The Dickinson press., 1895-11-16

very indignant letter, declaring his
determination lever to cross their
threshold, asking them to forget him,
the unhappiest of mortals, aud con-
Guiding that death was his only hope
aid consolation. A few days later
they heard that Vludimlr had entered
the army. This occurred in 1872.
The Franco-R russian war drew to its
close.
Although still surrounded by q host
of admirers, Masha was as cool ana
Indifferent to them as at the time
when she first came to the city. She
changed, however, her opinion, when
one fine morning q wounded colonel,
Brunin, with a medal and q Georgian
cross in his button hole, and q very
handsome and attractive face, which
seemed the more interesting because
Of Its paleness, was introduced to her.
He was quite young-in the neighbor-
hood Of thirty-two or thirty-three.
As to Brunin, DO was certainly Q dns
: sSF ala fsd}le ss1r.f Hs ear.e VIC lei ssio -.
fails to please women.
He appeared to be quite settled
and reserved, although rumor had it
TINT once upon q time he was tho
greatest mischief-maker living. This,
however, did not lower him In Masha's
estimation. On the contrary, she re-
garded his past tricks as something
quite natural to youth and activity.
What had interested her most, more
than his tenderness, more than his
pleasant conversation, more than his
bandaged arm, was his silence, often
accompanied by hevy signs. Indeed,
her curiosity and Imagination upon
such occasions were almost beyond her
control. She could not help acknOwl-
edging that he took more than an or.
binary interest in her, while, on the
other hand, he, too, must have OBJ
served that Of all her admirers he was
The only one who received her atteu-
lion.
One morning while Par0skovia Pc
rovna was busily engaged in looking
,ver an old almanac, Brunin entered
ler ROOM.
"Can Masha be SEEM" he asked.
"You will see her In the garden"
replied the old woman. II will expect
you to have dinner with U.S."
AS brunin went out Paraskovia Pc
'rovna crossed herself. s%upplicatins
the Almighty that the proposal of mar
riage might take place.
BrunAn found Masha by the pond,
under a willow, all dressed in white,
and with a book in her hands. "a
real" he thought to himself. After
the first few words Mahsa cut the con-
versation short, thus ~effecting that
mutual embarrassment from which
there was but one way Of Kidding
themselves-and that was for Brunin
to open his heart. And SO he did.
"But I have acted carelessly, most
carelessly, by seeing and hearing you
every day. l have no right to seek
your acquaintance and friendship.
oh, wretched man that I am. 1t ID
too late, too late, now! Your memory
will always haunt me, your charming
image will give me no peace. Oh.
that I could be spared this torture!
Try to forget and forgive me. dear
Masha. I am unworthy Of you. That
Obstacle
"That obstacle always existed,' said
Mnsha, in a suppressed voice." I could
II know" he replied, quietly; 81
know that you once have loved. But
he Is dead, and time effaces the sweet
est of memories. The til ought that ]
might have been happy with you If"
Not another word, for Gods sake!
Not another word; you torment me-
eyes, l know. I feel that I might
have been happy; that you might have
been mine, but, oh, miserable man that
I am. I am married."