p026.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p027.png b/21216-page-images/p027.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ce4181d --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p027.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p028.png b/21216-page-images/p028.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a02b9bc --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p028.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p029.png b/21216-page-images/p029.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cf4c278 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p029.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p030.png b/21216-page-images/p030.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c188394 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p030.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p031.png b/21216-page-images/p031.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b1b2b07 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p031.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p032.png b/21216-page-images/p032.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e068f56 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p032.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p033.png b/21216-page-images/p033.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6e650ee --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p033.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p034.png b/21216-page-images/p034.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3656090 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p034.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p035.png b/21216-page-images/p035.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7832e95 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p035.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p036.png b/21216-page-images/p036.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6b20a26 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p036.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p037.png b/21216-page-images/p037.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..52e049b --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p037.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p038.png b/21216-page-images/p038.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..81bf997 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p038.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p039.png b/21216-page-images/p039.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8368c9b --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p039.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p040.png b/21216-page-images/p040.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..646bb14 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p040.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p041.png b/21216-page-images/p041.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fee0ee8 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p041.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p042.png b/21216-page-images/p042.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9a666a7 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p042.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p043.png b/21216-page-images/p043.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7202d64 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p043.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p044.png b/21216-page-images/p044.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..13a6f17 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p044.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p045.png b/21216-page-images/p045.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f91950d --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p045.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p046.png b/21216-page-images/p046.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2f9dce7 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p046.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p047.png b/21216-page-images/p047.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..461cff6 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p047.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p048.png b/21216-page-images/p048.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ce32344 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p048.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p049.png b/21216-page-images/p049.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c55e45e --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p049.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p050.png b/21216-page-images/p050.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f00cc01 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p050.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p051.png b/21216-page-images/p051.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5b19c80 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p051.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p052.png b/21216-page-images/p052.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..292a0cd --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p052.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p053.png b/21216-page-images/p053.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5c204e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p053.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p054.png b/21216-page-images/p054.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..40d2032 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p054.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p055.png b/21216-page-images/p055.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f77337b --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p055.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p056.png b/21216-page-images/p056.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3fce137 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p056.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p057.png b/21216-page-images/p057.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f84a3fb --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p057.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p058.png b/21216-page-images/p058.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..89d1468 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p058.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p059.png b/21216-page-images/p059.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..026249a --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p059.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p060.png b/21216-page-images/p060.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b6f2148 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p060.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p061.png b/21216-page-images/p061.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a342720 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p061.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p062.png b/21216-page-images/p062.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..67cc6e6 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p062.png diff --git a/21216-page-images/p063.png b/21216-page-images/p063.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1178829 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216-page-images/p063.png diff --git a/21216.txt b/21216.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8d5ff07 --- /dev/null +++ b/21216.