The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-09-29

quietude Of life. They were di.sppointcd,
however, when n number Of sweIls, ready
hearts To the charming young heircss,
though she never encouraged any OF them,
S mo:SIr snsir h oS:s. syesY evening sne 4, her her
would always avoid discussius this matter.
the iivine-he died In Moscow Al The time
when the French entered that city-yet
the memory of the man she had loved
thing that had any ~association with his
past, his hooks, his drawings, his music.
as well as the verses which he had copied
Her friends often admired her hrmness
and wondered at her devotion, but
a hero capable Of c-onquerins the heart
OF this virgin Artemesia.
In the meantime tine Franco-Russian
were returning from the battle field.
Young and old turned Oat to meet
them win. appropriate songs and music.
CROSSES and medals-a mark OF distinc-
ton not so easily attained i'm our army.
Here and there a soldier would he sur,
eagerly listen to his heroic tales of the
war. French and German words were
A time of rapture and glory! A time
never tn he forgotten by our cOuntrymen
And the women! Dur women mt that
serve vanished, their joy and glory knew
no bounds, their rapture was Intoxicating;
when meeting The heroes they shouted
Up i'm the air went their caps.
The great event OF the return of the
be even more appreciated in the little
towns aud villages than i'm the large cities.
The appearance of an officer In a small
as "a great event. Mammals with mar
riageable daughters adored him, young
mnidens would dream OF him while the
pletely thrown into the shade by the hero
OF the day, generally wished that he had
never come to their town.
Although still surrounded by q host Of
admirers Masha was as cool and indiffer-
ent to them rs at the time when she first
her opinion when one fine afternoon a
wounded colonel, Brunin, with q medal
and a Georgian cross I'M his
and a very handsome and attractive face,
which seemed the more interesting be-
cause of it's paleness, was to
erhoa ne ." ~"" th ar.se SoS or three. "' Masea,
OF course, made an exception in his case.
She would talk tn him upon various sub
presence and although no one could
charge her with ~coquetry or filtration, yet
bad a poet seen them he would surely
have said:
5 amor non e, che dunche 2" As to
brunin. he was certainly N line, amiabie
ESo om is ,,% W., ne pa asse ~ Sich 'n nalti ss,s sa; 1s
to please women. His relations to Masha
were unrcstrained and quite natural, and
there was something more than mere
friendship between them. He appeared
tn he quite settled and reserved, although
the greatest mischicf-makcr living This,
however, did not lower him in Masha's
estimation. On the contrary. she resarsi-
ural to youth and activity. What had in
terested her most, more than his tender
tions, more than his bandagcd arm,
by heavy. signs. Indeed, her curios-
cSsions were almost Beyond her con-
troll. She could not help acknowledging
that he took more than an ordinary inter-
est In her, while on the other hand he, too,
must have observed that of all her admir-
ers he was the only one who received her
falling AT her feet and declaring his love?
What WAS the cause? Was IL that timidity
which goes hand and hand with true love,
She reflected upon the matter and came to
the conclusion that imidit could he the
only cause. Her impatience grew stronger
and stronger. Suspense, OF whatever ma
ture il might he, and especially when love
is at stake, is always burtiensome tn wo-
her roon"his f,ce naier than usual and
his beautiful eyes expressing that d
ness which IL both bcwitching and power
ful. She thought the lonH-wished-for mo
ment had come at last. but the 'dcclara-
ton" was not made.
Her ~ncighbors and friends in the mean
time discussed her wedding as IL matter of
fact, while her mother was simply delight
ed with her prospective son-in-law. Thus
time passed ON.
One morning, while Paraskovia Pctrov-
ma. was busily engaged i'm looking over an
old almanac, Brunin entered her room.
Gan Masha he seen 2" he asked. "You
will see her i'm the GARDEN replied the
old onian ~ will expect you to have
dinner with u.s." AS Brunin went out
Paraskovia Petrovna crossed herself, sup
plicating the Almighty that the proposal
OF marriage might take place.
Brunin found Masha 10y the pond under
n willow, all DRESSED in white and with "A
book in her hands. "A real heroine of n
novel;" he thought to himself. After the
first few words Masha cut the CONVERSE
ton short, thus cifecting that mutual en-
barrassuncut from which there was but
one way of Kidding themselves-and that
was for Brunin TAI open his heart. And SO
he did. He fell on his knees, declaring in
a most solemn and impassioned voice that
he loved her most dearly. that his life
without her was not worth living. But
he said. ~ have acted carelessly, most
carelessly, by seeing and hearing You
every day l had no right to seek your ac-
quaintance and friendship. oh, wretched
man that / am. 1t il too late. too late.
now! Your will always haunt
me, your charming image will give me no
peace. oh. that l could he spared this
tortured! Try to forget and to forgive me.
dear Masha. 1 am unworthy of you!