The Penn's Grove record., 1886-07-10
PRINCESS OF THE BEARS.

Serbian sat dreaming behind the house,
on q bench over which lilacs formed a
canopy, filling the air with their fresh
perfume. The house was a fine building
with white walls and a roof covered
with red tiles. 1t belonged to Serban's
mother, the widow Lepkowitsch, and
was situated in the Gallican Suberb OF
Zukoff, not far from the custom-house
and close to the woods.
Dame Lepkowitsch was a rich woman
about 40 years of age, whom everyone
esteemed and feared. They esteemed
her because since the death of her hus-
band she had alone administered the
property and its dependencies, and be-
sides, carried on a small trade III tallow
and wood. They were seized with fear
when they saw her great gray eyes and
heard her voice raspirg and harsh as u
saw being separated by a file.
Not being able to read or write, she
sent her son to school when quite young.
Serbian read TO her the books and papers,
for this woman, who could not decipher
a letter, had a burning desire to know
all that transpired in Vienna, in Paris
and in the distant countries. She loved
| Serbian as a mother loves her only child,
but she took good care not to let him
know it. Was it not enough that from
morning till night she thought and
worked for his benefit
Serbian was a dreamer. The only
thing that gave him any pleasure was
his violin. His mother had bought this
instrument for his amusement, as she
thought her son was sad because he was
so much alone, and gave himself up to
gloomy thoughts.
The people of the neighborhood were
of an entirely different opinion of him;
they thought him i'll, and not one OF
them would have given two groschen-
francs for his life.
Dame Lepkowitsch was far from mis-
trusting that he needed a hand to nurse
him, and that that hand should be a
woman's hand. For the moment it was
the hand of his mother, but later it
would be that of an another, of which
when so disposed he could control-that
was certain. He ought like a child to
pass from one hand to another, but it
was a difficult affair to bring about, as
he did not appear to please with his girl
ish face and blonde, curly hair, and he
seemed to have a dislike of any one who
wore long hair and flowing robes. When
a beautiful young girl appeared before
him, or a sweet voice called him, he was
inclined to run away.
He did not go to the tavern, or to
balls, was never seen at the fountain,
nor at the night-watches of the spinners,
the favorite resorts of the young people.
None of these pleasures had any attrac-
ton for him. Consequently his mother
became anxious about him, especially
when she saw him sitting as now like a
Prince Charming bewitched by a fairy.
He had been there for some time, lost
in thought, when suddenly a strange
noise struck his ears and disturbed his
meditations. A sound loud and sad at
the same time seemed in the quiet of the
evening to come from the market-place,
and to echo magically from the houses
and the gardens. A sweet harmony
ruled this noisy concert. Serbian arose,
and with the violin and bow in his hand
followed slowly this me!odlous call.
Crossing the large gardens he found
himself in the street which led to the
market place of Zukoff. There a COM
pact crowd formed a circle; soldiers,
Jews, servants, children, and in the
centre a young girl of great beauty was
making a large black bear dance.
While he turned slowly on his hind
feet, letting escape every now and then
a grunt of satisfaction, the young girl
beat a tambourine, the dull noise of
which, uniting with the ringing of bells,
sent forth a regular sound, marked with
melancholy chords.
The profile of the young girl, whose
figure was so slender and straight, stood
out superbly against the brilliant even
ing sky, like the portrait of a Byzantine
saint in a frame of gold.
Her feet were covered with beautiful
little red morocco boots. She wore a
short, striped jacket; around her neck a
collar of coral and silver, which fell on
her embroidered chemise. A red cloth
was wound gracefully around her head,
and gave to her face an oriental and ro-
mantle character.
Pieces of money fell from all sides.
She cried out her thanks, and suddenly
began to dance. She balanced herself
voluptuously, went around the circle,
skipping with the music, and casting her
glances among the spectators. Some
times she bent her body with wonderful
suppleness; sometimes she poised on the
points of her toes, letting her head fall
on her breast. All of her movements
were executed with remarkable grace
and with the slightest faint of %caquetry.
Then she seized her whip and snapped
II and spoke in a commanding tone to
the bear. The animal understood all of
her signs, and acted with the blind
obedience of a slave who loves and fears
his mistress. He sat down and gave his
paw; lazy down, and the young girl
walked in triumph his wrinkled
back; he leered and shrugged as a clown,
then at a new signal he gave himself up
TO a sort of pantomine. To finish, he
threw himself on the ground as if dead,
and the young girl stretched herself out
upon him, taking the position of a con-
queror telling an enemy to the earth.
Serbian stood there without moving,
but did not take his eyes off the girl for
q moment.
'Do not so near her." said a neigh
Dor, Atlas Mensch, the tailor, II know
her we'll. eha ia "a arroOant az aha is