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1507 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Catharine's Peril, or The Little Russian +Girl Lost in a Forest, by M. E. Bewsher + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Catharine's Peril, or The Little Russian Girl Lost in a Forest + And Other Stories + +Author: M. E. Bewsher + +Release Date: April 25, 2007 [EBook #21216] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATHARINE'S PERIL *** + + + + +Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Emmy and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was made using scans of public domain works in the +International Children's Digital Library.) + + + + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CATHARINE'S PERIL; + +OR, + +The Little Russian Girl Lost in a Forest. + + +_A TALE FOUNDED ON FACT._ + + +BY MRS. M. E. BEWSHER, + +_Author of 'The Little Ballet-Girl,' 'The Gipsy's Secret,' etc. etc._ + + + +AND OTHER STORIES. + + + +Seventh Thousand. + + + + EDINBURGH: + OLIPHANT, ANDERSON, & FERRIER + (LATE WILLIAM OLIPHANT & CO.). + 1881. + + _MORRISON AND GIBB, EDINBURGH_, + PRINTERS TO HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + + CATHARINE'S PERIL; OR, THE LITTLE RUSSIAN GIRL LOST IN A FOREST 5 + + THE SHABBY SURTOUT 27 + + JANE HILL 45 + +[Illustration] + + + + +CATHARINE'S PERIL; + +OR, + +THE LITTLE RUSSIAN GIRL LOST IN A FOREST. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +In the year 1812, Napoleon Buonaparte, after conquering nearly the whole +of Europe, invaded Russia, and led his victorious army to Moscow, the +ancient capital of that country. Soon this city, with its winding +streets, its hills, its splendid churches, its fine houses and cottages +so mixed together, its corn-fields, woods, and gardens, as well as the +Kremlin, consisting of several churches, palaces, and halls collected on +the top of a hill and surrounded by walls, fell into the power of the +French. + +Rostopchin, the Governor, impelled by bigoted patriotism, resolved to +set fire to the city confided to him by his imperial master Alexander, +the Czar of all the Russias. + +It was truly a heart-rending sight to witness the misfortunes of the +inhabitants, forced to quit their homes to escape a horrible death. + +The provisions stored in the granaries and other places were consumed in +the flames. + +The conflagration lasted about ten days, until almost the whole of +Moscow was laid in ashes. The main body of the Russian army had retired +towards Tula, and taken up a strong position on the road leading towards +that town, in order to prevent the French from advancing into the +interior of the country. Thus they were hemming them in on all sides, +only leaving them the choice of being starved or burned, or returning by +the way they had come, and wintering in Poland. This latter expedient +might have saved the army had it been adopted in time. + +The terrible Cossacks, first-rate riders, with lances ten feet long, and +a musket slung over their right shoulder, were swarming around +everywhere, and annoying the French outposts, cutting off the foraging +parties, and hindering them in their attempt to penetrate into the south +of Russia, where they would have found plenty of provisions for the +winter. + +Winter was fast coming on--a Russian winter, in all its bitter severity. +The snow began to fall, the rivers to freeze, and crows and other birds +died by hundreds. + +God had sent His frost, and of the 400,000 enemies who had entered +Russia, but very few lived to behold again their native land. + +Amid the confusion and panic that prevailed in the burning city, +Catharine Somoff, the little daughter of a Russian merchant, had been +separated from her relations and friends, and to her dismay found +herself alone in the crowd. + +The weather was intensely cold. Forsaken and half frozen, the child +wandered up and down, not knowing where to find shelter. Both her +parents had mysteriously disappeared, and it seemed as if no one would +claim her. So passed the long hours of the night; and at the dawn of +day, Catharine, worn out by fatigue, cold, and hunger, fell down in +front of a church which the flames had not yet reached, hoping to go to +sleep. + +Sleep soon comes to childhood; and, without doubt, this poor child, +exposed to such a temperature, would never have unclosed her eyes any +more in this world, had not a sutler's wife providentially come to fix +up her little provision market near this church, and, noticing the +lonely one, felt womanly compassion for the desolate, unprotected +Catharine. This humane French-woman took all possible care of +her--indeed, treated her as her own child, and by degrees the young +Muscovite, thus rescued from an untimely death, grew to love her +protectress with all the strength of her affectionate nature. + +Meantime the French army had commenced its retreat, and the sutler's +wife had to leave Moscow. + +Were M. Somoff and his wife alive, or had they perished, like numbers of +their fellow-countrymen, by famine or by fire, or amid the numerous +ills of a captured city? This was a problem not to be solved for many +long years. Nothing could be heard of them, so Catharine left her native +place with her kind friend and protectress, the sutler's wife. + +The snow was very deep, and every puff of wind increased the +inconvenience of travelling; in some parts the snow-drifts were so bad +that the poor horses sank into them till nothing but their heads was to +be seen. The days were short, and the fugitives made but little +progress, although they were often obliged to march during the night. It +was owing to this that so many unhappy creatures wandered from their +regiments. The weather was unusually cold. Even those who were fortunate +enough to have on a complete dress of coarse cloth lined with +sheep-skin, the wool left on and worn next the body, and over all a +large cloth _shubb_ lined with wolf-skin, the fur inside, and a warm +lamb-skin cap, their feet encased in boots lined with fur, found their +sufferings very great. What must it have been for those unfortunates who +had but tattered pelisses and sheep-skins half burnt?--how fared they? +They were perishing from exposure, hunger, and cold. Wretched men were +seen fighting over a morsel of dry bread, or bitterly disputing with +each other for a little straw, or a piece of horse-flesh, which they +were attempting to divide. + +It is difficult to imagine what the tenderly-nurtured Catharine Somoff +had to undergo in this perilous journey. The hills and forests around +presented only some white, indistinct masses, scarcely visible through +the thick fog. At a short distance before them lay the fatal river the +Beresina, the scene of untold horrors, which, now half-frozen, forced +its way through the ice that impeded its progress. The two bridges were +so completely choked up by the crowds of people, horsemen, +foot-soldiers, and fugitives, that they broke down. Then began a +frightful scene, for the bodies of dead and dying men and horses so +encumbered the way, that many poor fellows, struggling with the agonies +of death, caught hold of those who mounted over them; but these kicked +them with violence to disengage themselves, treading them under foot. +Thousands of victims fell into the waves and were drowned. + +The reader will not be surprised to hear that at this awful time the +little Catharine was separated from her protectress, who was probably +drowned or killed, or else imagined the child to be engulfed in the +waters of the fatal river. At all events, the Russian child and the +sutler's wife never met again in this world. + + 'There is a power + Unseen, that rules th' illimitable world-- + That guides its motions, from the brightest star + To the least dust of this sin-tainted mould; + While man, who madly deems himself the lord + Of all, is nought but weakness and dependence. + This sacred truth, by sure experience taught, + Thou must have learnt, when, wandering all alone, + Each bird, each insect, flitting through the sky, + Was more sufficient for itself than thou.' + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +In spite of all obstacles, Catharine managed to cross over one of the +bridges to the opposite side of the Beresina, and then the poor child +came on with a detachment of the French army as far as Poland. Many of +her companions perished of exposure and want; others were lost on the +way; some lay down from sheer exhaustion, or to try