Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-10-09

by over half dozen conspirators. But
Masha herself in her delirium began to
unrayel the mystery. Yet her mother,
Who never left her daughters room,
paid no attention to her words. She
merely ascribed them to the fact of
Masha being in love with Vladimir,
thinking that in all probability her
unsuccessful love was the chief cause
or her sickness. Something had 10 be
done, and one fine morning she con-
suited Ler husband and some of their
nelghbors as to the advisability of graf
Tying Masha's wish. All came to the
conclusion that such was Masha's lot !;
that the inevitable must happen; that
poverty is no crime; that it is not riches
that make the man, but vice versa, and
so forth. When our conscience is
pricked and We find no justification for
our despo:ic deeds We generally cling to
highly moral texts. which upon other
occasions may not convey the slightest
meaning to US.
In the meantime Masha became con-
valescent. Vlad mir was no longer to
be seen in Gavrilo Gavriloyitch' s
house. The rude reception offered him
during his last visit kept him aloof
from their house. One more council
was held and it was decided to write
and ask him TO pay visit. But their
surprise may be imagined when in
answer to their invitation he wrote a
very Indignant letter, declaring his
determination never to cross their
threshold, asking them to forget him,
the unhappiest of mortals, and conclud-
ing that death was his only hope and
consolation. A few days later they
heard that Vladimir had entered the
army. This occurred in 1872.
Weeks and months passed by and
none dared to speak of Vladimir in
Masha's presence. She, in her turn,
never mentioned his name. At the
end of four months, while glancing over
daily paper, she happened to s.e his
name mentioned among those mortally
wounded In the hattie at Borodino. She
became almost Frustrated with grief
and grave fears were once more enter
tanned as to the possible consequences.
Nothing serious, however, was the
result. Five weeks later Gavrilo
Gavrilovitch died, leaving to Masha
all his possessions. But her fortune
never cheered her. Poor Paraskovia
Petrovna was almost overcome with
grief and Masha's attention was now
wholly devoted to her mother. Nena-
radovo, with its sorrowful recollections,
was no longer attractive to them, and
they decided TO leave it ard make their
home in the city of n. There, amid
the new surroundings. they thought
they would enjoy the peace and quie-
tude of life. They were disappointed,
however, when a number of swells,
ready at any moment to offer thei
hands and hearts to the charming
young heiress, though she never encour-
aged any of them, crowded their house
every evening. Her mother would oc-
casionally speak to her on the subject
of marriage, but Masha would always
avoid discussing this matter. Although
Vladimir was no longer among the liv-
ing-he died at Moscow at the time
when the French entered that city
yet the memory of the man she had
loved was sacred to her; at least she
kept everything that had any associa-
tion with his past, his books, his draw
ings, his music, as well as the verses
which he had copied expressly for her.
Her friends often admired her firm
ness and wondered at her devotion, but
many were anxious and impatient to
see a hero capable of conquering the
llCdAb Va lAAlo III <h1
In the meantime the Franco-Russ.an
war drew to its close. Our regiments
were returning from the battlefield.
Young and old turned out to meet them
with appropriate songs and music. Our
gallant officers were bedecked with
crosses and medals mark of distinc-
ton not so easily attained in our army.
Here and there a soldier would be sur
rounded by a group of people, who
would eagerly listen to his heroic tales
of the war. French and German words
were hberably used by the soldiers in
their talk. A time of rapture and
gloryl A time never to be forgotten by
our countrymen.
And the womenl Our women at
that time were irreproachablel Their
usual reserve vanished, their Joy and
glory knew no bounds, their rapture
was intoxicating; when meeting the
heroes they shouted hurrah, and up
in the air went their caps.
The great event of the return of the
Il acmy and the close of the war seemed
TO be more appreciated in the little
towns and villages than in the large
cites. The appearance of an officer in
a small town was looked upon by its
inhabitants as great event. Mammas
with marriageable daughters adored
him, young maidens would dream of
him, while the swallow-tailed young
men, being completely thrown into the
shade by the hero of the day, generally
wished that he had never come to their
town.
Although still surrounded by host
of admirers MaSha was as cool and in
different to them as at the time when
she first came to the city. She changed,
however, her opinion when one fine
afternoon a wounded colonel, Brunln.
with a medal and a Georgian cross in
his buttonhole, and a very handsome
and attractive face, which seemed the
more interesting because of its pale
ness, was introduced to her. He was
quite young-in the nelghbOThooi of
thirty-two or three. Masha, of course,
made an exception in his case. She
would talk to him upon various sub
jecIs, would become animated III his
presence, and although none could
charge her with coquetry or fintaLion,
yet had a poet seen them he would
have surely said:
ssSe amor non e, che dunche?" AS to
Brunin, he was certainly a fine, ami
able young fellow. He possessed that
sense of humor and self-respect which
seldom fails TO please women. His re-
lations TO Masha were unrestrained and
quite natural, and yet one could see
almost at a glance that there was some
thing more than mere friendship be-
tween them. He appeared 10 he quite
settled and reserved. although rumor
had it That once upon a time he was
the greatest mischiefmaker living.
This, however, did not lower him in
Masha's estimation. On the contrary,
She regarded his past tricks as some