The Washington times., 1894-08-12
The L0u6rS Of Nafalia.
By II. SUTHERLAND EDWARDS.
IAuthor of "Malvina," "The Germans IL
France" etc, etcl

After making one last passionate appeal to
Natalia Gontcharoff, who, unaffected by the
young mans agitation, remained perfectly
throw up his appointment as tutor in Gen.
Gontcharoff's family and enter the army.
There will be war with Turkey before
long he said to himself. land l will get my
commission or bullet in the body the day
we cross the Danube. The prejudiced old
general will think better of me then; and if
before the end of the campaign 1 get made
superior officer-which Is more than posi-
ble-he will. perhaps, listen to my prayers
and give me his daughter. As chief of a regi-
ment ne may respect me. But what does he
care for Il tutor? l am like the dirt beneath
his feet Then. speaking aloud, he ex-
claimed: You will hear OF me again, Natalia
Ivanovna."
Goodbye, Anton Borodic," was her only
answer My brother is about to enter tho
cadet school," she added after a pause. land
my father will probably not want your
services any more"
Those words deprived Anton Borodin's de-
parture rs they were intended to do, of nil
tragic significance. Leaving Natalia's pres
ence with final gesture ofdespair, the young
that for certain family reasons OF the fist i'm
portance he must ask permission to give up
his engagement at once, received II check
from the general, whom this proposed ar
-angcmcat suited perfectly, and after few
words @. farewell to tho bog who. until now.
had been under his care, yent to his bed
room. packed up his not very burdcnsome
supply OF Clothes rang for tho servant to
carry his trunk downstairs and place it on "a
droschki, gave the man I fow roubles, and
then drove 10 the nearest Russian hotel. Not,
that is to say, to 4 cosmopolitan hotel. such rs
may now be found in every large capital, but
n sort OF caravanserai, where rooms with bare
walls, scGnty furniture, cnd questionable
beds. were ell that the visitor could obtain.
Borodin dined ct a restaurant, ordered 2
Jew clothicr 20 call upon him at his cara
vanscrGi. and IN tho evening sold all his
wardrobo--evcrything, indeed, that he pos
sesscd. except his oldest suit. Attircd in this,
he went the next morning to the barracks OF
the PreobrajcrsH regiment OF the Imperial
Guard, and offered himself for service in the
ranks. Being young, tall, and strong, he was
at once accepted. Then casting aside his
wcll-worn civilian clothes, he put on Tho uni
form of the historic corps he had now joined,
aud, with some other recruits, all of them
peasants, was taken into the barrack yard for
his first drill.
1t happened, strangely enough, that on that
same day Col. MiliutIn, of the general staff,
vas transferred for rcgincntal duty to the
Probrnjcnski. His rank was that Of heuten-
ant colonel, and he had been placed in COM
mand OF one of the ba:talions, tho very ono to
which Anton Dorodin had bcen assigned.
Borodin know Col. Miliutin little from
5aving seen him at tho house of the Cont
chnrofrs. wherc he was one Of the numerous
admirers by whom Natalia, in her character
of pretty girl. was constantly surrounded
Among the other men most conspicuous in
their attentions to her was an enterprising