The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-10-19

"a. co UNITY, Da & OTA, j
|'tsborh in lin playingS nging, il the
fnll Joy of the libertt z II possessed
him-the liberty ofthssS Sagie; king of
the DIR; Of the Cossaek hing of tho
desert. .ss Z
Infthe village Of sts III work it was
with the solicitpde ot niser that he
hid his treasure from p eyes of all,
but when he found bins falone again
in the shadows of. .ti.e q lest OF in the
iInmensity of the plaiK9 when no eye
saw him, oenA heard Nm yhe opened
his long overcoat of thIk cloth, took
the instrument that ~ married upon
his heart and played.
1t was thus That upri8 8ht one even
ing, under q heaven pun sand studded
with stars. he drew frSgn tho har-
monious. chords, notes 4 inexpressi-
ble sweetness and mel acholy. All
noises were hushed ab0nt him; the
insects that wavered always above
that emerald. SEQ troubiM not even
by the whirring 6f 8 win the silence
impressive and anbtihA Vlasia
dreamed as no played .af d dreaming,
saw before him the. .shnde of heroes
whose s6rpses hid 0ncs lin thick as
.seaveasupdn this soil ins s,Ise deadly
struggles between the Turtary and
Ottomnns.
Then the steppc began to talk to
him, and the wind had passed across
the long grasses to bring him the
echo ofa plaintivc voice, and soon
the words of an old song (a nearly
forgotten song by Hmielnizki, the
Cossack), that floated in the air all
sweet with perfume. The voice ap-
proached always, and suddenly ~
charming head emerged from the
green waves. a fairy of the stcppe,
perhaps. her eyes, dark and soft, en-
pressing profound astonisllmcnt; her
face of ravisling beauty; her breast
covered with strings of coral and So
quins Of gold. A fairy of the steppc?
by no means, for the hair that was
imprisoned under the silken kercllicf
was brown-not blonde, like ripenlng
wlleat-and she carried upon her en-
broilcred cllemise and her gay-color-
ell robe IL soukmunna of cloth blue as
the heavens.
The heart of Vlasin bounded in his
breast, while Do,lena, motionlcss
three steps from him, pluclied IL
flower, tlcnanother, then still a third,
striving to conceal her trouble.
ut is thou, then, who playest 30
we'll, she said Mt last. but Vlasin,
without replying IL single word,
recommended his melodies, directing
his steps toward the depths of the
steppe. Thcencllantcd violin showing
itself truly worthy of it's name, the
younggirl, fascinated by those ar-
dent and passionate strains, follow
ing by his side with Il lingering, hesi-
tating step, then with one more as
s'lred, until presently she placed her
hand upon the arm Of DorOscllcnkn,
and when he raised his voiceand sang
she sang also with him-n duo, YOU
would have said, of the br;,zcn bour-
don. and the silver bell.
hwy "''.hcu iof ~ ioilS CiNne hhp-
Wy as u palf OF blrls upon u bough,
aha tiierG'itef returned to meet
again every evening, but without
giving cach other u rendezvous.
Vlasin now conducted himself very
differently from i'll the past. He
c'tri'ica MS hcaii nigh, no longer low
cfe1 ms eyes lntrlversing the streets,
nhn WhGh ne played the young girls,
cl..Iiiea as go4en9; hafk DeeeI., etl, ,Glps-
1ered at ms heels. HE t'ccd them
ilot, howevef,out went With no OTHER
lho.sh5 !han 10 reloln her who
.lM'.lted hm under the humid and
vHgue iisht OF the stars IN the
midst Oh the steppe which undulated
pinck ana murinur1ng as the sea.
helorc long, us was to be expected,
Inc fumor began to circulate that
Doroschenka had a magic violin with
whlcli nc bewltched the hearts OF the
De'l'lties young ana old. l'nt one
oundny, as tlle girls ana boys were
unltea at the steps OF the church
.ll.ef tlle Denedictlons were over, and
tlle parents grouped about them,
imus'1S amns T;dai themselves with Their diver
SONS. Niasn came from the temple
ms instrument IN his hand. Hardly
ilad ne placed his foot upon the
threshold when q dozen voices began
10 cry IN threatening tones: :.
~ 10 the water with the sorcerer!
70 thc water, anu IN with lllm!' and
the not heads threw themselves to-
wards him to do as they were bid.
Vlasin dld not stir, but TRANQUILITY
raised hls bow and played. They
stopped to listen, and as the sounds
grew1narketl the cadence louder and
more engaging, boys and girls began
to dance, and soon the parents them
selves, unable to resist that delicious
music, joined their children and even
rlyaled them in the ardor and zeal
with which they wIllrled and plrouct-
ted.
Doroschenka had nothing more to
fear from his iellow-citizens, and one
day, not long after this, when the old
!tetzkor bctook himself to the house
OF priest and implored divine assIs-
tance to deliver llis daughter Do,ena
from the spell laid upon her by that
rasca!ly Doroschenka, the priest only
H1nlIDI nnfI alnnE hIS hpnh