Daily Yellowstone journal., 1886-03-21
THE FACE In THE MIRROR.

On New Years Eve in Russia they place
two mirrors opposite each other, and toward
midnight, just as the new year is coming in
to supplant the old, the girl, unattended by
any one, goes into the room where the mir
rors have been arranged and looks into one.
Should she be destined to get married that
year, she win see there the face Of her hus-
band.
Evghenia Alexandrovna was just Is years
old She was 1.-the Of figure, with a snowy
white complexion and large, lustrous black
eyes, that changed with every thought which
passed through her mind and every feeling
that touched her heart.
One New Years Eve found her sitting
alone in her fathers study. Her parents had
gone to spend the day with boyar's family
in neighboring village several miles dis
tant, and they were not expected back for
several hours. A light snow had been falling
during the day, and though the clouds had
somewhat lifted, the sky was still overcast,
but the twilight reflected from the snow made
it light enough to distinguish objects that
were not very far distant.
A big pile of logs was burning cheerfully in
the fireplace in the study where the girl sat
For nearly half an hour she gazed at the
flames as though trying 10 read the mute
language Of the fiery fingers. Then an idea
struck her, for she went out and soon retured
carrying a large looking-glass which she
placed ON the table opposite the mirror that
was fastened against the wall Then she sat
down and looked long and eagerly into the
glass that reflected the mirror behind her.
Suddenly she grew pale, but not a muscle Of
her face moved. In the reflection Of the large
mirror she saw the face OF a man. He had
fierce, cruel eyes, and wore a large bushy
red beard Her eyes and those of the appari-
ton met, and the next moment the appari-
ton had vanished.
For second Evghenia seemed to he Iiyeted
to the spot where she sat She had not ex-
pected TO see any image in the glass, and she
knew that that face was not an appari-
ton, but real, live man, evidently robber,
and that he had opened the trap door leading
to the cellar. She neither tainted nor
screamed. All the men servants were out of
the house, but she was brave girl, a soldiers
daughter, for her father had fought in the
Crimea and her grandfather had measured
swords with tb, French invaders. She
seized her father sword that hung against
the wall and drew it from the scab-
bard Sword in hand she opened the
tran door, Esteemed intently, and then
softly stole down the stairs. There was no
one in the cell ", and she began 10 think that
the face she b I'd seen was merely the creature
of her own Imagination, when she mott ed
that the iron bars OF one OF the windows had
been removed She stationed herself near il.
Soon she c1uld hear the tread of men in the
snow The tramping sounds came close upto
the window. and then she heard some one
whisper Here, this way" Then a big, red
hand seized the sill as though its owner was
just going TO climb up. The very next
moment Eyghcnia hacked away at it with the
sword with all her might. She felt the keen
blade cutting into the bones, and this was
followed by a howl of pain and muttered
curses, and then the footsteps hurried away.
Evghenia remained on guard behind the
window, expecting another attempt by the
robbers, until the merry jingle of sleigh bells
told her that her parents were returning
The robbers were traced by their foot
prints in the snow TO the edge Of the forest.
where they had mounted their horses and
escaped.
With the approach of summer dashing
cavalry officer, accompanied by two body
servants, arrived in the village and staid over
for several days TO rest. He was tall, well
built and sported an immense mustache that
looked formidable under a pair of stern eyes.
He was Mai Ivan Michaiich Morrow, a cav
airy officer from the Caucasus, who had fire.
quently met the wild CircasSian tribes, and
lad had his right hand disabled by sabre
cut in an engagement. He hal resigned
from the army, ami, after travelling FOR some
time, he was going TO attend TO his Estates in
province Of Snolersk. He bore letters of
Introduction from several old army friends
Of Alexander Vasilovitch Sokolov, and was
at once inyitsd TO make the Sokolov mn-
sion his home during his soiourn. The few
days which Mai Norov expected TO spend at
Semenov were prolonged to weeks He had
a fair education, and, though his manners
were not always very polished, this was ac-
counted for by his long camp life and Wild
ASSOCIATIONS in the Caucasus One day he
asked for the hand of Evghenia, and, after a
consultation between the parents and the
young lady, it was given him. The wedding
was celebrated with great pomp.
As the fall approached Maj Morrow became
impatient to go home He also received a
number OF messages urging him to return,
and his servants complained that they
were growing homesick. So several
wagons were loaded with furniture, and
the major and his happy young wife started
on their journey to his home. After
two days travel Evghenia asked her husband
why the party kept going further into tho
depths Of the forest and did not take the road
that was most frequented by travellers. He
made some joking reply which seemed TO sat
isfy her On the third day, in the afternoon.
she heard shrill whistle coming from tho
thickest part OF the forest, and ii was
promptly responded to by one Of the servants.
Evghenia felt ashamed TO show her fear
Then another whistle, and another, to which
;he servants responded. Evghenia asked her
husband what it all meant.
"Oh, nothing, nothing" he replied Don't
be afraid. Am mot with your
She looked into his face. His expression
was changed. Those eyes looked fierce and
cruel She had seen them before, long ago,
but where! Then she remembered Tho
next moment a dozen men sprang out OF Ito
wood into the road and loudly checred tho
major as their ataman or chief. Their num-
bers swelled to nearly thirty as desperate
looking cutthroats as ever roamed through c.
Russian forest. After greeting their ataman
and their fellow-robbers, who had been act
ing as his servants, the members Of the band
turned their attention TO Evghenia. ,
nAii, ha, barina." they cried tauntingly, NO
we have got you at last You would cut ole
our ataman's hand, would you! You though,
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