The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-04-17
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A RUSSIAN "FIRE-WITCH.'

The Story Of an English Omcer's Love and
the Tragedy Which Ended 1t.
From the London Week
Rather less than a year ago, during the
spring season, at E, pleasantest OF
German watering-places, three persons
who seemed to be inseparable companions,
walked daily together in the grounds Of
the Kursaal. One was beautiful Rus
sian girl, Ida KoratIne, who was ALWAYS
attended by her brother, an ex-colonel in
the cars army. The third member OF
the group was a young English officer,
Capt. the Hon. Charles Guerdon, of the
18th lancers. 1t was evident to all who
observed this gay younster that he was
deeply in love with his Russian friends
sister.
Was she In love with him? On this
point Guerdon himself could have made
no satisfactory answer. He had been or
dered to E by doctors to recruit for his
health after hunting accident, and had
made the acquaintance of the koratines
at the hotel table dhote. They were per-
sons of high birth, in afiluent circumstan-
ces, and OF very pleasing manners. Count
koratlne, who was not more than 30, had
seen good deal of military service, had
travelled much, and was the most compan-
ionable of men, always ready to Join in
any amusement, to that, or listen to others
chatting. He quite won Charley Guer-
don S heart by his horsemanship flor he
had two or three splendid animals and
rode every morning with his sister,, and
also by his bright manner at the ecdrte
table, for heplayed any stakes You pleased,
without caring whether he won or lost
As for Ida koratine, she was the most de-
Hcious of girls. Tall and graceful, with
the fair wavy hair and pink complexion
which bespoke her Lithuanian blood, she
had large eyes. at once grave and soft,
and little mouth which could smile with
exquisite sweetness. Ida was, like most
high-born Russian ladies, a capital lin
gust, speaking English and French with
faultless accuracy, and with just a slight
foreign accent, which lent piquancy toEer
talk. She was, moreover, an accomplished
pianist and singer; SO was her brother.
Sometimes after dinner the Koratines
would invite the English enemy" as
they called him for fun, to come to their
apartments to take cup of Caravan tea;
and then, at his request, they would sing
him some Of the ballads of their country.
koratine played on the zifta, or Hungarian
guitar, Ida on the piano; and the counts
well-trained baritone voice blending with
his SISTERS pure soprano made merry
melody. Their Lithuanian songs were
pervaded by dreamy sadness which grew
upon the Englishman, making him fall
into long reverIes, during which be was
glad that there were no candles in the
room, but only the spring twilight that
yelled his emotion. After every one of
lda's songs Charley Guerdon became more
and more IN love with her. though he
gradually discovered that she had a few
strange, ungirlish tastes, which at first
pleased him less than her piano playing.
She was a deadly pistol shot, and prae-
hced every day with her brother at a tar
get which had been set up in an alley of
the hotel garden for their convenience BY
the landlord. The rapidity with which
the brother and sister loaded, the cool
Quickness of their aim, their unerring pre-
cision In making patterns of crosses or
lines On the cards at which they fred,
filled the Englishman with surprise the
first time he witnessed their performance.
81 say, Miss Ida," be remarked, st
won't do for me to quarrel with you.
You would very soon call me out and pink
me-"
'Oh, We are not practicing for duels,"
laughed Ida. I'VE have rolres In our
country, and a girl should know how to
protect herself"
The peculiar way in which Ida empha-
sized the word wolves" and the light
that kindled in her eyes rs she spoke,
ought to have arrested Guerdons atten-
ton, but they did not. He had noticed
however, that the koratines appeared to
have a mystery in their lives; they avoid
ed all illusions to the motives which had
induced Count koratine TO leave the army,
and they expressed radica, or nihiist
opinions rather curious to hear from per-
sons Of their station. Ida seemed to be
much more of a revolutionist than her
brother. She often questioned the Eng
lshman about his country's free institu-
lions and listened with wistful eager
ness to his confused explanations.
for constitutional law was not much
studied in the 18th lancers and
Charley Guerdon was puzzled 10 de
tine In what his birthright consisted Now
and then Ida betrayed too unguariedly
her love for political conversations and
then her brother would interfere with a
joke and a csress, which always checked |
her. for every wor1 of his was law in
her eyes. Gucrdon had been struck and |
touched from the outset by the whole |
hearted affection which the brother and |
sister bore to each other They were or
rhans. and ko-atine's love for Ida had |
much IN it Of paterral fondness; but Ida
looked up to he- brother as hero, an in |
f:llible being. jemlco3. and her mere |
manner Of clirging TO his arm when they
walked. CT Frightening when he spoke to |
her. of putting mp her forehead te be
kissed when she wished him goodnight |
revealed the extent of her devotion Now
II naturally occurred TO Charley Guerdon
that so excellent sister as Ida koratIpe |
ought to make aperfect wife, so that when
he had known and loved her about amontha