Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-04-16
ACharuing Story
Il H E
GOVERNORS DAUGHTER.
A Tale Of the Last Polish Insurreotion.
ny II. SUTHERLAND EDWARDS
CONTINUED.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE ooUNTRss KoNRADIN.

THE COUNTESS K0NRAD1N.
In the evening the general held little
reception, which was attended by the prin-
cipal civil and military officers Mt head
autrters, with those of their wives and
da,g ghters who still remained in Poland. A
few of the neighboring Polish prophet ,rs
were also present; and in the course of the
evening the Countess Konradin came in,
chiefly to apologize in person for not com-
ing the night afterwards, and TO prove to the
general and his daughter that she and her
husband were perfectly well disposed to-
wards them.
The countess had light brown hair, bril-
liant black eyes, very delicate mouth
and chin, u face that was perhaps trifle too
broad at the brow, fair but not in the least
llorid complexion, most animated express
sion of countenance, II slender, supple
figure, with the grace, the composure, and
something of the caressing manner of a
thoroughbred Angora cat
The Russian officers were all in love with
her. She, OH her side, was devoted to her
husband and to her country. But as she
could not forget that Konradin had already a
rope round his neck, she was very gracious
towards those who might some day have it
in their power to tighten it; and this gra-
ciousness was sometimes mistaken, but
never by Konradin himself, for coquettsh
ness
Bu,l,af.u fur elm atill littlp m
than girl, she had somethingof the spirit
Of mischief in her composition, and was
amused ut the infatuat:on of the pompous
old generals and colonies, the sclf-compla-
cent majors and captains, and the horribly
conceited leutenants and sub-lieutcnants,
who all ancied that they had succeeded in
pleasing Madame Ia Comt,csse," as they
called her in their st. Petersburg French.
The general commanding the Cossack
and Circassian cavalry--he was not say
agp, but highly cultivated gentleman "a
lltle oyer-cultivatod perhaps, and, SO TO
say, forced) who, to obtain promotion, has
jus given up "a lieutenant colonency in one
of The regiments Of the Imperial guard-was
particularly smitten by the charms of "Mad-
anne Ia Comticssee, and took the liberty OF
being jealous when she listened with the
least show of interest to the conversation of
any other officer. The only exception he
made was in favor of the governor himself,
10 whom he was obliged to yield. 1t was a
joke against the Cossack general that he
would soon have no junior officers left at
Wilkovo, inasmuch ms he detached them
one after another for special service In dis
tant villages directly he found them paying
the least marked attention to the all-subdu-
ing Madame Ia Comtiesse
Sometimes young man on the point Of
being exled to place where he would have
no sort of society, and where their was
really nothing for him to do, would beg the
countess to intercede for him, and when she
did so the general became more savage than
ever; but he was afraid to refuse her, lest
he, IN his turn, should be banished from her
siglt.
The Cossack general, Molodiani by name,
hat a Count Konradin, and pretended that
he ould have him arrested at any moment
but the countess knew very well that he dare
not attempt such thing.
The governor himself was as q child in
The countcss's hands, and would have done
anything for her; and Nathalie, who, il must
he remembered, was half Pole by birth,
and more than half by sympathy, was most
sincerely attached TO her.
II the Poles were all like the Konradins
what a delightful people they would be, and
how well we should got on with them =
Gontchalin would sometimes say-which
however, was quite mistake
The Konradins, on their side, had been
heard to admit that General Gontchalin
though not possessed of any very noble
sentiments, was not by any means so bad q
man as the Poles of the extreme party made
him out.
I'VE hate them all" said a member o.
Tins party one day to the count; land il
some are better than others am sorry fol
H. should like them all to be equally bad
tAal they might all excite the same disgust
Bcside, he added, when Konradin accused
Inn OF injustice, ''if we were to say thu
s'ightest thing in the generals favour, ,indeet
II we We're not constantly abusing him. HI
would be removed, and some really crue
man might be sent in his place"
ut is very difficult indeed TO reason will
men of that kind said the count, in repeal
ihs this conversation to his wife.
u should think SO, replied the countess
And you may depend upon ii that they at
tack you when you are not present Ii
lact know they do. They call you an ar
ls'ocial, and say that you visit the genera
~ order that you may not yet into troubl
about your estate"
es, il is hard to be attacked by our owl
people, angwered the count; ''but it is on
oi she painful things we have to put up witt
one OF the most painful ofall."
Nothing particular took place at the re
cep'ion beyond this-that Nathalie, the gov
eflor himself, General Molodiani, and tw
or three aidede-camp, got up a gencra
ellorus OF supplication, which had the eifet
VI inducing the countess to promise that sh
would come tie next evening to the ball.
CHATTER XXI.
GENERAL MOLopIANA.
One of the Cossack generals aides-dS
eanp, who had been too assiduous in h
a''chnons to the Countess Konradin, an
han been sent with five-and twenty men o
,our OF inspection TO remote villag,
Which it suited the general to believe in in
maeht danger of being disturbed, cam
nlllself to Wilkovo on the morning of I'll
way hxed for the ball. He brought new
''at disturbances ,pere to be apprehendet
ho' only in his own village and district, bl
~ many other districts, and, indee,
throughout the kingdom of Poland.
II Is very strange, Captain Leonteff
'a'a lhe general, ''that you shonld get
~ ah better news than any one else. I'll
Nn authorities know nothing of the distu
uutlCeS Won apaolr