Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-06-02

'If any of you gentlemen have lived
continually in Moscow" began Chero-
muhin, laying his pipe aside, you
have surely noticed that a periodical
invasion of white-walled Mother Mos
COW by our provincial brethren usually
begins before Christmas. Almost at
the same time with the appearance of
frozen meat and turkeys in the game
market, there stretch In, through all
the barriers, endles caravans of kibit-
kas and all kinds of winter eCuipages
containing whole families Of landhold-
ers Fastening to have good time in
the capital, examine male candidates
for marriage, show their daughters in
society, and spend in a fw weeks all
they have saved during the year.
But in 1895 this increase of tempo
rary residents began with the first
SLOW; and, according to the oldest in
habitants, the ancient capital had not
teen so crowded, or rather crammed,
for many a year. The managers of the
Mobiles Club shrugged their shoulders
whenever they had less than two thou
sand guests at a ball, and laid the
blame on the Italian Medoxi, who gave
masquerades in the halls and rotunda
of the Petrovski Theater
Indeed, public masquerades at
which people did not dance, but stifed
and crushed one another-were during
that winter the favorite amusement of
the people of Moscow
Among the constant visitors at
these emasquerades was certain young
man, but not from the interior. Ivan
Nikolaievich Zerin was his name. He
had Just returned from foreign parts,
had lived long in Italy, loved music
passiouately, and always spoke of the
italian opera with transport that
turned almost into madness whenever
conversation touched a certain prima
donna at the Neapolitan Theater.
In conversation he called her Lauretta,
but would not discover to any of his
acquain tances the name by which she
was known in the musical world. 1t
was evident In every way that not en-
thusiasm for art alone had aroused his
admiration; and though Zorin did not
confide his heart secret to any man. all
his friends, and / in that number,
could guess why he seemed always
sad and dull and grew animated only
when conversation touched the Italian
opera. His un broken sadness, with
pining aud a certain gloomy despon-
dency which the English would call
spleen, we simply called hypochondria,
and laughed at the doctor when he
shook his head over the mental disease
of our friend. oh, stop, Fomich? we
would say; what pleasure do you find
in stuffing him with pills? Prescribe u
couple of bottles of champagne day,
five or six balls week, with dose of
masquerade and theaters; that will be
better than your depressing and ex-
citing medicines
mo matter how Foma Fomich re-
sisted at first he decided at last to lis
ten to our counsel and to advise Zorin
quersde.
I'm real truth, through taking part
in all the amusements of the city, our
patient seemed to grow calmer and
more cheerful Sometimes he failed to
visit the theater and refused an invita-
tion to Il ball but he always came
among the first to a masquerade and
went away last
81 was serving at that time in the
guards my leave of absence ended
with the first week in Lent, and to
avoid trouble l was obliged to start for
st. Peters burg on Monday of that week.
Wishing to take advantage of the last
days of my leave and rejoice in full
measure, passed the whole carnival in
boundless fashion. In the day time
breakfasts with pancakes, sleigh-rides
formal dinners; in the evening, thea
ters. and at night, balls and private
fnasquerades till morning dawn. This
round of amusement gave me no time
to collect my senses. / was in a sort Of
walking dream and lost sight of my
friend Zorin completely.
ION Sunday-that is, the last day of
the carnival went to the public mas
ouerade earlier than usual. There was
a throng Of people; every door had to
be taken by assault, and by force alone
was ! able to reach the rotunda in a
quarter Of an hour. Music, loud con-
1ersation, and the assumed tones Of
masks who, although suffocating from
heat, ceased not to be amiable and
talk nonsense; the binding light of
crystal lustres; the many-colored
dresses, and that sound of the unintel-
ligible but deafcning talk of multi
tudinous mass of persons resolved to
be amused at any sacritice-confused
me at first to such a degree that
FOR some minutes / neither heard
nor saw anything. Wishing to draw
breath, began to seek place where
I might look around little. While