Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-10-31
SCRATCHED OUT.

SCRATCHED OUT.
During the earlier years OF the pres
ent century the Russian mobiles ruled
their households with a high hand.
Accordingly, when the Dowager Coun-
tess Cheraski found that her only son,
Ivan, a young man of about 20 years,
was engaged To marry n beautiful serf
on his estates, she forthwith banished
him to France and ordered the girl to
whom he was engaged, to marry an
other seTf Immediately. AS the COM
msnds had to he obeyed, poor Sophia
TschkOff. for that was the girls name,
went with her father, some six days
after the Counts departure, to the
chapel where the marriage service was
to be performed. There were present,
besides her father and herself, Michael
Tokhtamish 1.-THE bridegroom) his
father, and the priest, an old man, who
was upwards of 40 years Of age. The
service had scarce Y commenced when
the door of the little chapel opened
and Ivan Cheraski. the young Count
entered with a revolver In his hand.
"You thought / was out or the coun-
try" he said, ''but not so; have been
biding my time not far away from here.
know all about the attempt &c urarry
my betrothed to this clown, and have
come to prevent it. Everything is
ready-the priest, the altar and the
bride. So, my good father, you will
please marry me to Sophia Tschakoff
at once, OF you and Michael Tokh-
tamIsh shall die before i've minutes are
over"
do not know what would have
happened II the priest had refused TO
obey the Counts order. As 1 have
said, Russian mobiles used to be, and
very Likely still are, rather high handed,
especially in dealiHg with their de-
pendents. At all events Ivan Che
raski was a -nobleman armed with a
revolver; Michael Tokhtsmish was
only serf who might have been shot
for the fun of the thing, while the
priest was a very intirm old man, and
bound moreover, by his religion, to
discountenauce bloodshed- So the. serf
stood aside. the nobleman took hts
place, the priest performed the service.
and in a few minutes Ivan Cheraskl
and Sophia Tschkoff were man and
wife. The service over, the company
entered the vestry room, where the
priest proceeded to enter the particulars
relating to the marriage In the registry
book.
Now 1 must pause here TO inform
the reader that in Russia 1t was the
custom for the priest, and not the par
ties who were married, to sign the
names of the bride and bridegroom IN
the marriage registry. Alexander
TroubetskoI, the priest, was placed. as
the saying is, between two tres- If he
had not obeyed the Counts orders, be
would have been shot. On the othe'
hand, If the Countess Dowager found
ont what he had done, something else
as bad, or worse, would probably hap
pan. To escape from the dilemma ht
entered in the register Michael Tokh-
tamish Instead of Ivan CheraSki rs the
name OF the bridegroom The partie;
who were interested did not observe
the substitution. The register wa:
restored to its place, and the Count
and Countess Cheraski left secretly fol
Paris that day.
For five years they lived very hap
pily IN France, and then the count dle6
leaving the Countess a widow with tw,
children. His mother had died abou
a year before and Troubetskoi expired
shortly after they left the village .
Narovel, where the marriage tool
place. On the death of her husband
the Countess went to the province o
Minsk, in Russia, to claim his estate
on behalf of herself and his children
The claim was opposed by his family
who produced the register which bOr
evidence OF her marriage, not Will
Ivan Cheraski, but with Michael Tokh
tamish. There seemed, then, no us
In resorting to legal proceedings, as th
evidence of the witnesses to the mar
riage. who were all serfs, would b
worthless against the evidence OF tn
marriage register. Accordingly tn
Countess, as she was not dejure, II no
defacto, returned to France. Partly
by the sale of her jewelTy and partl
owing to her husband having investe'
some money in their joint names Il
French per cent. Ientes she had
little more than 5000, and with thi
capital she opened sort of boardin
house in PARIS. Here she had bee
living for about two years when
young Englishman named Edwin
Marstou came to stop at her establish
meut for few days Up to the pres
ent have not said anything about tn
character or appearance OF the Counties
CheraskI, because so far, l have merel
been reciting n number OF facts whicI
are necessary 10 enable the reader {
understand the curious tale that "
ere approaching. That she was elthe
pretty or handsome or beautiful j
some sense or other, the reader WI
probably anticipate from the fact OF u
Count having fallen In love with hei
II | mention that she was tall, Wit
dark hair and aquiline features,
who are interested in the matter ca
i'll up the rest of her portrait TO SUI
their own tastes. In character 50
must have been of rather trustful dl.
position, as Will, 1 think. sppear fror
her conduct to Mr.. Marstou- he wa
her senior by about two years, and Ia
been practicing as surgeon and phys
clan for some time in poor district /
the east end of London. When d
first came to her house he did not 10
tend to remain many days in Pari!
but his stay was prolonged for one re'
sou OF another over a space or aoot
three weeks, during which time ne an
the Countess had contracted very slI
cere friendship for each other. tlnail
on the night before he lett she told MI
her story, and asked him II he coui
see any way IN which she could estal
lish the rights of herself and children
Not at present." said Mr. Marstoi