to sleep, and, +ignorant of the hour of march, on awaking found themselves in the power +of the enemy. + +The sick and the wounded anxiously looked around for some humane friend +to help them, but their cries were lost in the air. No one had leisure +to attend to his dearest friend--self-preservation, the first law of +nature, absorbed every thought. + +Under these distressing circumstances, it so happened that the +friendless little Russian girl found herself quite alone, _forsaken in +the midst of a large forest_, where wolves and even bears were +frequently seen. + +The poor child, half-dead with cold, hunger, and fear, the snow nearly +up to her knees, saw ere long, to her intense horror, a savage bear +approaching; and Catharine, making a frantic effort to escape, found her +limbs so benumbed and her weakness so great that she could not move. + +The bear was coming nearer, preparing to attack her, when Catharine, in +mortal fright, uttered a piercing scream, imploring help. + +Thanks to a merciful Providence, at the precise moment that the savage +bear was preparing to attack her, a shot was fired, and the bear fell +dead at the feet of the astonished child. + +The stranger, when he came to the spot where Catharine was still +cowering, trembling with fright, looked with an eye of pity on the +lonely little creature whose safety had been so wonderfully entrusted to +him. + +He proved to be a Polish lord named Barezewski, and taking some bread, +cold meat, and wine out of his hunting-pouch, he gave them to Catharine, +who soon felt better for the refreshment she so much needed, and cheered +by the unexpected kindness of the gentleman, who now took her hand to +lead her to his castle, at some little distance. + +The countess received the poor outcast with much tenderness, and in a +short time the young Muscovite was able to relate all she knew of her +interesting and eventful history. The noble Pole and his lady were moved +to tears by Catharine's recital of her sufferings and the horrors she +had witnessed on the road; but, thanks to their compassionate sympathy +and kindness, she soon ceased to think of what she had undergone, and +was capable of appreciating the comforts and blessings now surrounding +her. + +Several years passed, bringing no intelligence of Catharine's parents; +meanwhile, she grew in wisdom and in loveliness of mind and person, and +no expense was spared to make her an elegant and accomplished young +lady. She had attained her sixteenth year when an important event took +place. + +On the anniversary of the Russian child's wonderful and providential +deliverance from a frightful death, it was customary each year to have a +grand feast at the Castle, when the gentle and beloved Catharine Somoff +would relate anew her thrilling history, and review the kindness shown +her by her generous protectors, who looked upon her in every respect as +their own child. + +The season had come round once again, and she was in the middle of her +tale, when a gun was heard at a short distance from the Castle. The +weather was very stormy; the wind blew violently, the snow fell in large +flakes, darkening the sky; it was almost impossible to see a yard before +one. + +'Doubtless it is some lost traveller imploring assistance, or perhaps +being attacked by wild beasts, so numerous in the forest. It is +impossible to be hunting or shooting merely for pleasure in this +dreadful weather,' exclaimed Count Barezewski, giving orders for his men +to provide torches and other needful apparatus, and come with him to +find out what was amiss. They set off in the direction of the forest +whence the report of the gun had proceeded--the identical spot where +Catharine Somoff had been threatened by the bear some years ago. Great +anxiety was felt at the Castle during the hour that passed before the +brave Barezewski appeared, followed by his men, who bore the body of a +bleeding Russian on a litter. + +Catharine hastened to look at her fellow-countryman, and then expressed +a wish to dress his wound. The stranger was soon restored to +consciousness by the humane attentions of his hosts, and able to express +his gratitude, as well as mention a few particulars of his adventures on +this wintry day. + +He said: 'I am a Muscovite merchant on my way to Warsaw. Before leaving +this part, I wished to go and see a friend living at some little +distance. I took my gun, and walked to his castle, where I was belated. +The snow fell in large flakes; I lost my path. In vain I sought the +proper road, when, noticing two men coming in my direction, I hastened +to ask them to put me in the right way. I did not mistrust them the +least in the world, and was patiently awaiting their reply, when +suddenly both these rascals rushed upon me, throwing me to the ground, +and robbed me of the small sum of money I had in my purse. I uttered a +cry; then one of them, evidently intending to kill me, pointed his gun +at my heart, and fired.' + +All this time Catharine had kept her eyes intently fixed upon the +stranger's countenance; she seemed to recall some well-known features, +without being able to remember where she had seen them. Her heart beat +violently, and her interest in the new-comer became greater every +moment; indeed, her feelings appeared to be excited in an unaccountable +manner. Count Barezewski begged his guest to give him a few details of +the terrible fire at Moscow, which had caused so much misery and +distress to both Russians and French. The Russian seemed to feel a very +great disinclination to comply with his host's request; however, when he +reflected upon the hospitality and kindness he was receiving, he knew +not how to refuse. His voice betrayed excessive emotion as he described +the sad sight of this immense conflagration; but as soon as he came to +his own private misfortunes, he burst into tears, and with a deep-drawn +sigh exclaimed: + +'Alas! this awful fire not only deprived us of a great part of our +fortune, but, far worse, of her who formed our chief joy, our cherished +daughter. Amid the frightful panic that prevailed, whilst my wife and I +endeavoured to save some of our most valuable effects from the rage of +the devouring element, we lost our only child, then in her seventh year. +Her nurse had taken her for safety to a house situated in a by-street +occupied by a friend of ours, where the fire had not yet reached; but +both the child and the nurse disappeared, and since this melancholy +catastrophe all our numerous and anxious inquiries respecting them have +proved utterly fruitless. Probably they were killed by a falling +edifice, and so buried in its ruins; at least, this is my opinion, for +my dear wife still has the hope of again beholding our long-lost but +dearly cherished child.' + +Catharine, who had listened with the most heartfelt interest to this +touching recital, could not restrain her emotions any longer. She threw +herself on the stranger's neck, exclaiming, + +'My father, my dear father!' + +It was a most affecting moment. We will not attempt to depict the joy +and the thankfulness that filled the hearts of both parent and child. +Let our young readers try to imagine themselves in Catharine's +situation, or else in her father's; then only can they enter into the +real sentiments that overpowered them both. How pleasure and pain are +intermingled in this life! + +Catharine's delight at being re-united to her dear father was +undoubtedly great, but sorrow at the prospect of leaving friends like +the Count and Countess proved a trial to the affectionate and grateful +girl. + + 'Then happy those, since each must draw + His share of pleasure, share of pain; + Then happy those, belov'd of Heaven, + To whom the mingled cup is given, + Whose lenient sorrows find relief, + Whose joys are chastened by their grief.' + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +When the first excitement of this unexpected meeting had somewhat +subsided, Catharine, in her turn, told of the wondrous and providential +dealings to which she was indebted for her preservation amid countless +perils. + +The good sutler's wife