The morning call., 1891-01-08
A BURIAL IN THE
CARPATHIANS,
Y MEN VIVA
Queen of Roumania).
CONTINUED

did not move, but only fixed his eyes upon
one, then upon the other, while they, petri-
fed and nailed to the floor, regarded the
dead with sort of stupor. The pale face
Of their mother seemed to SMILE as if she
was happy at the thought Of their being so
near her.
" Goodnight, papa" said Mad at last her
teeth chattering with cold aud fear.
:" Goodnight, MadelIonette = my little
Mad-good- might, Ben, my Benino," he
said, kissing them. Now go-leave me
alone"
They understand that he restraints him.
self, and retire, casting last furtive glance
at the dead one, and carrying with them to
their little cold beds-where no one comes
to join their hands in the accustomed
prayer-a tear OF pity for their father.
They had interrupted his pleasant retro
spection. The sight of them had brought
him back to stern reality, and despair again
settled over him. He was like danger
time quiet, and then. with the least step
upon the floor or the slightest hit against
the bed, returns sharper than before.
be rose, walked for moment round the
room, then threw himself upon the dead
body OF his wife and covered with kisses the
clasped hands, the eyes, the lips. He en-
twined his feyerish fingers among the waves
OF the flowing black hair, then wept and
sobbed from the depths OF his soul. Ex-
hausted, lie threw himself upon divan in
the corner OF the apartment, where he lay
until, suilocated by tears and convulsive
coughing, he was forced to hasten to the
window and raise it for air.
The snow rushed in, whirled among the
dIaperies and put out the candles. Not to
See her for every moment which remained
OF the last hours before the eternal separa-
ti0n-the irrev0cable adieu, 1t seemed too
cruel, aud lie closed the window and re-
lighted the candles. She was still there
she smiled upon him. Through those dis
tracted kisses the lips had parted, show
ing between them the milky whiteness of her
teeth.
Excited, ne wondered if it were possible to
take her from the coffin, place her on his
knees, and warm her into life again against
his breast. They were coming soon to carry
her away and lay her in the frozen ground
She who a few hours before had calmly
slept in his arms, recovering, as he thought.
He had watched her for long time without
moving, so as not TO waken her she had con-
tinued 10 sleep until he had perceived that
heI heart had stopped beating. Then he had
pressed his lips upon her mouth to take her
breath but it was the chill of death that lie
inhaled. Yes, she was certainly dead, for
she had not returned his kiss. To bring her
to life again was impossible.
Again lie paced up and down the room !;
and lie thought of how he had been called to
Roumania TO help construct railway in the
Carpatbisns; and with how much hesitation
he had inquired of his wife II size had the
courage to leave her home and follow him
so far awav-She and the children? How
calmly she had answered, u Will go" as II
it were matter of course.
And now the fairy-like charming ClarisSe
was lying cold and lifeless between four
rough pieces of board. An anxious mother,
she had imprudently arisen with uncovered
feet one winter night to care for her chill
dren and thus gained her death. lhe blame
was his-his alone. He ought not to have
exposed her to this severe climate. Tor
tured by bitter remOrse, he seized pistol
that flung over the fir-tree table whereon he
designed his plans, examined IT, and then
placed the barrel against his temple. As he
was about to pull the trigger he thought Of
his children. And voice sounded In his ear
the word-coward!
He returned the pistol to its place on the
wall, reseated himself, buried his face in his
hands, and, heaving deep sigh, resolved TO
bear his suffering to the end
A mass of snow detached from the roof
fell against the window with heavy sound,
and then swept along the wall 1t was a
not-she whom he would have received with
such dellrium of joy if God would have
wrought the miracle. How patiently she
had borne her eXile-the solitude. the cold
the WEAKNESS Of the strange language. the
prlvations OF their life! There, in her old
nome, she had been used to marble pavings.
Jets OF water running into basins. negroes
who obeyed the slightest sign-piueappies
peaches and oranges. Here were unsteady
floors covered with coarse Carpets, chalky
whlte pare walls-huek leberries. strawber-
rleS and Wild raspberries. But never a word
OF complaint or gesture of regret, except
once when he had brought her basket of
peaches from the city and her eyes had filed
with tears.
"CIarisse" he called, In a low voice
"Clarisse"
The storm drowned his forlorD appeal.
He repeated 1t rapidly and with pausing,
like a litany of supplicaton and mourning.
As the sound Of the ''S'' died away lie start
ed at the altered tone of his own voice,
when, for moment the shrieking winds
were quiet; and alarmed, his eyes wandered
into the dark corners of the room, as if to
see some one there. Then he Gained him
self.
And thus passed the long, interminable
night watch.
Toward morning the wind abated, but the
snow still fell heavily ami slowly. Now and
then small avalanche rolled off the roof or
the walls, interrupting the almost palpable
silence. 1t had become so deep that it
seemed as il neither men nor beasts could
venture out into it.
But the bells of the monastery OF Sinaia
sounded the funeral knell. The monks
sought the peasants and hunters to ascertain
how they could succeed in conveying the
dead from Isver to the cemetery of POLAND
Tapului the Chamois meadow)-the dis
lance of league. They advised using buff
faloes as the easiest means of clearing the
way. Accordingly, a pair was brought to
the door, in which Delhormie, the engineer,
stood, calm and cool. He fixed his eyes
vaguely upon the black beasts, with their
huge horns turned back upon their should
ers. while their bodies touched the snow.
The men explained why they had been
brought there. but thought he did not un-
derstand, he was SO indifferent. He signed
to them to enter the house. A monk, III the
dress of his office, approached the coffin and
sprinked holy water over the dead, at the
same time pron0unclng nasal prayer.
DelhOrmie had left the room that he might
see nottingham nothing But the chill
dren inquired of the nurse what was being
done to their mamma in the room and what
the sounds of tine hammer meant. Martha
could not restrain her tears.
"What makes you cry, Maritza| asked
Ben, while great drops ran down his own
cheeks.
AT this moment Mad, who had stolen into
the room, came back very pale. Come,
Martha, conie," she said; they are shut
ting mamma up in that dreadful narrow
box; do not let them do it." And she drew
her by the wrist, but as she would not fol-
low her the child went back and threw her
self upon the men to arrest the strokes of
the hammer.
ut is my mamma who is in therev' she
cried, in Roumanche.
NO" replied an old peasant; mo, my
God; she is no longer in there; there is only
a body in there which she no longer needs
| will show thee where she has flown"
And he took her delicate little hand in his
own hard and calloused one, and conducted
her gently to window in the next room.
Look at that little corner of blue there
between the opening OF the clouds; thy
mamma has flown there he said.
II want to go with her; l want to go!'
cried Mad.
Meanwhile the men had raised the bier |
The buffaioes went on in advance; then fol- |
lowed the monk with his long beard and |
Dalmatian mantle; behind him the singers |
ntouing tho psalms; then came the coffin, |
followed by Delh0rmie. They were four
hours in reaching the Chamois meadow.
Dark clouds covered the tops of their |
funeral capes the frs appeared as if draped |
in heavy shrouds. Down in the valley, |
whers the waters of the Prahova flowed, |
the blocks of ice fell back against the |
borders of the banks.
The march was tedious one Now and |