The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-09-19

crying in turns. When l was close to
them they sometimes spoke French. AS
soon as it was light l never let my eyes
leave her face. Her eyes were large
and dark, but her hair was like gold,
and hung down her back wet on her
black cloak"
"Stand at attention, sir" said the
President, sharply.
The prisoner stood erect again and
resumed his story.
"The morning was clear and frosty.
The man had fallen several times dur
ing the night. His strength was gone.
/ saw he was pale as death, and blood
oozed from his mouth. The woman
grew frantic with fear that he would be
caught. The man, however, could go
no further. He lay down on the snow,
just as we were leaving the woods and
coming out on the steppe. l thought
he would have died. l took him in my
arms and carried him verst after verst
until my strength was gone, and felt
fever coming over me. But the woman
never noticed me, and once or twice,
when l turned to look at her from un-
der my burden, l saw that her eyes
were fixed on the face of the man car
ried. I could hold out ne longer. I
fell on the snow and tainted. How long
1 lay there [ can not say. Whether or
not 1 dreamed 1 am unable to tell the
court. l don't think it could have been
dream. l thought saw a troika come
noiselessly over the snow and heard the
breathing of horses"
"Do you mean to tell the court this
was dream? Can you give no further
particulars about the troika or its
driver?" interrupted the President.
mo, Your Excellency; the horses
were black, thought, and | know their
eyes shone brightly; the sledge also
seemed to be black: 1t came silently,
it went away with gently ringing bells,
like silver bells. When came to my
senses it was showing hard. The wet
flakes awoke me, think. 1 gazed
around me on all sides. was alone. I
thought of my dream. There were no
hoof-marks, no traces of sledge-runnerS,
nothing but the level, trackless snow.
Perhaps the snow had filed up the track,
perhaps-perhaps there was some other
reason Your Excellency, felt myself
forsaken I could not understand it.
was mad and cried aloud. Suddenly
I noticed, pinned to my coat scrap OF
paper with pencil writing on it, 1t was
taken from me when l gave myself up,
! I'll never forget the words-'We can
not take you with us further. Save
| yourself as best you can. My husband
and l will always pray for YOU Oh,
| Excellency l saw it all then, and SAT
down in the snow and wept and cursed.
I loved that woman. Yes, l was a
fool"
"And a traitor" interpolated the Pres
ident, scowling.
"And a traitor, if Your Excellency
says so, but did not think of that then.
/ thought only of my love, of how
had been betrayed, of my hurt pride.
Your Excellency knows the rest"
"The sentence of the court is thai
Private Taofim Stoyan take the place o.
the escaped prisoner in the mine at
| Gorkaya-Balka He will remain there
during the pleasure of His Imperia
Majesty"
That evening the young soldier wa;
chained to the stanchion.
Three years later a man and woman
on Ellis Island suddenly encountered
each other.
She starts and gasps:
"The soldier!"
While he eXclaims:
"The womanw
There is no time for more. She ha
passed the inspectors and hurried to tn
little steamer that is to convey her t.
New York. He is pushed back for tn
inspectors may not reach his case for
day or two.
But he lands at last. Where shall b
find her? He finds employment, an
then for six months spends all hi
leisure in the quest. At last he meet
her. She is coming out of theatel
He touches her sleeve. No word
spoken then, but, as if by mutual in
stinct, they enter the nearestt cafe.
Five minutes later he has said:
"I have always loved you. You be
long to me. Since you say your hus
band is dead, you are mine"
"But you have no money glancing q
his shabby clothes.
81 can earn it." he pleads. "a ma
who loves as I do can fail in nothing.
The next day they were married b
a priest of the Greek Church. Was
! love or gratitude that prompted th
| woman, upon her third brief meeting
; to grant so muchP
: The priest, gazing after them as the
departed, murmured:
q have united a goddess and hero.
N j. Journal.