The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1883-09-29

o. her eye-giass. She read uhtinngiy,
the result Of which was to send the pa
tent to sleep-infallible result simply
an affair of time, often in ten minutes,
sometimes an hour. Serge's breathing
would become regular. the fever that col
ored his cheek bones would gradually
disappear, and then the good mother,
closing the book, would 60 about her
duties as mistress of the house, leaving
Mavra in charge of her son.
Gradually the needle OF Mavra's en-
breidery work would slacken its motion,
and for long hours her eyes remain fixed
on the face OF the sleeping young count.
Daylight would decline. and no candles
be brought, lest the healing rest should
be disturbed.
Seated near the window in the deep
ening shadow, the outlines Of her figure
relieved against the pale blue autumn
sky in which her dear stars were fast gath
ering, Mavra would lose herself in a
vague infinite ecstacy as she sat gazing
at her sleeping young master, whom her
heart could only now see. At the first
sign OF his awaking she was on her feet
with her hand upon the bell. On the
arrival OF the lamp Mavra would with
draw to the workroom. At night ir ner
dreams she would continue her spiritual.
almost mystical, contemplation of the
beautiful fair head asleep upon its pillow.
When Serge got well she was the prey
Of an implacable, unconscious, immortal
love. Henceforth she belonged TO her
idol. Present or absent, he was her
adored master; for him alone she breathed.
h. ~
lescence that day by day was .aking him
from her had not the young mans weak
ness Obliged him frequently to seek her
aid. Supporting himself with stick in
one hand and resting the other on Nav
ra's shoulder he would walk around his
room. She was happy and proud the
day when, to give the countess surprise,
she led him thus into the little salon,
where the countess, thinking he was
asleep, was reading a devotional book
The agitated JOY Of the mother and the
nervous gayety of the son brought tears
to the eyes of the young peasant girl
but stoical, like all the race. she drove
the tears back to her heart.
Serge walked alone with stick. then
without stick, limping little. By-and-
by his hrm elastic tread was heard again
on the waxed oak floor. The northern
early winter was come. snow already
blocking up from time 10 time the
seignorial mansion, then melting under
the breath of a warmer wind till the great
winter blockade finally set in. One day
sledge lined with fur. drawn by spirited
horses. clinking the bells that studded
the harness. drew up before the door
SeY0a and hsS ,,ntber ctAnDaA ,rta -
waving friendly farewell TO the house
benedictions. The countess was to pass
the winter a, St. Petersburg, where her
son was to resume his service in the hus-
sars of Grodno. When they were gone.
when the heavy gate which Mavra had
opened one beautiful August day was
shut, and the snow fell slowly in large
flakes, rejecting the colors OF the prism,
it shut out all the outer world from the
inmates Of the seignorial mansion.
Mavra returned to her embroidery
frame. no longer under the orders of the
good Dacka, but under the capricious.
fitful superintendent of a house-kecper
charged in the interval with the work
room department. Life was not so easy,
but what mattered it to NJ vra that there
should be mere harshness or less kind
ness. She did not live in the present.
Her waking hours we're passed in an in
nocent ecstasy that wore her away with
out suffering. She did not know this was
love. Had she known it no amount of
prayers or tears would have been enough
to expatiate her objectionable sin. She
loved just as flowers blossom her ideal
was exalted, her dream pure, and she
lived upon them. One less chaste would
have died. And as regards the young
count, he had no idea Of all this.
The countess came back in spring, and
the house resumed its grand, hospitahle
ways. Mavra was profoundly touched to
find that her mistress, far from having
forgotten, inquired kindly after her. She
returned to her personal attendance upon
the countess with more devoted fervor
than ever. Later on the young master
was to come back. Dacka conveyed in
a mysterious manner that he had some
thing better to do than to bury himselfin
the country. In the evening she con-
fded TO the laundress. in interminable
whispers. secrets that were no doubt in
teresting. but which Mavra made no at
temp, to overhear, being by nature and
taste discreet and reserved.
On the eve of s.: John. when young
girls plat crowns of flowers. which they
throw into the river to see if they are 10
be married within the year. Mavra went,
like the others. TO consult tate after this
graceful fashion. She never dreamed of
marriage; ii was a closed world to her.
into which she had no desire to pene-
trate but she would plat a crown and
watch it through the eddies of the capri
cious stream. The girls had thrown
! their garlands. Mavra's got entangled
in flowers that young lad of 20 had just
flung in. He was carpenter. The two
crowns whirled round in company and
vanished together from view at the bend
Of the river.
Here we are engaged. LAvra," said
the carpenter. LET j. oe once for ALL"
No" she replied calmly, without
blushing.