The morning call., 1891-01-11

Ii required great exertion of will-pOwer
to keep from swooning, SO did her heart sink
within her. And yet she knew not why, for
her place in life was beside her husband.
His arm was the one for her to lean upon;
his wishes were the only ones she needed TO
respect.
Not until Rouskine had lifted her into the
boat and placed the tiller-ropes into her
hands did Tatiana come to full conscious
ness. The river breeze revived her, and, as
her thoughts went back to the happy days
of their early love, when life seemed so
bright and.promising, ana their boat gttded
hither and thither over that beautiful
stream, he at the oars and she at the tiller.
even as at that moment. she felt her heart
giving its 0ld-time beat, and she tried to catch
Rouskine's eye so as to smile upon him.
But il was impossible His face was con-
stantly ayertrd. His dark and lowering
gianres seemed riveted upon the river bank
as il he were in earnest search for some
enc or some thing. Nearer and nearer their
boat approached the spot where the senes
had been cast and the river banks were
black with people Tatana saw that her
husband was rowing wildly. His face was
now turned completely away from her.
i" klrill hlrlllultch," she murmured.
But the mans ears were closed TO the
world. had she shrieked his name, he
would not have heard it. The demons of
hell were narrowing their circle about him.
HI soul was in awful peril.
Tatiana followed the direction Of his eyes
and she saw that the tall singularly graceful
form of the school mistress was there
on the river bank. Her beauty marked her
among the hundreds. She lowered above
them like a goddess among mortalS. She
seemed divinely beautiful to Tatiana.
"Kiriil Kiri!iuitch!" cried the wife I'M
plorngly as she saw her husband spellbound
at sight of the school mistress.
At that instant a chorus of cries arose on
the river bank:
Take care. Look ont there for that line"
These wild cries bewildered Tatiana, and
dropping the tiller ropes, she sprang up and
turned look Of pitliul entreaty toward the
excited crowd OF men, women and children.
RouSkine, too, was on his feet, and. pretend
ing to make a wild reach to catch the line
with his oar, he let it Slip, and, striking his
vile in the side, it hurled her into The water
head first. a cry of horror went up on all
sides.
Miserable wretchl' screamed Sophie,
he has killed her." and without stopping
to think that from being unable to swim she
would be poweress TO aid iii the rescue, the
young woman rushed down to the waters
edge al d began wading out towards the spot
where Tatiana had disappeared
y QUILL drown; come back, Sophie Sal
vichna," cried shrill, but clear and ringing
oh Id 5 voice.
1t was Macha. and Sophie halted.
1t required but a moment for several Of
the best swimmers to strip off their heavy
overcoats and boots and plunge into the
water.
Macha and Sophie stood wringing their
hands and sobbing upon the bank while
these things were going on.
Suddenly Tatana'S pale face came up for
an Instant. There was an angelic radiance
upon it as it turned toward little Macha.
Mamma! Mamma" shrieked the child
as she struggled to break from the strong
hands OF the friends who held her back.
"Iu Gods name" she pleaded, let me
go! can swim, can dive, can save herr'
But the people knew that all that could
be would be done.
Like man stupefied with liquor Rous
k inc sat in his boat with his gaze fixed on
the spot where Tatiana had disappeared.
An instant before that he had murmured,
"She must dep and now his lips mum
bled, 81 didn't strike her hard enough
Arrest that mani - commanded the Com
missioner.
"Goodl That's right He knocked her
overheard! We saw him!' were the cries
that went uD from the crowd.
1t required but moment for the stout
arms TO drag the boat ashore and pinion
Rouskne Meanwhile minute after minute
of precious time slipped by. Again and
again the sturdy divers disappeared, only to
come empty-handed to the surface again.
Sophie Savichna was now the calmest
person in the vast crowd. At her command
a number of hot stones had been taken from
the bonfire and wrapped in flannel under
wear. Watch in hand, Sophie Savichna
stood like an antique statue amid the Sob
bling, praying multitude.
lone minute more and it will be too
| late," she whispered.
A Joyous shout, which was taken I'D and
repeated on both sides OF the river, now
rent the air. The divers had been success
full, and were swimming in with the frail-
and lifeless body of Rnuskine's wife. The
minute they reached the bank voice soft
as wOman's and yet round and trumpet
| like, rang out above the din of weeping,
sobbng and cheering. 1t was Sophie Sa-
vichna'S.
Fall backl fall back! 1 can save her if
you'll obey mel I'm graduate of the In
| perial Medical College of Perm. Fall back
Give me plenty of air and lightW
The crowd made haste to obey. and, form
! ing in huge circle around the beautiful
| Sophie-from whose eyes streamed an al
most celestial radiance-they watched the
movements Of the school-mistress and her
assistants in deep and breathiess silence.
The men and women whom Sophie had
summoned to aid her in restoring Tatiana to
| life yielded that implicit obedience which is
born of perfect confidence.
To all appearances Tatiaua was dead,
Macha wrung her little hands and sobbed:
''Oh, dear little soul, come back to us-come
back to usT
The slight and wasted form of Tatiana
was first gently inclined head downward
| until the lungs had been empted of water;
! then the hot stones, wrapped in flannel,
were applied 10 various parts of her body,
and the rubbing and chahng began, reliefs
being stationed at hand TO take the place of
those who showed signs of WEAKNESS. Lit
! tie Macha watched Sophie's face with an
expression of mingled love and trustfulness
that moved the schOo-mistress deeply.
Minute after minute went by and vet
there were no signs of life. A silence SO
i deep sank upon the multitude that the low
| ripping of the river could be heard
| Suddenly there was commotion around
the body of Tatiana, and the crowd drew
| long breath of relief
But no, the little circle had only closed in
more compactly around Sophie. She was
entirely hidden from view. Exactly what
! happened never was known, but it was