Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-10-10
4 Curious Love Scene.
David Kerr.

Moonlight over the terrace of the car S
country palace at Peterof. A tall, hand
some young officer in the uniform of the
Russian imperial guard and a girl i'm q
costly bal dress leaning over the carved
balustrales of the terrace hand in hand, OF
gazing silently into each others eyes.
'Will you not tell me your name, even
uow?' asked the young man at length. in
a tone Of tender entreaty.
"Oh no no notyeti answered the girl.
TREMENDOUSLY. Let us be happy while we
can it will not be for long,
mot for loug?' echoed the young Off
Ger, wonderingly "Why. what possible
harm can come to us from mysimply know
ing who you are, dearest? Tell me what
all this means.
81 can not tell you, must not tell You,
she replied despairingy, Ever since
that day when We first met in the woods
1.-THE happiest day of my life
ever since then She continued,
have been dreading that each meeting
would be our last; for ifany living soul
were even to suspect that we have met and
spoken thus
But just then there came a stranger and
startling Interruption
A vast black shadow fell athwart the
moonlight, and a towering figure in the
gorgeous uniform of Russian Cuissier
came striding toward them along the ter
race.
There We're few men who would not have
recognized at a glance that massive head
and gigantic form, and those cold piercing
eyes which no touch of human feeling had
ever softened
Daughter, said he, in a cold mcasur-
ed tone, more ominous of evil than the
nojsiest anger, they are looking for you
IN the ball-rOOm go quickly
AT the word daughter the young
guardsman started as if he had been shot
He had no difficulty in guessing who his
mysterious lady love was, when her father
stood before him In the person Of Nicholas,
emperor OF Russial
The ear waited till the young grand
duchess had disappeared and then turning
to her lover, asked in the deepest tones Of
his commanding voice;
who are you?
In clear uufaltering tone the doomed
man told his name and rank Nicholas
started slightly, as if that name were TAMIL
lar to him, and then he said codly:
Follow me,
So saying be led the Young subaItern
(who followed with a firm step as ii he
were going 10 a court ball instead Of 10 ape
parenty certain DEATH away from the
main front of the palace through q low
side door and mp winding stair into a
small room which seered % have no fur
niturc beyond a chair, q writlug-tablc and
a lamp suspended above it,
The car seated himself and. looking
keenly at the young Russian, said IN the
deepest tones Of his commanding voice:
Now, what have You 70 say
Nothing answered the glardsman,
with the reckless courage Of despair II
might say, indeed and truly that knew
not who rer imperial highness was. but
will not even plead that excuse. My life
is in your male-ty's hands-d with it as
yon will
Their eyes met and for a moment the two
men gazed fxedly al each other in silence
Then the car turned round to the table
and began 10 write
Was il death sentence that was being
written 70 quickly and coolly?
Suddenly Nicholas rose and handed
him a sealed letter addressed to the vice
roy Of the Caucasus.
Take this letter, said he, "and stoT
not by day or night till you deliver ii.
The young officer bowed and departed
without a word upon journey Of several
thousand miles, which might very possibly
have q violent and shameful death at the
end Of it.
Meanwhile Nicholas went back to the
ballroom. with the very ghost Of a smile
playing over his marble features like moon
light upon a statue He thought that he
had merely got rid Of presumptuous lad,
and was doubtless well pleased to have
done so What he had really done