was not forgotten in this extraordinary account; +and with what sensitiveness and touching expressions of gratitude she +disclosed to her attentive listener the innumerable acts of kindness she +had received all these years from the noble Polish lord and his lady, +who had loaded her with constant benefits, and had in every respect +treated her as their own child. + +In a few days Catharine's father had quite recovered from the effects of +his wound. His business required attention, and he was impatient to +restore his beloved child to her mother's arms, so father and daughter +bade adieu to the Polish Count and Countess, but not before assuring +them that their gratitude would never cease as long as they lived. + +M. Somoff and his long-lost Catharine returned to Moscow, where they +were welcomed with surprise and joy by the delighted mother, who forgot +all her sorrows when once more embracing her child, who had been lost to +her for so many long years. + +Very soon the young Russian's marvellous history became known. She was +asked in marriage by an officer holding high rank in the army, and in +due time she became his wife. + +Ten years passed. + +Great changes had taken place on the Continent of Europe. Poland had +proclaimed its independence, and Nicholas, the Emperor of all the +Russias, had an immense army in the field to repress the efforts of this +brave but most unfortunate nation. + +The horrors that were perpetrated, and the sad issue of this too +unequal warfare, are well known. + +Catharine's husband had taken part in this campaign, and she had +followed him to the camp. + +We will not stop to describe the heartrending scenes connected with this +war, but merely inform the reader that Warsaw was taken by assault; and +in this is included a whole chapter of misery. On this fatal day many +thousand Poles as well as Russians lost their lives. In the course of +the evening after the battle, the superior officers of the triumphant +army went to inspect the scene of the late bloody combat, where heaps of +dead and dying were lying in confusion, for there might be seen the +victor and the vanquished side by side. + +Moved by charity, touched with compassion for the fate of those to whom +fortune had been so unpropitious, Catharine's husband sent all who still +retained a breath of life to the hospitals and ambulances. He was just +on the point of leaving this desolate spot, when, casting his eye on a +heap of corpses being covered over with earth, he noticed a Polish +officer of high rank, decorated with numerous crosses and medals. He +thought he saw some signs of animation, so he had him removed, and +carefully conveyed to the house in which Catharine then was. Once there, +every possible care was bestowed upon him. By degrees he recovered from +his lethargy, and looked around the room. + +Catharine was sitting at his bedside. Suddenly she uttered a cry: she +had recognised the Polish lord Barezewski, her preserver and benefactor. + +The Count recovered from his wounds, but he had only escaped one peril +to fall into another even more terrible; his name was on the list of +proscribed persons, and the mildest punishment for this in Russia means +degradation and exile to Siberia. + +Catharine no sooner discovered the fresh misfortune impending over the +noble Pole than she determined to risk everything, and obtain an +audience of the Czar Nicholas, when, falling before him, she embraced +his knees, and with tears implored him to accord the pardon of her +generous protector, Barezewski. + +Nicholas, much touched by her gratitude and her earnest entreaties on +behalf of the Polish lord, graciously granted his pardon. + +Perhaps some of my readers may think Catharine need not have been so +frightened at what she had to do in seeking an interview with the +Emperor; but in our highly-favoured land we can scarcely enter into her +feelings, for in Russia the sovereign is all-powerful, and, especially +in past days, political offenders, or those taking their part in any +way, were punished with the greatest severity. + +I will tell you what happened during the reign of the Empress Elizabeth +to the most beautiful and delicately nurtured lady at the court of +Russia, because, poor creature, she had the misfortune to offend her +imperial mistress. She was condemned to the _knout_, a fearful +instrument of punishment made of a strip of hide, which is whizzed +through the air by the hangman on the _bare_ back and neck of the +hapless victim, and each time it tears away a narrow strip of skin from +the neck along the back. These blows were repeated until the entire skin +of the lady's back hung in rags; then this woman's tongue was plucked +out by the roots, and she was at once sent off to Siberia. + +What does 'sent to Siberia' imply? Worse, far, far worse than any +criminal, however vile and hardened, endures in our beloved country. We +frequently hear of persons being condemned to penal punishment for many +years, or even for life; but this is _absolutely nothing_ compared to +being exiled to Siberia, a place where the criminals of the Russian +empire, and persons suspected of intrigues, are often sent without even +knowing the cause of their banishment. + +A faint idea of what the poor unfortunate exiles have to suffer may be +gleaned from the description which follows:--'Barren and rocky +mountains, covered with eternal snows, waste uncultivated plains, where, +in the hottest days of the year, little more than the surface of the +ground is thawed, alternate with large rivers, the icy waves of which, +rolling sullenly along, have never watered a meadow or seen a flower +expand. The Government supplies some of the exiles with food, very poor +and very scanty; those whom it abandons subsist on what they obtain by +hunting. The greater number of these hapless beings reside in the +villages which border the river from Tobolsk to the boundaries of +Tschimska; others are dispersed in huts through the plains. For these +unfortunates not a single happy day exists.' + +To such a state of exile and misery would the noble Polish lord have +been reduced if Nicholas had not granted Catharine's petition. This tale +shows how the eye of a tender and watchful Father is ever over the young +and unprotected. How true are these beautiful words: + + 'No earthly father loves like Thee; + No mother, e'er so mild, + Bears and forbears as Thou hast done + With me, Thy sinful child.' + + + + +THE SHABBY SURTOUT. + + My reader, need you ever say, + With Titus, 'I have lost a day,' + When right, and left, and all around, + God's poor and needy ones are found? + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE SHABBY SURTOUT. + + +I had taken a place on the top of one of the coaches which ran between +Edinburgh and Glasgow, for the purpose of commencing a short tour in the +Highlands of Scotland. It was in the month of June, a season when +travellers of various descriptions flock towards the Modern Athens, and +thence betake themselves to the northern or western counties, as their +business or fancy leads. As we rattled along Princes Street, I had +leisure to survey my fellow-travellers. Immediately opposite to me sat +two dandies of the first water, dressed in white greatcoats and Belcher +handkerchiefs, and each with a cigar in his mouth, which he puffed away +with marvellous self-complacency. Beside me sat a modest and comely +young woman in a widow's dress, and with an infant about nine months old +in her arms. The appearance of this youthful mourner and her baby +indicated that they belonged to the working class of society; and though +the dandies occasionally cast a rude glance at the mother, the look of +calm and settled sorrow which she invariably at such times cast upon her +child seemed to touch even them, and to disarm their coarseness. On the +other side of the widow sat a young gentleman of plain yet prepossessing +exterior, who seemed especially to attract the notice of the dandies. +His surtout was not absolutely threadbare, but it had evidently seen +more than one season; and I could perceive many contemptuous looks +thrown upon it by the gentlemen in the Belcher handkerchiefs. The young +gentleman carried a small portmanteau in his hand, so small, indeed, +that it could not possibly have contained more than a change of linen. +This article also appeared to arrest the eyes of the sprigs of fashion +opposite, whose wardrobes, in all probability, were more voluminous: +whether they were paid for or not, might be another question. + +The coach having stopped at the village of Corstorphine, for the purpose +of taking up an inside passenger, the guard, observing that the young +gentleman carried his portmanteau in his hand, asked leave to put it +into the boot, to which he immediately assented. 