Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-05-17


Cesca is my name-Cesca Melin. !
was born at Westerns, Sweden, not far
from Stockholm, in 1856. My father,
Grefve Carl Melin, was an officer of high
rank in the kings army. My mother,
Grefvinna Carlotta Bertha, descended
from one of the Oldest families about
Waxholm.
Before had arrived ut the Importance
of 10 years my parents died.
Olef Olsen, the only son of barrister,
was fance to me. He begged me to stop
longer at Westerns; but l had come into
possession of the 100000 kronor left to
me by my father in his will, and being
seized by sudden desire to see the
world and all that is in it uttered cry
of delight upon the morning of the Sd of
June, 1SS-, when received letter from
America postmarked New York, which
upon opening l found had been jointly
written by my great-great-uncle Ivan
Trolsky and his wife Vera, who had
gone from Cronstadt, in Russia, to the
states two years previous.
| had frequently been visitor at their
house at Cronstadt, my uncle and aunt
both being natives of Stockholm. And
being readers of the Swedish newspa-
pers, Ivan and Vera had come upon the
announcement of my succession to my
fathers fortune-a fact which seemed to
highly impress them, for they congratu.
lated me upon it, at the same time ex.
tending pressing invitation to pay them
an early visit, underscoring the assur.
ance that would be most affectionately
welcomed.
Of course l read this letter to Olef,
who, now that my parents were gone,
found no person sufficiently interested
in me to interpose caste objections to our
suit of wooing.
From the very outset Olef seriously
opposed my uncle and aunt's invita-.
ton. 1t was but quite natural that he
should, inasmuch as we were betrothed,
and the dear, good lad wanted to possess
me wholly in person.
But in spite of Olefs protests my spirit
bent itself to my minds selfishness, and
early in August departed from Scandi-
navia by one of the Swedish line OF
steamships, arriving in New York upon
the 2Sth day of the month, and was most
profusely welcomed by Ivan and Vera.
"How charming you have grown" ex-
claimed my aunt, after the salutations
had ended.
"But not half as charming as her
dot" cautiously whispered Ivan.
"Silence, idiot! The girl will hear
you!" protested Vera, angrily. "Dear
niece" she continued anew, suddenly
turning to me, ''you won't mind Ivan's
and my little tete-a-tete now and then,
will you? We are both SO deeply inter
ested in your welfare, you know, that
we find it hard enough to do for you.
To our great disadvantage we are far
from being rich in worldly goods, and
we fear that however great may be our
attention it will not compare with your
surroundings at home"
"My dear aunt and uncle" replied, sit
is not in the quantity of our efforts, but
in the quality, that the heart finds richest
enjoyment" And although | noticed
that Ivan WINGED as made the remark
paid no further attention to it at the
time, but begging my aunt to show me
to my apartment bade Ivan good night
and we left him.
Arrived at my room l kissed Vera,
and as she went away bolted my door,
threw myself, exhausted, in my travel.
ing gown upon the bed, buried my face
in my pillow, and in spite of myself,
overcome by Olefs absence and my
great distance from home, now that the
stimulating excitement of my voyage
was ended, l burst into tears, while be.
tween my sobs my sorrowing heart
again and again repeated Ivan's strange
words, mot half as charming as her
dot"
Was positively ugly, then? l began
to rummage the past What if my dowry
had been Olef's sole motive for winning
my hand after all? Was it his main rea.
son for wishing me to stop in Swedeni
Am ugly? l repeated. To which Truth
gave me but one answer. My mirror
had never turned from me with disdain.
w udI, tntI, ulu ivan ultdH!
Surfeited by them, lost in Curious sus.
picions, fell into bothered sleep. MOI
did | recover consciousness again until
morning dawned, when my eyes were
Jared open by sound rapping at my
door and voice that softly asked:
care you awake, Cesca dearf"
eyes, Aunt Vera"
| breakfast is waiting for you, my
dear" she replied in inviting tones
"Will you be down soons'
Fright away, aunt" and | heard the
echo Of her footsteps as she descended
| the staircase.
"How fresh you look! You must hav.
enjoyed a most quiet night Of sleep,
was Ivan's greeting, as | gained my
place at the table.
l was ashamed to explain to then
that | had not taken my clothes of
during all of those hours; that my
dreams had coined themselves into page
upon pages Of horrors, and that, al
though | h;.d hurriedly convinced my
self by brief glance in my glass that
did look comparatively fresh, l really
could not quite make out why, after my
whole night Of misery, should moi
present the appearance of fright.
The breakfast was progressing when Q
ring came at the door and telegraph
messenger was admitted bearing dis
patch addressed to my aunt. Nervously
she received it, raggedly tearing 1t open
as one unused to the receipt Of messages
Anything to payT asked my uncl'
while Vera read over the dispatch.
mo, SIR" replied the lad.
There is no answer. You may go,
my aunt added.