The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-03-05
THE FACE In THE MIRROR.

vi AeN ieur Eve IN RUSSIA tncy 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 I've destined TO get married that
year, She will sec there the face of her hus-
band
Evghenia Alexandrovna was Just 1s 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.
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 to read the mute
language Of the fiery fingers. Then an idea
struck her, for she went out and soon retured
carrying 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 muscle Of
her face moved. In the reflection of the large
mirror she saw the face of man. He had
fierce, cruel eyes, and wore a large bushy
red beard. Her eyes and those of the appari-
tion met and the next moment the appari-
ton had vanished.
For a second Evghenia seemed to be riveted
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 appar-
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 a brave girl, a soldiers
daughter, for her father had fought in the
Crimea and her grandfather had measured
swords with the French invaders. She
seized her fathers sword that hung against
the wall and drew it from the scah-
bard. Sword in hand she opened the
trap door, listened intently, and then
softly stole down the stairs. There was no
one in the cellar, and she began to think that
the face she had seen was merely the creature
of her own imagination, when she noticed
that the iron bars of one of the windows had
been removed. She stationed herself near IT,
Soon she could hear the tread of men in the
snow. The tramping sounds came close up to
the window, and then she heard some one
whisper. "Here, this way Then big red
hand seized the sill as though its owner was
just going to climb up. The very next
moment Evghenia 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 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 a 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 pair of stern eyes.
He was Maj Ivan Michailich Morrow, a cav
airy officer from the Caucasus, who had fire.
1uently met the wild Circassian tribes, and
had had his right hand disabled by sabre
cut in an engagement. He had resigned
from the army, and, after travelling for some
time he was going to attend to his estates in
province of Smolersk He bore letters of
introduction from several old army friends
of Alexander Vasilovitch Sokolov, and was
at once invited to make the Sokolov man.
sion his home during his sojourn. The few
days which Maj. Morrow 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. Norov 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 maj 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 the
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 a shlill whistle coming from the
thickest part of the forest, and it was
promptly responded to by one OF the servants
Evghenia felt ashamed to show her fear
Then another whistle, and another, to which
the servants responded Evghenia asked her
husband what it all meant.
"Oh, nothing, nothing" he replied. Don't
be afraid. Am not with you"
She looked into his face. His expression
was changed, Those eyes looked fierce and
cruel. She had seen them before, long ago,
but wherei Then she remembered. The
next moment a dozen men sprang out of the
wood into the road and loudly cheered the
major as their atanan or chief, Their num-
bers swelled to nearly thirty as desperate
looking cutthrOats as ever roamed through q
Russian forest. After greeting their atanlan
and their fellowrobbers, who had been act
Ing as his servants, the members of the band
turned their attention to Evghenia.
"Ah, ha, barina." they cried tauntingly, 80
we have got you at last. You would cut off
our ataman's hand, would youi You thought
you had married a major and land owner
Yes, we are all majors and land owners, for
we own all this forest, and there is no one to
dispute our title. Wen give you dose Of
your own medicine"
So saying one OF the foremost robbers
roughly ordered her to get out Of the car
riage. She looked at her husband and bitterly
upbraided him.
seven if you are robber," she said, ire
member | am your wife. and you are the
chief and should not allow your men to in
suit me-"
The ataman looked troubled and seemed to
relent, but the robbers quickly caught his
meaning and shouted TO him; Remember
your oath TO bring this woman here TO take
vengeance on. She is no more your wife
than she is ours, and If you interfere we will
make it worse for you than for her.
Ths staman thought that by gaining time
he could save his wife. So in quick, military
tone he gave the order to march home Ths
travellers 81. uuu OF the carriage, which, with
the wagons, mysteriously disappeared l. the
forest, Eyghenia was dragged, rather than
led, and after an hours travel the party
hated near a mound which did not differ in
they had passed, A skillfully contrived
patA in the mound which was completely
concealed from view by bushes and trees, led
TO spacious room or cave which communi-
Gated with otl er and smaller apartments. A
large pile Of logs burned brightly in the
penter, and all around were piles OF goods,