'Put it fairly in the +centre, guard,' said one of the dandies. 'Why so, Tom?' inquired his +companion. 'It may capsize the coach,' rejoined the first,--a sally at +which both indulged in a burst of laughter, but of which the owner of +the portmanteau, though the blood mounted slightly into his cheek, took +no notice whatever. + +The morning being fine at our first setting out, the ride was peculiarly +pleasant. The dandies talked of horses and dogs, and fowling-pieces and +percussion-caps, every now and then mentioning the names of Lord John +and Sir Harry, as if their acquaintance lay among the great ones of the +land. Once or twice I thought I saw an expression of contempt in the +countenance of the young gentleman in the surtout, but in this I might +be mistaken. His attention was evidently most directed to the mourner +beside him, with whom he appeared anxious to get into conversation, but +to lack for a time a favourable opportunity. + +While we were changing horses at the little village of Uphall, an aged +beggar approached, and held out his hat for alms. The dandies looked at +him with scorn. I gave him a few halfpence; and the young widow, poor as +she seemed, was about to do the same, when the young gentleman in the +surtout laid his hand gently on her arm, and dropping a half-crown into +the beggar's hat, made a sign for him to depart. The dandies looked at +each other. 'Showing off, Jack,' said the one. 'Ay, ay, successful at +our last benefit, you know,' rejoined the other; and both again burst +into a horse laugh. At this allusion to his supposed profession, the +blood again mounted into the young gentleman's cheek; but it was only +for a moment, and he continued silent. + +We had not left Uphall many miles behind us, when the wind began to +rise, and the gathering clouds indicated an approaching shower. The +dandies began to prepare their umbrellas; and the young gentleman in the +surtout, surveying the dress of the widow, and perceiving that she was +but indifferently provided against a change of weather, inquired of the +guard if the coach was full inside. Being answered in the affirmative, +he addressed the mourner in a tone of sympathy, told her that there was +every appearance of a smart shower, expressed his regret that she could +not be taken into the coach, and concluded by offering her the use of +his cloak. 'It will protect you so far,' said he, 'and, at all events, +it will protect the baby.' The widow thanked him in a modest and +respectful manner, and said that for the sake of her infant she should +be glad to have the cloak, if he would not suffer from the want of it +himself. He assured her that he should not, being accustomed to all +kinds of weather. 'His surtout won't spoil,' said one of the dandies, in +a voice of affected tenderness; 'and besides, my dear, the cloak will +hold you both.' The widow blushed; and the young gentleman, turning +quickly round, addressed the speaker in a tone of dignity which I shall +never forget. 'I am not naturally quarrelsome, sir, but yet it is quite +possible you may provoke me too far.' Both the exquisites immediately +turned as pale as death, shrank in spite of themselves into their +natural insignificance, and scarcely opened their lips, even to each +other, during the remainder of the journey. + +In the meantime the young gentleman, with the same politeness and +delicacy as if he had been assisting a lady of quality with her shawl, +proceeded to wrap the widow and her baby in his cloak. He had hardly +accomplished this when a smart shower of rain, mingled with hail, +commenced. Being myself provided with a cloak, the cape of which was +sufficiently large to envelope and protect my head, I offered the young +gentleman my umbrella, which he readily accepted, but held it, as I +remarked, in a manner better calculated to defend the widow than +himself. + +When we reached West Craigs Inn, the second stage from Edinburgh, the +rain had ceased; and the young gentleman, politely returning me my +umbrella, began to relieve the widow of his now dripping cloak, which he +shook over the side of the coach, and afterwards hung on the rail to +dry. Then turning to the widow, he inquired if she would take any +refreshment; and upon her answering in the negative, he proceeded to +enter into conversation with her, as follows:-- + +'Do you travel far on this road, ma'am?' + +'About sixteen miles farther, sir. I leave the coach six miles on the +other side of Airdrie.' + +'Do your friends dwell thereabouts?' + +'Yes, sir, they do. Indeed, I am on the way home to my father's house.' + +'In affliction, I fear?' + +'Yes, sir,' said the poor young woman, raising her handkerchief to her +eyes, and sobbing audibly; 'I am returning to him a disconsolate widow, +after a short absence of two years.' + +'Is your father in good circumstances?' + +'He will never suffer me or my baby to want, sir, while he has strength +to labour for us; but he is himself in poverty, a day-labourer on the +estate of the Earl of Hyndford.' + +At the mention of that nobleman's name, the young gentleman coloured a +little, but it was evident that his emotion was not of an unpleasant +nature. 'What is your father's name?' said he. + +'James Anderson, sir.' + +'And his residence?' + +'Blinkbonny.' + +'Well, I trust that, though desolate as far as this world is concerned, +you know something of Him who is the Father of the fatherless and the +Judge of the widow. If so, your Maker is your husband, and the Lord of +Hosts is His name.' + +'Oh, yes, sir; I bless God that, through a pious parent's care, I know +something of the power of divine grace and the consolations of the +gospel. My husband, too, though but a tradesman, was a man who feared +God above many.' + +'The remembrance of that must tend much to alleviate your sorrow.' + +'It does indeed, sir, at times; but at other times I am ready to sink. +My father's poverty and advancing age, my baby's helplessness, and my +own delicate health, are frequently too much for my feeble faith.' + +'Trust in God, and He will provide for you; be assured He will.' + +By this time the coach was again in motion, and though the conversation +continued for some time, the noise of the wheels prevented me from +hearing it distinctly. I could see the dandies, however, exchange +expressive looks with one another; and at one time the more forward of +the two whispered something to his companion, in which the words +'Methodist parson' alone were audible. + +At Airdrie nothing particular occurred; but when we had got about +half-way between that town and Glasgow, we arrived at a cross-road, +where the widow expressed a wish to be set down. The young gentleman +therefore desired the driver to stop, and, springing himself from the +coach, took the infant from her arms, and then, along with the guard, +assisted her to descend. 