I'll give my wealth to Jesus:
Tis little I possess ;

But all I am, and all I have,
Dear Lord, accept and bless!

And if, O dearest Jesus!

Long life to me is given,
Thy missionary let me be,

To win some precious souls for Thee,
And with them through eternity

To praise Thy name in heaven!

The Russian Soldier's Story.

273

account; but old Ivan (John) does not seem very revengeful. I gave pepper to the English,' says he, in his quaint Russian way, ' and they gave it to me; but now all that is over, glory be to God-and we are friends again!' So you see that Ivan knows how to forgive an injury.

As I come up to him, the old man, who is sitting on his bench enjoying the warm sun, takes off his cap in salute.

'Good morning, Barin; sent us to-day!'

'Splendid indeed, brother.

this morning?'

splendid weather God has

How do you find yourself

'As well as can be, God be thanked; but I expect I shall have another touch of rheumatism before long. You know, Barin, that we who have served have always that enemy to fear.'

I seat myself on the bench, and in doing so perceive that my friend has a companion in the shape of a little white kitten, which is fast asleep beside him, half covered by the skirt of his long grey coat.

'So, brother, you've got a baby to keep you company, I see. Pussy, pretty pussy!

The little creature opens its eyes, looks doubtfully at me for a moment, and then nestles closer to its master, with a remonstrating mew.

'You see, Barin, my baby's not very fond of strangers,' says the old man, laughing. She hasn't known me very long; about ten days since, I was sitting here smoking my pipe, when she came creeping past, thin as a wolf in winter, and mewing as if to ask for help. So I said to myself, "As God has taken care of me, so will I take care of His kitten." And so I gave her part of my dinner, and at night she slept in the folds of my coat; and now we're the best of friends. But, to be sure, I ought to be

fond of cats, if any one is.' 'Why so?'

1 Answering to the English Sir,' but more respectfully; literally, 'Master.'

S

'Well, it's a long story, Barin, and perhaps you wouldn't care to hear it.'

'A story! Oh, let me have it by all means; it's sure to be a good one.'

Old Ivan's eye brightens, and he settles himself in his place with a business-like air; for he dearly loves telling a story, and does not often get the chance of doing so. He shakes the ashes out of his pipe, and begins:

'I remember it as if it were yesterday, Barin, the day that my eldest brother came back to the hut and told us that he was taken for a soldier, and must bid us all goodbye. My mother looked very sad; but my father patted him on the shoulder, and bade him trust in God, and fight bravely for our father the Emperor and for Holy Russia. But I was very sorry; for he had always been just like a hero to me, he was so strong, and brave, and clever so I made up my mind that I would go with him, and be a soldier too. That didn't please my father, for he thought it enough to lose one son at a time; but I was set upon it. So one night I stole away from the hut, and went to the place where my brother and all the recruits were, and got taken in; and so I became a soldier.

'Well, as soon as we had finished our training, and were made into regular soldiers, we marched southward, and went to the Danube to fight against the Turkish heretics. Many a hard battle did we have with them, and many a good beating did we give them; but it was hot work, and there were not many of us left when we came back to our own land in the year '26, with Father Nicolai Paolovitch.1 And after that we had nothing to do for a long time; although some of our brothers went down again into Turkey, and others fought against the Tcherkesses in the Caucasus, who had rebelled against our father, and wanted to take back all the hill country from us. But at last, in the year '53, the Turks made war with us again, and we went down against them, and 1 The late Emperor Nicholas, son of the Czar Paul.