The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-07-08
TEE RBEAaR.PR1Nl,ESS

Behind the house Serbian sat dreaming
upon bench over which the lilacs formed
a sort Of canopy, perfumed with their own
fresh odor.
The house was a fine building, with
whitewashed walls and roof of red tiles ::
it belonged to Serban's mother, the Widow
Iepkowitsch, and was situated in the Gal.
lcian quarter Of Zukoff, not far from the
custom-house, and very near the woods.
Dame Lepkowitsch was powerful wo-
man about 40 years of age, whom every
body both respected and feared; she was
respected because, ever since the death of
her husband, she had managed the prop.
erty and its dependencies all by herself,
cultivated her own fields, and carried on a
little trade as well in wood and tallow :;
her great gray eyes made people afraid,
as they heard her voice harsh as the sound
OF a knife passing over grindstonc.
Not knowing how to read or write her
self, she had taken care TO send her son to
school at an early age. Serbian kept her
accounts, and read the papers to her; for
the good woman, who could not make out
single letter herself, burned with curios-
ity to know what was going on at Paris,
at Vienna, and other remote places.
She loved Serbian as a mother loves her
only child, but she took care not to let
him see it. Was it not enough to think
of and to work for his future from morn
ing until evening.
Serbian was dreamer. The only thing
which gave him delight was his violin !;
his mother had bought him the instru-
ment as an object of distraction, for she
thought her son was melancholy only be-
cause he was too fond of solitude and too
much given to his own sombre thoughts.
The people of the neighborhood had
quite another idea about him; they sim
ply thought he was sick, and not one of
them would have given two groschen for
his life.
Dame Lepkowitsch was far from sus
pecting that her son needed hand to di-
rect him, and that the hand must be the
hand OF woman.
For the time being his mothers hand
was sufficient; but later on it would have
to be anOther's; that was certain. Like
child, he would have to be passed from
one hand to another; but the thing did
not seem at all easy to do, for it did not
appear to please this great, strong youth,
with his girls iace anu ulv,rlv v". TO- IIo
seemed to have horror of everything
that wore trailing dresses, and long hair
and the moment that the fresh and beau
tiful face Of young girl appeared before
him, or that sweet voice spoke to him,
he made his preparations to flee.
lie never frequented the tavern, never
went to balls; he was never seen at the
fountain, nor at the evening spinning par
ties, nor at any of the favorite resorts of
the other young men. None of those
amusemcnts attracted him. SO that after
awhile his mother became little anxious,
particularly when she saw him sitting on
the bench, as he was to-day, like some
prince of 4 fairy-tale bewitchcd by a
fairy.
He had been sitting thus in a brown
study for some time, when suddenly a
strange noise tell upon his ears and dis
turbed his reflections. A sound at once
ringing and yet melancholy seemed,
through the calm of the evening, to come
from the market place and break ils echoes
magically against the houses and among
the gardens. There was gentle har-
mony in the noisy concert.
Serbian got up and with his violin and
bow still in his hand he slowly followed
the melodious summons, and crossing the
huge garden he reached the ZukOtf street
which leads to the market place.
There, compact crowd had formed in
a circle-soldiers, Jews, servants, chill
dren-and in the middle stood Young
girl of virginia. beauty, who was making
big brown bear dance.
While the latter was turning clumsily
upon his hind legs, uttering a grunt Of
satisfaction from time to time, the young
girl was tapping tambourine, the boom
ing of which, blending with the argentine
clash of little bells, produced a uniform
sound characterized by sort of melan-
choly fury.
The profile of the 1.-the and gracile
young girl was spcndidly outlined against
the bright evening sky; it seemed like
the head of some Byzantine saint relieved
against background of gold.
Her feet were shod with dainty little red
morocco shoes; she wore a short stripped
tunic and round her neck a string of coral
and silver pieces which fell over her richly
embroidered chemise. A piece of red
cloth was gracefully twisted about her
somewhat oriental and fantastic attire.
Coins rained down from all directions
she uttered all at once something like
cry of thanks-then she began to dance.
She poised gracefully, passed round the
circle, tripping in cadence, and casting
passionate look toward the spectators
now she would curve her body with pro-
digious suppleness, then again she would
skip upon the very tips of her feet, bend
ing her head forward over her breast; all
her movements were marked by admirable
grace, without the least appearance of CO.
quetry.
Next she took her whip and cracked it !;
then she gave her orders to the bear in a
sharp, quick tone.
The animal understood every one of her
signs-he listened to her with the blind
obedience of a slave; he sat down and
gave his paw, rose up again, and the
beautiful girl stood triumphant upon his
rugged back; he assumed all the postures
of clown, and at another signal, began to
perform q kind of patomime. To end
with, he threw himself on the ground, pre-
tended to be dead, and the young girl
stretched herself upon him in the attitude
of 'conqueror that has overthrown his
enemy.
Serbian stood there without moving,
but he never took his eyes off her.
"Don't 60 near her !" cried neighbor,