'May God reward you,' said she, as he returned +the baby to her, 'for your kindness to the widow and the fatherless this +day!' + +'And may He bless you,' replied he, 'with all spiritual consolation in +Christ Jesus!' + +So saying, he slipped something into her hand. The widow opened it +instinctively; I saw two sovereigns glitter on her palm. She dropped a +tear upon the money, and turned round to thank her benefactor, but he +had already resumed his seat upon the coach. She cast towards him an +eloquent and grateful look, pressed her infant convulsively to her +bosom, and walked hurriedly away. + +No other passenger wishing to alight at the same place, we were soon +again in rapid motion towards the great emporium of the West of +Scotland. Not a word was spoken. The young gentleman sat with his arms +crossed upon his breast, and, if I might judge by the expression of his +fine countenance, was evidently revolving some scheme of benevolence in +his mind. The dandies regarded him with blank amazement. They also had +seen the gold in the poor widow's hand, and seemed to think that there +was more under that shabby surtout than their 'puppy brains' were able +to conjecture. That in this they were right was speedily made manifest. + +When we had entered Glasgow, and were approaching the Buck's Head--the +inn at which our conveyance was to stop--an open travelling-carriage, +drawn by four beautiful grey horses, drove up in an opposite direction. +The elegance of this equipage made the dandies spring to their feet. +'What beautiful greys!' cried the one; 'I wonder who they can belong to?' +'He is a happy fellow, anyhow,' replied the other; 'I would give half +Yorkshire to call them mine.' The stage-coach and travelling-carriage +stopped at the Buck's Head at the same moment; and a footman in laced +livery, springing down from behind the latter, looked first inside and +then at the top of the former, when he lifted his hat with a smile of +respectful recognition. + +'Are all well at the castle, Robert?' inquired the young gentleman in +the surtout. + +'All well, my lord,' replied the footman. + +At the sound of that monosyllable the faces of the exquisites became +visibly elongated; but without taking the smallest notice of them or +their confusion, the nobleman politely wished me good morning, and, +descending from the coach, caused the footman to place his cloak and +despised portmanteau in the carriage. He then stepped into it himself, +and the footman getting up behind, the coachman touched the leaders very +slightly with his whip, and the equipage and its noble owner were soon +out of sight. + +'Pray, what nobleman is that?' said one of the dandies to the landlord, +as we entered the inn. + +'The Earl of Hyndford, sir,' replied the landlord; 'one of the best men, +as well as one of the richest, in Scotland.' + +'The Earl of Hyndford!' repeated the dandy, turning to his companion. +'What asses we have been! There's an end to all chance of being allowed +to shoot on _his_ estate.' + +'Oh, yes, we may burn our letters of introduction when we please!' +rejoined his companion; and, silent and crestfallen, both walked +upstairs to their apartments. + +'The Earl of Hyndford!' repeated I, with somewhat less painful +feelings. 'Does he often travel unattended?' + +'Very often, sir,' replied the landlord, 'especially when he has any +public or charitable object in view; he thinks he gets at the truth more +easily as a private gentleman than as a wealthy nobleman.' + +'I have no doubt of it,' said I; and having given orders for dinner, I +sat down to muse on the occurrences of the day. + +This, however, was not the last time that I was destined to hear of that +amiable young nobleman, too early lost to his country and mankind. I had +scarcely returned home from my tour in the Highlands, when I was waited +upon by a friend, a teacher of languages in Edinburgh, who told me that +he had been appointed Rector of the Academy at Bothwell. + +'Indeed!' said I; 'how have you been so fortunate?' + +'I cannot tell,' replied he, 'unless it be connected with the +circumstance which I am going to relate.' + +He then stated that, about a month before, he was teaching his classes +as usual, when a young gentleman, dressed in a surtout that was not over +new, came into his school, and politely asked leave to see his method of +instruction. Imagining his visitor to be a schoolmaster from the +country, who wished to learn something of the Edinburgh modes of +tuition, my friend acceded to his request. The stranger remained two +hours, and paid particular attention to every department. When my friend +was about to dismiss the school, the stranger inquired whether he was +not in the habit of commending his pupils to God in prayer before they +parted for the day. My friend replied that he was; upon which the +stranger begged that he would not depart from his usual practice on his +account. My friend accordingly prayed with the boys, and dismissed them; +after which the stranger thanked him for his politeness, and also +withdrew. Nothing more occurred; but, four or five days afterwards, my +friend received a letter from the Earl of Hyndford, in which that +nobleman, after stating that he had satisfied himself as to his piety +and ability as a teacher, made him an offer of the Rectorship of the +Academy at Bothwell. + +'Was your visitor fair-haired,' said I, 'and his surtout of a claret +colour?' + +'They were,' replied my friend; 'but what of that?' + +'It was the Earl of Hyndford himself,' said I; 'there can be no doubt of +it.' And I gave him the history of my journey to Glasgow. + +'Well, he took the best method, certainly, to test my qualifications,' +rejoined my friend. 'I wish all patrons would do the same; we should +have better teachers in our schools, and better ministers in our +churches.' + +'All patrons, perhaps, are not equally qualified to judge,' said I; 'at +all events, let us rejoice that, though "not many wise men after the +flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called," still we see one +here and one there distinguished by divine grace, to the praise and the +glory of God the Saviour.' + + + + +JANE HILL. + +[ILLUSTRATION] + + + + +JANE HILL. + +'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' + + +Some years since a fire broke out in one of the narrow alleys which +abound in the poorer parts of the town in which I live. It originated, +as fires so often do, in the carelessness, or rather helplessness, of a +tipsy woman, who had thrown herself across her bed, and lain there in a +drunken stupor, while a candle, which she had left burning on a table in +the room, had fallen over and set fire to some shavings, by which the +flame had gradually been communicated to the furniture and to the house. +The author of the mischief was rescued; she lived on the ground floor, +and the firemen had gained access to her room through the window from +which the smoke was first seen bursting, thus giving the alarm of fire +to the neighbourhood. She was quite insensible, partly from the effects +of drink, and partly from being half-suffocated with smoke; but she soon +recovered, while the effects of the mischief she had wrought lighted +upon other and more innocent heads. It was an old rickety house, and the +landlord had determined on putting it into thorough order, as otherwise +it ran the risk of tumbling to pieces altogether. He had therefore given +notice to all his tenants to quit; and they had done so, with the +exception of the woman I have mentioned, who caused the fire, and a very +respectable widow, who, with five children, occupied the attics. These +women had been allowed to stay two or three weeks after the tenants of +the first floor had left, because they had not succeeded in getting +houses to suit them; and the work of patching up the old house not +having yet been begun, they had remained in it on sufferance. The +opening of the window gave the fire the draught which was all it wanted +to gain fresh strength for its fatal work; and in two or three minutes +after the unfortunate woman who had caused it had been carried out, the +flame might be seen leaping upwards with fearful force and rapidity, as +if furious at having been disappointed of its prey. I had been spending +the evening with a friend, and had to pass the alley where the fire was; +and as the house was very near the end of it, I could see and hear what +was going on without being in the very thick of the crowd. + +It was a fearful but a glorious sight. The night was frosty and clear; +and as the flames darted out of the windows, and threw out showers of +sparks, the bright red glare of the fire made the sky in relief seem of +the most intense dark blue. Some one told me that the house was empty, +so I was rather enjoying the grand beauty of the scene, when, hearing a +fearful shriek, my eye was attracted to the attic windows of the house, +and I perceived, to my horror, a woman and several children standing at +it. Clear and distinct they stood against a black background, with the +ruddy glow of the flames robing them in a crimson light, and at the +same time revealing the agony of terror which was expressed in their +countenances. 