Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-09-24
THE BURNT ROCK.
By rHE QuEEN OF RoUMANIA.

| Beautiful Pauna was proud, very
proud. She did not have those great
black eyes, arched black brows, and
aquiline nose for nothingi Her mouth
was not exactly small; but it was well
shaped; and when she spoke OF laughed
Two rows of dazzlingly white teeth be-
came visible. She brought back the
plaits of her tresses about her brows like
crown, and those who watched her
passing gracefully by, with head erect,
smilinglv called her ''Princess. /" But
Pauna never looked so proud, and never
turned her head away when Tanase
passed. She would always listen to him,
moreover, when he talked about the
hora-the national dance. Furthermore,
if any one tried to tease her by speaking
about the young man, her cheeks would
crimson. but her sharp and cutting
words would soon teach tine audacious
speaker not to carry his pleasantries fur
ther. The young men were all very en-
vious of Tanase, especially after it came
to be known that the pair were be-
trothed.
The war came Tanase was obliged
to join the army, and take his way to
the Danube. Pauna concealed her tears
before others, but she wept in secret,
and no one dared to ask the cause of her
grief.
Nobody ever knew how she managed
TO obtain news or une wHr UeIore any
body else in the village. An extraordi-
nary faintness came upon her and she
was obliged to lean upon the milestone
at the entrance of the village in order to
keep herself from falling when folks
began to talk about the first battles.
Pauna could not sleep any more, and
she was often obliged to leave her lamp
burning at nights in order to Danish the
awful fancies that haunted her-visions
of Tanase, covered with wounds, dead
or about to die. It was while thus af-
flicted that, on one particularly gloomy
night, she had remained sitting on the
edge of her bed, still dressed d-never
suspecting that somebody was prowling
about the house, and staring at her
| window. She did not know how beau.
tiful she looked, with her large eyes
gazing fixedly before her, and her slen-
der hands clasped upon her knees. Sud
denly she heard light knock at the
window. With cry of fright the poor
girl leaped to her feet and turned her
face in the direction Of the sound, with
eyes seeking to pierce the obscurity. 1t
seemed to her that she could distinguish
the form of Tanase; and then she heard
voice calling gently: "Pauna, my dear
Paunal come out to me, pray thee; it's
I, Tanase."
In a moment Pauna lifted the latch,
rushed forth, and felt herself clasped in
the arms of Fanase. But she pushed
him away. saying:
sWhatl is it thou2 Is someone seek
ing to mock me2"
'sDost not see thy ring, my Pauna9-
and beres about my neck, is the little
blessed image thou didst give me.
could not bear the separation any longer
wanted to see if thou hadst not forgot
ten me-
"But who gave thee permission t.
leave the army9n
No myself.
No one2-and yet thou art here'
Then surely the war is over2''
''Alas, mol the war still goes on; but
1 came away by stealth for love Of thee
d "For love me" " Paunalaughed low,
stifed laugh. 'sDost thou fancy that il
delights me to have adeserter for m
betrothed? Gol-begoneI-let my eye,
never look on thee againr'
sPauna!-is this the kind of love thol
hast for mea Thou wouldst even sens
me to my deathl'
s.Go whithersoevcr itmay please thee,
but thou mayst feel well assured that
will never be thy wife; for could no
but despise such husband as thou. ant
never will espouse one whom despise.
ssThou lowest anotherl'
"Nay, Tanase, love no man but thee
/ have passed my nights in thinking 0
thee; but / never fancied even in m
dreams that Iloved trembling coward
Pauna hid her face in her hands an,
wept.
Il thought thou wouldst welcome M
return with joy--that thou wouldst hid
me in thy house. "
"0hl what shamel'' cried the girl
"Ohl the shame Of having been bt
trothed to such one as thou Listen
what I tell thee: The Buceg Zone Q
tie Carpathian mountains shall burn be
fore ever become thy wife.
s.And / swear to thee, . cried Tanast
s'thou shalt never see me again until
be wounded Or dead. Z
AT the same time the two young PEE
!"