Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-08
SCRATCHED OUT.

SCRAICHED UUT.
During the earlier years of the present cen
tury the Russian nobses ruled their house
holds With high hand Accordingly, when
the Dowager Countess Cheraski found that
her only son Ivan, young man OF about u
years. was engaged to marry beautiful serf
% mis- estates she forth with banished him TO
France. and ordered the girl, 70 whom be was
engaged TO marry another serf Immediately
As her commands mad 10 be obeyed, poor
Sophia Uschakof for that was the girls
name. went with her father. some SIX days
after the counts departure, 10 the chapel
where the marriage service was 70 oe PEI
formed. There were present, beside ner
father and herself, Michael Tokbtamish the
bridegroom his father, and the priest, an
Old man who was upward of 20 years Of age
Inc service had scarcely commenced when
the door Of the little chapel opened, and Ivan
Cherasgi, the Young count, entered with
revolver in his hand
You thought was out Of the country
he aid. but not 20: have been hiding my
time not far away from here knew all
about the infamous attempt 70 marry my be-
trotned 10 this clown, and have come 70
prevent it. Everything is ready-the priest,
the altar and the bride So, my good father,
you will please marry NE TO Sophia Uscha-
kotY al once, or you and Michael Tokhtamish
shall die before five minutes are over"
do not know what would have happened
II the priest had refused 10 obey the counts
order As have said, Russian mobiles used to
BE-. ard very likely still are, rather high
handel especially in dealing with their de-
pendents At all events, Ivan Cherask was
a nobleman armed with a revolver, Michael
Tokhtamish was only serf who might have
been shot for the fun Of the thing. while the
priest vas a very inhrm old man, and bound,
moreover, by his religion 10 discountenance
bioodshed So the serf stood aside, the no
bleman took his place. the priest performed
the service. and in a few minutes Ivan Che
raski and Sophia Usehakoff were man and
wife The service over, the company entered
the vestrv room, where the priest proceeded
10 enter the particulars relating to the mar
rage in the registry book
Now / must pause here TO inform the
reader that in Russia it was the custom for
the priest, and not the parties who were mar
ned. to sign the names Of the bride and the
bridegroom in the marriage register. Alex
ander rroubetskoi. the priest, was placed, as
not obeyed the counts orders he would have
been shot On the other hand If the countess
dowager found out what he had done, some
thing else as bad, or worse, would probably
happen. To escape from the dilemma he en-
tered In the register Michael Tokhtamish
instead Of Ivan Cheraski as the name OF the
bridegroom. The parties who were inter
ested did not observe the substitution. The
tie ,l.na md no
Count ana Countess Cberaski left secretly
for Paris that evening.
For five years they lived very happily in
France, and then the count died, leaving the
countess a widow with two children. His
mother had died about a year before, and
Troubetskoi expired shortly after they left
the village Of Narouel, where the marriage
took place On the death of her husband the
countess went TO the province OF Minsk, in
Russia TO claim his estate on behalf of her
self and his children The claim was OPP
posed by his family, who produced the reg
ter which bore evidence OF her marriage,
not with Ivan Cheraski but with Michael
Tokhtamish There seemed, then, to be no
use in resorting to legal proceedings, as the
evidence OF the witnesses TO the marriage
who we're all serfs, would be worthless
ter Accordingly the countess, as she was
de iure, If not de facto, returned TO France.
Partly by the sale of her jewery and partly
owing to her husband having invested some
money In their joint names In French per
cent rentes she had little more than GO, 900,
and with this capital she opened a sort of
boarding house in Paris. Here she had been
living for about two years when a young
a No
stop at her establishment for a few days
Up to the present have not said anything
about the character or appearance Of
the Countess Cheraski. because, so far, |
have merely been reciting number of facts
which are necessary TO enable the reader to
understand the curious tale that We are ap-
preaching That she was either pretty, or
handsome, or beautiful, in some sense or
other, the reader will probably anticipate
from the fact Of the count having fallen in
love with her II mention that she was
tall, with dark hair and aquiline features, all
who are interested in the matter can fill up
the rest Of her portrait to suit their own
tastes In character she must have been Of a
rather trustful disposition, as will think,
appear from her conduct to Mr. Marston.
He was her senior by about two years, and
clan for some time in a very poor district in
the east end OF London. When he first came
to her house he did not intend to remain
many days in Paris, but his stay was pro
longed for one reason or another over a
space Of about three weeks, during which
time he and the countess had contracted a
very sincere friendship for each other
Finally, on the night before he left, she told
him her story, and asked him if he could see
rights OF herself and children
Not at present. said Mr. Marston, when
he had listened attentively to her story; but
| shall think the matter over"
The next day Mr. Marston left for London,
having babe the countess a cordial farewell,
and promised to write to her at once if any
idea should occur to him with regard to the
recovery of her title and estates
More than a month passed away, during
which she did not bear from him, and, con
sequently was beginning to think that he
had probably forgotten all about her, or he
would have written, when one evening the
servant came up stairs to say that Mr. Mar
ston was in the par!or on the ground floor.
and would like to see her
al have been thinking ever since left
you he said, when they had greeted each
other. "of the extraordinary history you told
me. And think now that | see my way to
overcome your difficulties But you will
have & exercise great patience It will take
me probably y ar, perhaps more, to carry
cut my plans. shall have to go to Russia