'Go to the back of the house,' shouted the firemen, 'we +can do nothing for you there.' But the little group stood paralyzed with +fear, unable to attend to the directions which were given them, or +perhaps unable to hear them, for the fire was roaring and crackling +enough to deafen any one. Three brave men of the fire-brigade went with +a ladder round to the back of the house, while the engines kept the fire +somewhat down by constantly playing on the front, as far as the confined +space would allow of their doing so. In reality, I suppose, not many +minutes elapsed from the time that the firemen had carried round the +ladder till one of them appeared at the window where the women and +children stood: to me it seemed an age; and what must it not have +appeared to the poor sufferers themselves? As the man came forward and +joined the group, and the flame lighted up his tall, strong figure, a +deafening shout from the crowd hailed his appearance, and encouraged him +to his perilous task. It seemed at first as if the woman were too +stupified to understand what he said to her, for we saw him put a child +into her arms, and then push her from the window. He himself managed to +carry two little ones, and to send a boy and girl of some ten and twelve +years of age after their mother. Then we lost sight of them all, and +there was another interval of terrible suspense, when a shout from the +crowd which had collected at the back of the house announced that +something important had taken place there. In a few minutes we learned +that, by the help of the other two firemen, who had also mounted the +ladder and made their way into the house, the poor woman and all her +children had been saved. + +With a thankful and relieved heart I made my way home, determined on the +morrow to seek out these poor sufferers for another's sin, and to see +what assistance could be afforded them; I felt sure they would stand in +no need of further help that night. There is often a princely generosity +among the poor towards their still poorer brethren; and I was confident +that many a kind-hearted man and motherly woman would willingly forego a +night's rest and comfort, if, by so doing, they could afford a shelter +to these poor houseless ones. Nor was my confidence misplaced, for, on +going to inquire after the family on the following day, I found that +they had been well looked after and taken care of. It was now, however, +that their real difficulties were to begin. The poor widow, whose name +was Martin, had lost her little all--her scanty furniture, the decent +clothing which it had cost her many a hard day's work to earn money +enough to buy, and many a wakeful hour at night to keep in order and to +mend, all were gone. They had been in bed when the alarm of fire had +awoke them, and had nothing on but their night-dresses when they were +saved. She had been an industrious, hard-working woman, had long +struggled bravely and womanfully against poverty and difficulties, but +this last blow seemed fairly to have broken her spirit; and when I went +to see her, I found her sitting at the fireside of the kindly neighbour +who had given her a night's shelter, looking the very image of blank +and helpless despair. She was a proud woman in her way, possessed of +that pride which one likes to see and so heartily respects, and which, +alas! is so fast dying out among us,--the pride of honourable +independence, which would willingly work day and night rather than +receive charity from strangers. The bugbear of her life, since ever she +had been left a widow with five helpless little ones to support, had +been the Union Poor's-house; and now want, starvation, and the Union +seemed staring her in the face. It was pitiful to see the spasm of +positive pain which crossed her face as I put a trifle into her hand on +leaving. She murmured a few words of thanks; but I heard her say with a +deep sigh, as I left the room, 'I'm nothing better than a beggar now, +living upon other folk's charity.' + +The following day was a Sunday, the fire having taken place on a Friday +night. The lessons in my Bible-class were sooner over than usual that +day, and I took advantage of the short interval of time before the +concluding prayer was offered, to tell my class about the fire, and of +the utter destitution in which the poor widow and her children had been +left. All the girls seemed very sorry, and I heard them discussing the +subject as we were coming out, after the class had been dismissed. The +next morning I was told that a girl wanted to speak to me; and on going +down-stairs I found it was one of my scholars, Jane Hill. She had a +sweet, gentle countenance, and her modest manners, and the attention she +always gave to her lessons, had made her a great favourite with me. I +saw that she felt some timidity in telling me what she had come about, +so I spoke to her encouragingly, and, after a little hesitation, she +said: + +'Please, ma'am, would you give this to the poor woman whose house was +burnt?' and, placing a small packet in my hands, she seemed inclined to +run away. + +'Wait a moment, Jane,' I said, 'and let us talk this matter over.' She +followed me with apparent reluctance, and then, after I had made her sit +down, I opened the little parcel she had given me, and found that it +contained seven and sixpence. I knew that her mother, though a most +respectable, hard-working woman, was very poor, as she had several +children, and her husband was in bad health, and in consequence often +out of work for weeks at a time. I was therefore surprised at what, +under the circumstances, seemed to be really a munificent gift, and +asked whether the money could really be spared; 'because you know, +Jane,' I added, 'though it is true "the Lord loveth a cheerful giver," +yet we are told also it is accepted according to that a man hath, and +not according to that he hath not.' + +'Oh, please, ma'am,' she answered eagerly, but blushing deeply, 'I can +spare it quite well, I can indeed; and mother gave me leave to come to +you with it. She knows all about it.' + +'But how do you happen to have so much money to spare?' I said, still +feeling some reluctance in taking so large a sum from her. + +'Well, you know, ma'am, I get half-a-crown a week from Mrs. Higgins, for +going messages and carrying the baby out every day for a walk; and so +mother, she said she would keep by sixpence a week to buy me a new cloak +for the winter, as she thought my old one a bit shabby, and she's been +putting it by all summer in a teapot; and yesterday the parson preached +upon that text, how it's more blessed to give away than to get things +given to you. I don't quite mind the words; but mother and me, we talked +it all over when we come home, and tells father about it,--for he has +got one of his bad turns, and can't go to the church,--and I tells them +all about Mrs. Martin and the fire; and I says, "Mother, I don't think +my old cloak is so very shabby after all, and maybe if you could iron it +and bind it, it would do quite well another winter; and at any rate I'll +be better off than Mrs. Martin's children, who haven't got no clothes at +all;" and so mother, she says, "And that's too true, Jenny;" and father +said, "God bless you, my lass, and give you health to wear your old +cloak,"--and oh, ma'am, I did feel so glad that I had something to give +to the poor woman and her children!' + +I was much touched with her earnest, simple way of putting what was in +fact a very great sacrifice as if she really felt it to be none at all. +I remembered the old cloak she had worn the winter before, how thin and +thread-bare it was; but I could not refuse the sweet pleading eyes, +which were looking at me with such anxiety, lest I should reject her +gift; so I said, 'Well, Jane, since your father and mother both approve, +and you yourself are willing to give up your new cloak for the sake of +these poor houseless ones, I can only say, God speed your gift, and make +you to realize, in its fullest sense, the blessedness of giving!' Her +face brightened with pleasure, and she thanked me warmly, as she made +her curtsey and prepared to leave. 