St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-07
HAIKONA's STORY.
lie Figaro Jan. 8. From "HistoIres Fare peur

wore mourning TOT MIN. MY daugnter was
five years old. We were both visiting some
country friends, at the house of old Madame
Matouchka, whom you all know, and who
lived about twelve vesrts from Moscow.
She had determined to get me married
again; and In the hope of maturing her de-
signs she had invited ME to pass the first half
OF the autumn SEASON at her pl; &c.
| The only circumstance which could have
justified anybody in speaking to me of a
second marriage was that all my fortune had
been invested in certain r11nufacturin~ en-
t rprises once vers ucrat Q b. at ID Il ne
! speak OF gradually dian. dIsacd ia finadcial
importance through the lack of firm aud
skillful management.
| had not been in the country residence /
| spoke of quite twenty-four hours when a
! friend of my hostess came to ask her hospi-
tality--a Frenchman, quite handsome young
fellow, and highly educated-a graduate of
| the Ecole Centrate. had always liked the
French, without regarding their protestations
as altogether sincere. They are quite
charming, too-the desert OF human species,
or certainly the entremels. At least ! now
tell you what | used to think OF them in
those days. Still, had always been told
that while the French make the most adora-
bic lovers in the world, they make the most
execrabe husbands imaginable. Such were
our ideas in Russia.
Well, this young man. NJ. Claude Maroi ! II,
! nah completed his studies with the highest
honors, and only needed a small financial
START In order to make his fortune. Madame
Matouchka, who WISHED him well, immedi-
ateiy thought Of me. did not immediately
comprehend my danger aud exposed myself
to it with absolute innocence
| VI. Malb Hot rode very well indeed; we
used to take our hours ride through the
country every morning.
| NJ Marbillot sang agreeably; our evenings
were spent at the piano in the execution of
| duets
| NJ. Marbillot knew host Of fairy-tales ard
! ehildreu's games-the funniest things con.
ceivable. He could cut out paper men as
well as anybody, and was never afraid to go
down upon all fours in order to play at
wolf" my little daughter would cry if she
passed only five or six hours without seeing
! him.
NJ Marbillot was in constant correspon-
dence with the most eminent engineers and
scientists in the whole world. Every morn
ing at breakfast time, when the mail was
brought to him, he would hurriedly glance at
the envelopes and exclaim: ''It's from that
dear old De Lesseps, Or: "At last!-here
is the reply of my friend Ellison, or:
Here is a note from my dear friend Pas
teur.''
| So finally, one day, Madame Matouchka,
doubtless thinking had become sufficiently
fascinated said to me:
-"HaikOna, there's just the husband YOU
want;-you will never be able to get better
one. That young Frenchman is just charm
ing, very charming think, and SO well educa-
ted and so full of good positive poetical
knowledge. He needs only one thing to
make him pcrfect-a nice wife like you!
Why he swears by your name: be is always
talking about the beautiful lIaikona. And
1t you have as much good common sense as
you have charms and fine qualities your we'd
/ ding will be celebrated in less Than month"
| Now this brusque attack upon me proved a
very unfortunate thing for Madame Matouch.
ka's protrge. 1t suddenly iluminat the
path had been unconsciously travelling. l
was thoroughly frightened when found how
far had gone already, and still ufure fright
ened when reflected how few steps there re-
NAMED for me TO take In order to become
| Madame Marbillot.
| From that moment the combat proceeded
with all batteries unmasked. The postulant
openly declared his pretentions. The old
lady became absolutely annoying.
| AT first endeavUred to call to my aid the
memory of my dead husband. But this plan
| was soon obliged to give up, for the good
| reason that such sentimental proceeding
| naturally provoked comparisons which were
all to the advantage of the newcomer There
is no better trump-card in IL wooers game
than the mere fact that he is playing against
dead man.
Finally one day, being pushed to the last
extremity, | demanded to be left alone for
twenty four hours in order to reflect calmly
about the matter and make q decision. 1t
was previously agreed upon b 1t in case of
refusal, NJ. Marbillot should leave at once
without asking for reasons
must confess that was very much puz-
zled. The hands of the clock seemed to run
around the dial with crazy swiftness; there
were much fewer seconds in those minutes,
thought, than in ordinary minutes.
At III o'clock went TO bed-although. as
you may well suppose, had not the least
feeling of sleepincss My little daughter
slept in a cradle-quitc close to my bed She
was . years old | think told you so
before.
AT this very moment can see that room
again just as plainly as If / were in THE
watch-light that dimly Illuminated the cham
berthe windows, looking out upon the
past, their lower panes darkened bv the
silhouettes OF shrubbery without; their upper
portion showing a gray sky specked with
s,lrs. The portraits nailed to the wall looked
at each other smingly as though they wis. |
to say ''gOod-night' before closing their eve
lids of canvas or paper. can still hear the
tic-tic Of that clock, and the regular breathing
Of my little girl.
Perhaps had been weighing the pros and
ems OF my dilemma for about two hours,
when, turning suddenly on my side, toward
the edge of the bed, | said to myself
Mol will never give my child a step
father :"
just then Il am telling you the truth I
saw---iust as distinctly as | see you now -
Andre, my dead husband, smiling at me-
standing between the bed aud the wall. |
recognized the dress he wore on the day I
met him for the first time His face did
not look Unpleasant; and nv first impulse
was 10 hold my arms out TO bin.
But when | saw him approaching me.
then-ah dame-fear seized me and sat
right up, with my eyes wide open, nv arms
rigid with terror, my hands clencliing the
pillow they rested on. felt my hair move.
aud chill sweat beaded my forehead,
Still smiling, his left hand to his heart
his right lifted 10 bis lips as though TO wave
maa kiss, he approached still nearer. When
ne Tas quite closc-very, very close-he bent
over me; and knew that his lips were seek
ing mine. AGonluahle recollection Some
strange pain prevented me from turning
away my head, or lifting my arms. sui ]
tried to draw my face back-and rs the face
Of the dead man, at first so kindly, stopped
nearer an0 nearer TO me: saw 70 becoming
more and more Geshlcss = I / saw the worms
gathered within the cavities OF his eyes.
Still | could not avoid that kiss. Dieu how
cold his teeth we're