Wichita eagle., 1886-08-31
9ai1Y Eagle
PRINCESS OF BEARS.

PKlNCENS UF BEARS.
Serbian sat dreaming behind the house on q
bench over which tbs hlacs formed canopy,
filing the mir with their fresh perfume The
house was fins building, with white walls
arda roof covered with red tiles II belonged
to Serban's mother, the widow LepkcwitscA,
and was situated IN the Gallician suburb of
Kukoff, rot far from the custom house end
eless to the woods.
about 40 years Of age, whom every ono o.
teem.d and feared They esteemed her b.
cause since the doath Of her husband she had
alone administered tks property and IT. do
psndencies, and, besides, carried On Q small
trade In tallov and wood. Thoy wsro seized
with fear when they saw hor graas gray eyes
and heard bar voico, raspinS aad harsh - a
saw being separated By ia
Not being able t. read o. wribo, de cont
her son - scheol whom quite yoxns. Serbian
read to her tho books and papor., for tAis
woman, who could not dociphsr letter, hnd
burning desire TO know all that transpired
in Vienna. IN Paris and in the distant coun-
tries. Bho lsved Serbian - : mother loves
her Only child, bat sho took good caro- net to
lot kinA know H. Was it not enough that
from morning Xii nigh. sho thought end
worked fer his benefit
Serbian WEE . dreamer. Tho only thing
that gave him cny pleasure was his violin.
His mother Rad bought this instrument for
his amusement, ~ she thought her con WAS
sad, because no was 20 much alone and gave
himself rP to gloomy thougkta
Ths peepls in ths nsighborhood wsro Of an
entirely different opinion Of him. They
thought him i'll, and not one Of them would
have given tvs Srorchsn francs for his life
Dame Lepkowit.ch Was far from mistrust-
ing that he neeisd hand to nurse him, and
that that hand should b q woman's hand
For the nomext is was the hand Of his mother,
but later it would be that Of another, OF which,
when SO disposed, ho could control-that was
certain. Es ought, like child, to pass from
ono hand 10 another, but it was difficult
affair to bring about, ~ he did not sppsar to
please with his sirlisa face and blonde, curly
hair, and hs seensd 30 have = dislike Of any
enc VIE were long hair and flowing robes.
When beautiful younS girl appeared before
him, er swees voice called him, he was in
clined to run away.
He did NOT 20 to the tavern or to balls was
never oesn ct thu fountain nor at tina night
watches q the spinnsrs, the favo7its resorts
Of the yoasg psepls. Mono OF these pleasures
had any attraction for him. Consequently,
his mother became anxious about him, esps-
eially whe1i she saw him sitting, as now, ike
aprince charming bewitched by fairy.
he had hesn there for some time, lost in
thought, when suddenly strange noise struck
his eers and disturbed his meditaticns. A
sound loud and sad at tho Same time seemed
in the quiet Of the evening to como from the
rpavEef r,locA and To m ma lly fla
houses and tie gardens A sweet harmony
ruled this noisy concert. Serbian arose, and
with the violin and bow in his hand followed
slowly this malicious call Crossing the largo
gardens Re found himself in the street which
led to the market place Of Zukoff There
compact crowd formed a circle soldiers,
Jews, servants, children and in the center a
young girl Of great beauty was making
large black bear dance.
While he turned slowly on his hind feet let
ting escape every now and then grunt Of
satisfaction, the young girl beat tambourine,
the dull noise Of which, uniting with the ring
ing OF bells, sent forth n regular sound
marked with melancholy chords
The profile of the young girl, whose figure
was SO slender and straight, stood ont superbly
against the brilliant evening sky, like the
portrait of byzantine saint in frame of
gold.
Her feet we're covered with beautiful little !
red morocco boots. She wore n short. /
striped jacket: around her neck collar Of
coral and silver, which fell on her embroid-
cred chcnise 4 red cloth was wound grace
fully around her head, and gave to her face
an Oriental and romantic character.
Pieces of money rell from ell 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. Sometime, she bent her body !
with wonderful suppleness; sometimes she
posed or the points OF her toes letting her
head fail on Ter breast Ali Of her move
ments were executed with remarkable grace
and without the slightest faint Of coquetry.
Then she seized her whip and snapped it,
and spoke in = 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; lay down, and the young
girl walked in triumph over his wrinkled /
back; he ieered and shrugged as clown, and /
then at new signal he gave himself up to a
sort of pantomime. To finish, he threw him
self on the ground "a il dead, and the young
girl stretched herself out upon him. taking the
position OF conGuero- telling an enemy to
the earth
Serbian stood there without moving, but
did not take his eyes OF Tie girl for mo-
ment
"Do not so near her. said neighbor, At
las Mensch the tailor Il know her well; she
is as arrogant ac she is savage. She is called
the princess of the bears. Ii | offer you any
advice il is TO keen out Of her way"
This warning came too late. As the girl
advanced toward him to pick up the pieces OF
money which mad fallen at his feet it seemed
to him that she suddenly snatched his heart
away from him, and that she had hidden it
under that magnificent embroidered chernise
Then, when she had replaced the collar on the
bears neck and quilted the place with him,
Serbian felt as if he also was attached to a
magic chain and obliged to follow her against
his will.
At the entrance Of the forest, on the right,
stands a wooden cross, where the girl stopped
to rest and divide with her savage friend a
piece of bread She discovered that Serbian
was following her.
"What do you want OF me?'
.1Nothing II live near here"
"You are Elusician!
"No: my mother owns house and garden
in this quarter"
"What do you want, then"
II wish to follow you"
HFollow me! Are You crazy!' A chaste
laugh slid sweetly over the lips of the beauti-
full child
Sand why not?' asked Serbian, despond-
emily.
"Because forbid it"
9T'ba road Is free to all +"