Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-04-16
4 RUSSIAN "FlRE.WITCH."
London Week.

Rather less than year ago, during
Inc spring season. at e, pleasantest
II German watering places, three per-
.ons. who seemed to be inseparable
COMPANIONS, walked daily together in
,be grounds of the kursaal. One was
beautiful Russian girl, Ida koratine,
wbowas always attended by her broth
or an ex-Colonel in the Cars army.
6e third member of the group was "A
ronng English officer, Captain the Hon.
Eharles Guerdon, OF the Eighteenth
ancers. 1t was evident to all who OBJ
keryed this gay youngster That he was
peply in love with his Russian friends
Rster.
Was she in love with him? On this
mint Guerdon himself could have made
10 satisfactory answer. He had been
rdered to E by doctors to recruit
- is health after hunting accident, and
al made the acquaintance OF the
koratnes 1T the hotel table d'hote.
they were persons of high birth, in
fluent circumstances, and of very
reasng manners Count koratine,
rho was not more than so, had seen a
ood deal of military service, had tray
led much, and was the most compan-
enable of men, always ready to join in
Inv amusement, to chat or to listen to
Tiers. He quite won Charley Guer-
On's heart by his horsemanship (for he
ad two or three splendid animals and
ode every morning with his sister, and
so by his bright manner at the ecarte
able, for he played any stakes you
leased, without caring whether ne won
lost. AS for Ida Koratine, she was
be most delicious of girls. Tall and
rac eiul, with the fair wavy hair and
ink complexion which bespoke her
lithuanian blood, she had large dark
yes, at once grave and soft. and little
nouth which could smile with exquisite
Eeetness. Ida was, like most high
ON Russian ladies, a capital lingust,
saking English and French with fault
es accuracy, and with just slight
Melgn accent, which lent piquancy to
Ter talk. She was, moreover, an ac-
emphasized pianist and singer; so was
Der brother. Sometimes after dinner
be Koratines would invite their EN-
hh enemy" AS they called him for
an, to come to their apartments to
axe CT p of Caravan tea; and then, at
request, they would sing him some
tie ballads of their country. kora-
EAYayed on the zltta, or Hungarian
guitar Ida on the piano; and the
5us well-,rained baritone voice
Vending with his sisters pure soprano
fade rare melody. Their Lithuanian
Ong' were pervaded by dreamy sad
les which grew upon the Englishman,
baking him fall into long reveries, dur
(Which he was glad that there were
candles in the room, but only the
ping twilight that yelled his emotion.
Tier every one of Idas songs Charley
lerdon became more. and more in
We with ner, though he gradually dis
yered that she had few strange, I'M
ilsh tastes, which at first pleased him
IS than her piano-playing. She was a
tadIy pistol shot, and practiced every
with her brother at a target which
~ been set up IN an alley of the ho-
garden for their convenience by the
nlord. The rapidity with which the
Other and sister loaded. the cool
lckness of their aim, their unerring
ychlon IN making patterns of crosses
mes on the cards at which they fired,
ed the Englishman with surprise the
~ time he witnessed their perform
say, Miss Ida he remarked, at
Va do Tor me to quarrel with you.
Va would very soon call me out and
INK me-"
on, we are not practicing for duels,"
Oghed Ida. We have sooi,es IN our
ll'ry and girl should know how to
f9leCt herself"
me peculiar way in which Ida en-
l'Szed the word wolves" and the
" mat kindled for moment in her
q az she spoke, ought to have arrest
0utfuonS attention, but they did
lie had noticed, however that the
"uhes appeared to have mystery
'I I lives; they avoided all illusions
we motives which had induced
-" n'' hoiatlne to leave the army, and
oppressed radical or Nihiiist opin-
rather curious to hear from per
VI 'helr station. Ida seemed to be
\ more of revolutionist than her
, o,eF She often questioned the En-
',An ABOUT his country'S free inst-
-r, mug ana listened with wistful ca
70 ms confused explanations,
yN>'ltuuonal law, was not much
.SU IN the Eighteenth Iancers. and
nts, ouerdon was puzzled to define
.a3 10" ms brthright Of liberty con-
MAJ N0W and then Ida betrayed too
,. sr@'oeuiy her love for political CON
,er .,,,oi'S' and then her brother would
=. with a joke and a caress,
I'd - Always checked her, for every
bs ~ 7 rs was law in her eyes. Guer-
~, s oeen struck and touched from
as: l 10y the whole-hearted atfec-