The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-12-10

COutAgc III cunning. TOT Juc tuOntnS
which we spent on the frontier would
have been well-nigh unbearable with
out her constant and untiring efforts to
make both soldiers and officers look at
the bright side of things When she APP
peared among us with ner memories of
Paris, her joyful animation, her sweet,
gay, silvery voice and her great eyes
sparkling alike with mirth and with
health, every face frightened, and the
dullcst hours were changed into
dreams of wonderland. How conld we
complain of the privations which this
pctted court beauty accepted so uncom-
plainingly and with such happy grace?
She arranged her suite of miserable
rooms in n truly marvellous fashion
with heavy carpets and draperies, con-
cealing the dingy walls beneath mel
low-tinted, Eastern embroideries, and
Uttered the tables and consoles with
books and bric-a-brac until the place
resembled a palace. Although such a
small creature, she had an indomitable
spirit, and was famous sportswoman.
| She shot, fished, drove and rode better
than any woman / have ever known.
She was passiorately fond of the most
dangerous of sports, and even made a
point of sharing our bear and wolf
hunts. She was not one of those wom-
en- who are apt to hamper men by re-
quiring protection and attention in mo-
ments of danger, for she could be de-
pended upon to see to her own safety
under any kind of circumstance, and
possessed such pluck and courage that
she never gave us any trouble wha:so-
ever. Moreover, she was continually
planning some amusement or other
TO enliven the long winter evenings, and
even succeeded in organizing some pri-
vate theatricals for the special benefit
of our soldiers and their wives. So the
months passed and winter came on-a
| bitter, cold winter. Sudden storms
and heavy falls of snow had whitened
the plains and barred the dark forests
of the Carpathian range. The icy wind
blew like hurricane and the wolves
came down in hungry bands to the
lonely steppes. The whole landscape
was frozen and dazzling. The great
stars seemed to burn in the northern
sky and the rays of the silvery moon
made the night almost as clear as day.
The intense cold, the sweeping wind,
the sense of profound solitude that en-
vironed us exercised salutary effect
upon officers and men, and we plunged
| with enthusiasm into the winter
sports, which were our only relaxation
| and amusement. We spent most of our
days out of doors in violent exercise,
riding, sleighing or skating in the
teeth of an east wind, Swimming like
swallows down the frozen course of
the river. No doubt the country was
monotonous and bare, and yet, with its
vast white solitudes, its fiocks of wild
fowl, it's reedy wastes, its countless
frozen streams, it was grand in its own
peculiar way. AS soon as the hush of
winter had settled down around us our
little princess got into the habit of
having four black stations harnessed
to her sleigh, and, wrapped in furs to
her eyes, she would drive her high
| mettled steeds over the silent plains,
| stopping at the huts of the poorest
peasants and bringing light and COM
fort with her wherever she went.
Little by little she won her way into
the homes and hearts of the half-sav-
age and suspicious people. She was
not easily discouraged or rebuffed, and
she did much good among the poor and
also among our soldiers.
In January the inhabitants began to
complain bitterly of the depredations
committed by the wolves, and the prin-
| cess urged us to organize wolf hunt
on the next clear moonlight night. The
| wild beasts were Infatuated by hunger
and ready for anything. On the 18th
of January we started in two sleighs
which were drawn by young and swift
horses and driven by clever and skillful
coachmen. The princess coachman
was Russian, who emitted peculiar
sound, something between whirr and
a whistle, that seemed to have a mag
ical effect on the team, and every few
minutes he employed this incentive
with so good a result that we soon left
far behind us the sleigh containing our
companions. AS my good fortune
would have it accompanied the prin-
cess and her husband, together with
another young officer, Count S..
The night was piercingly cold. There
was no break on the wide steppe, save
here and there clump of somber pine
trees. The frozen plains stretched end
lessly around us, dotted here and there
by patches of reeds and rushes. Very
soon we heard the sound of wolf
pack, bowling gruesomely from afar.
The sleigh dashed on, the half frantic
horses tearing their way over the hard.
glittering snow. Suddenly the howl
ing of the wolves was heard drawing
nearer, and presently we were able to
distinguish the phosphorescent CLEAN
emitted by their glaring eyes, even be-
fore we could define their forms. A
bundle of straw had been tied behind
the sleigh, and was being trailed along