Daily Republican., 1888-04-18
Mx uaILD Love. .

u
tives made when they heard I WA
lgoIng of to Russia TO become the to
tor OF . parcel Of girls and boys.
had income enough to live on, ant
every one / knew seemed to thinh
that / ought TO become q barrister Oh
become celebrated in some way Of
another.
l do not exactly know why l tool
the tutorship In Russia unless 1t was Il
satisfy whim, and because I hat
nothing particular to do Just at tha
time. | Iarrived at my destination on,
very cold December day, feeling 30 ir
ritated In mind over the wearisome
journey that l hardly thawed oui
when Madame Estrokoff and her hus.
band received me 90 cordially.
My pupils dropped In one by one
and were presented, three boys vary.
Ing from eleven TO sixteen and d young
lady OF seventeen or so.
An hsur later the last pupil arrived,
a girl of twelve.
see her now as plainly % on that
day, In her simple frock, her golden
hair lying In long curls on her shoul-
ders. her great blue eyes looking half
frightened at me.
played draugbts with her that
evening and lost every game.
In fact, devoted myself more 10
the study OF her sweet face than to the
board.
There was no denying 1t; / had
committed two acts of folly Tor which
the world would brand me as luna
tic.
l had fallen In love at first sight,
and the object of my attachment was
neither more nor less than twelve
years old. -..-.-
l was greatly puzzled, as time
went on, to discover that was quite
alone in my admiration of Ludmeis.
All the family scquaintances were
lost In admiration at the charms OF
Mademoiselle Estrokoff.
Only TO one unworthy seeker had
the exceeding fairness OF the little one
revealed itself.
l remember my mother, who was
fond OF quaint theories and curious
conceits, always maintained thst the
mere presence in the same room OF q
person Of strong character always ex.
ercised certain influence, either for
good or evil, on the weaker persons
around them. .-I
l had not been in the room with
Ludmela for Ave minutes ere felt her
influence ard knew that was in the
presence OF one whose face was but
the mirror Of her soul.
Her whole life, during the year that
l knew her, was one long self-denial
utterly unostentatious, and there
fore utterly unrecognized.
10 this day do not know whether
her sweet caresslng ways came OF af-
fection, or from desire TO give a fel
low creature pleasure.
Whatever prompted her action, my
lille with her was all happiness:
For one year-ah, how quickly it
went byl-1 was her confidant, her
friend, and seldom left her side.
AT uight kept myself awake long
lug for the day to come and reunite
US.
For hours l would sit, her little
hand In mine, happy as l shall never
be again, until we meet again in some
other world, as l clasp her hands
again as In the days of old.
One year alter (the anniversary, II
1t was, of the day on which
we had first met, she said-I remem-
Der her words-"My good old friend"
cher favorite name for me), "shall you
be offended if l 90 out for half an
hourS There is one more place on the
sledge"
She went; there was an accident,
and she returned to die
Her last words were for me.
"Do not forget Blue eyesr'
Darling, God is witness that never
for one short moment have forgotten
you'll"
l went to her funeral: the rest
dropped wreaths on her coffin.
The world always drops wreaths on
collins, even after it has broken the
heart lying there.
dropped tears, bitter tears, for my
life's joy gone tor ever.
The night after the funeral | started
back tor England.
visited the Eslrokoffs year or two !
back.
All my old pupils had married ire
proachably.
Ludmela's name was not mentioned,
and did not mention 1t.
l only went and sat by her grave,
and fancied l still held her little hand, !!
md looked into her face as in days
gone by.