'No, I cannot let you go away,' I +said; 'you must come with me, and take this money to Mrs. Martin +yourself.' + +'Oh, please, ma'am, I'd rather not,' she said, looking shy and timid +again. + +'But I want you to go, Jane, because I think this kindness and sympathy +from one so young, and who is not much richer than herself, will do the +poor woman as much good as the money itself. She is very much cast +down; it troubles her to think that she is dependent upon others; and I +think if you could say to her exactly what you have just said to me--if +you told her the real pleasure you have in helping her, it might cheer +and comfort her to think that the charity which is bestowed upon her in +her heavy trouble is not flung at her as we might fling a bone to a dog, +but is the offering of warm, kindly, and loving hearts.' + +I am not quite sure if she understood all that I said to her, but she +made no further opposition to going with me. I therefore got ready as +soon as possible, and we went together to see Mrs. Martin. She was still +with the same kind neighbour who had taken her in on the night of the +fire, and still sat cowering over the fire in the very spot and attitude +that I had left her two days before. + +'She sits that way the whole day,' the good woman whispered to me, 'and +there's no rousing her; she seems gone stupid-like.' + +I went up to her and told her my errand, saying that the money I put in +her hand was from the little girl who came with me, and who was anxious +to contribute something to help her in her sore need. She looked at me, +at the girl, and then at the money, and muttered-- + +'Yes, yes, I must live on charity now, and then go to the workhouse.' + +'Speak to her, Jane,' I said, while I left the two together, and began +talking to the woman of the house, that they might not feel themselves +observed. I heard Jane speaking at first in very low tones, timidly and +softly; then there was the same sweet, earnest, pleading voice with +which she had spoken to me. In the intervals of my own conversation, I +overheard one or two sentences. I heard her telling of the sermon she +had heard, which seemed to have made a great impression on her mind; and +then I heard her say: + +'I'm sure if it had been mother's house that had been burnt down, and +you had heard how father and mother and me and my brothers and sisters +had no house, nor furniture, nor clothes, you would have done what you +could to help us; now, wouldn't you? And you know it's just the same +thing, only it's you and your children instead of mother and us that's +in trouble; and you needn't mind taking a little help when you would +willingly have given it.' + +'And that's true,' I heard the widow reply, in a tone of greater +interest than I had yet known her speak. + +Her hostess looked at me, and said low, 'Them's the first words she has +spoken in her own natural voice since her trouble.' + +Jane continued, not aware that we were listening to her now: + +'I've often heard father say it's no disgrace to be ever so poor, and to +get help from others, when it comes on us from God's hand, and not +because we are idle and won't work. Many a time he says that, when he is +ill and can't work, and mother gets downhearted, and thinks we'll have +to come on the parish; and he says even going on the parish ain't no +disgrace then, when it ain't one's own fault. But mother says she'd work +her fingers to the bone sooner than she'd go on the parish; and with one +thing and another, we've always got on somehow, and so will you, I'm +sure.' + +'Yes,' said the woman, with an energy that startled us all, while it +delighted us,--'yes, I may get on too, with God's help; but not if I am +to sit here with my hands folded, before the fire, thinking of my +trouble instead of trying to mend it. God bless you, my lass, for your +money, which I'll take from you thankfully; and if I can't never repay +you, may He do it. It will serve to get me some clothes, and then I can +work; and who knows but I may have a home of my own again some day?' + +Finding her able and willing now to listen to reason, I explained to her +that some friends who had heard of her loss had placed three pounds at +my disposal for her use, and that she must look upon the help she got +quite as much as coming from God as Elijah did when the ravens fed him, +because it was God who put it into people's hearts to give her money. +She took what I gave her gratefully, and entered warmly into all the +plans which we suggested for her future. It was agreed that she should +at once take a small furnished room, and go with her children to occupy +it. She said she had for some time had regular work as a charwoman for +three days in every week. This work she could still have; and I engaged +to get her some needlework from a working society, which might help to +occupy her spare time, and bring in a little money. The woman in whose +house she was staying told us that a sister of hers would willingly take +the eldest girl, who was eleven years old, as she wanted a girl to take +care of her baby while she looked after a small shop. She engaged that +for a year her sister should feed and clothe the girl, if she gave +satisfaction; and said that if she behaved herself, she was sure her +sister would keep her till she was old enough to get a better place. + +It was pleasant to see how heartily Mrs. Martin entered into all these +arrangements as they were severally proposed, and the eager gladness of +Jane Hill's face as she listened to our plans, and, with the hopefulness +and inexperience of youth, evidently believed that each one was to lead +to competence, if not to actual wealth. + +The fire did, indeed, in the end, prove to have been the greatest +blessing to the Martins. Many people were led to interest themselves in +the poor widow and her children, who would never have heard of them but +for it. Mrs. Martin got more work to do than she could get through, and +her children obtained situations as soon as they were old enough to work +for themselves. She never forgot the debt of gratitude she owed to Jane +Hill. 'But for her,' she said, 'she believed she would have moped +herself into her grave.' + +The Christmas-day after the fire, I had the pleasure of taking to Jane a +nice, warm, winter cloak. She began to say, in a deprecating way, 'Oh, +ma'am, indeed it's far too kind! mine is quite good yet;' but I stopped +her, saying, 'No, Jane, you must not keep all the pleasure of giving to +yourself. Remember that to others, as well as to yourself, it is true +that "It is more blessed to give than to receive."' + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Obvious punctuation errors repaired. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Catharine's Peril, or The Little +Russian Girl Lost in a Forest, by M. E. Bewsher + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATHARINE'S PERIL *** + +***** This file should be named 21216.txt or 21216.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/2/1/21216/ + +Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Emmy and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was made using scans of public domain works in the +International Children's Digital Library.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/21216.zip b/21216.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..dc9fdfb --- /dev/null +++ b/21216.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e7f7fbd --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #21216 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21216) |
