The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-03-18
4 4, RUSSIAN SORCERER

Some fifteen years ago, official du-
ties compelled me pass several days
i'm the government town of one of the
interior provinces of Russia. j took
up nv quarters at a tOlerable hotel,
recently built, whose new furniture
cracked in the night like pistol-shOt,
while the bed-linen, table-clOths, and
tnaplzins smelled of soap, and the pol
ished floors Ofvarnish, which last, acu
cOrding to the opinion Of the head
waiter, hindered the spread of vermin.
This head-waiter, whose name was
Ardalion, had been valet to prince,
and was very elegant, if not very
clean. I was at once struck by the
case of his manners, and his evident
good opinion of himself, He always
wore dress-cOat, which had already
served To adOrn other shoulders, car
ried a napkin under his arm, had
shoes always down at the heel, and
while he gesticulated i'm the most un-
constrained manner with his moist
hands, would deliver short but inn
pressive harangues. He exercised a
kind of protection over me, as a per-
son who was i'm a position to appre-
ciate his refinement and knOwlege of
the world.
had visits to make upon some of
the officials of the town.
Ardalion provided me with a car
riage and a fOOtman, the one as shab-
by and worn out as the other; but the
fOOtman had a livery, and the car
riage was Orlamented with a coat-of-
arms. After had made all necessary
official visits, / drove out TO the coun-
try-seat of en- old fried of my family,
who for a long time had been settled
in o.. l had not seen him for
twentyyyears. He had married in the
meanwhile, had acquired O thriving
family, and had become wealthy and
q widOwer.
slender, delicate girl, of perhaps sew
enteen years, entered the room, with
hesitSting but light footsteps, as
though she were walking on tiptOe.
"Here," said my friend, ''is my eld-
est daughter, Sophia, whom l have
the honor to introduce to you. She
has filled for me the place of my be-
loved departed, has the entire man.
agement of the housekeeping, and
takes care OF her brothers and sisters.n
bowed a second time to the young
lady, who, in the meanwhile, had
taken her seat in silence, and thought
to myself that she looked but little
like a hOusekeeper or chiIdren's gov
erness. Her face was thoroughly
childlike, round, and with small,
pleasant, but immObile features. The
blue eyes, under high, irregular eye
brows, as immobiIe as the rest of her
face, had an observant, almost aston
ished look, as though she were regard
ing something quite unexpected 10
her. The full mouth, with its pOut-
ing upper lip, not only did not smile,
but actually seemed not toknOw what
smiling was. In the cheeks, the rosy
blood showed itself under the delicate
skin in soft, oval patches, which al
WaVs remained the same. Her fine,
fair hair fell in locks on both sides of
the little face. Her breast heaved
TRANQUILITY, and her arms were pressed
closely, but awkward and sstifily, 10.
her slender figure. A blue-checkered'
gown fell without folds, like q ehiId's
dress, dOwIl to her little feet. The
whole impression which tile g4ff made
upon me was not so much of a sickly
as of an enigmatical person. ] saw
not simple, timid, provincial girl
before me, but a being with peculiar
and by no means easily read char
acter. She neither attracted nor re-
pelled me. / did not entirely under
stand il, and only felt that i had new
er met a more genuine persona This
young. serious. troubled life awakened
in me FcompassioR- Heaven only
knows why. mot OF this world"
thought to myself, although, i'm fact,
there was nothing ideal in the express
sion of the face, and although Miss
Sophia had evidently made her ap-
DearaDce in the drawing-rOOm only
To play the part, at which her father
hinted, of the lady of the house.
Nv friend began to speak of life in
o.. of its social pleasures, and the
amusement, which it afforded. 'It
is very quiet here with us" he re-
marked; "the governor IS a mlsan-
thFope, and the marshal bachelor
Day after-to-mOrrOw, however, there
is to be great ball at our assembly,
rooms. / advise you to go; there Is
no lack of beauties here nov, and you
/ will see all the cultiYatea people OF
N'Wiil you permit me TO ask, are
you to be at the baIl?' / said, turning
to the daughter. i wished to hear the
tone of her voice. ast IL
"My father is going" she answered,
"and / with him." Her voice was
soft, slow, and she spoke each word
with some hesitation. taIHtLT g
''In that case, allowed me to beg
the honor of the first quadrille."
She bowed her head as a sign of as
sent, but still without smile. &
soon took my leave, and, as went
away, the look of her eyes, firmly
fixed on me, produced such peculiar
impression that invOluntarily glanc-
ed over my shoulder to see whether
she was not looking at some one be-
Z hind my back
After my return to the hotel, and
after had eaten for dinner the eter!
nal Julienne soup, outlets and green
peas, and dried-up grouse, seated
myself on the sofa, and gave myself
up to my thoughts. Their subject