The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1895-12-21

tnan his tenderness, more than h1ai
pleasant conversation, more than hiss
bandaged arm, was his silence, often
accompanied by hevy signs. Indeed,
her curiosity and imagination uponi
such occasions were almost beyond hers
control. She could not help acknoWl4l
edging that he took more than an orr
binary interest in her, while, on the
other hand, he, too, must have OBJ
the only one who received her atten-z
ton. I
=
One morning while Paraskovia Pc
trovna was busily engaged in looking
over an old almanac, Brunin entered
her rOOm - 7
Can Masha be seen?" he asked I
"You will see her in the garden" :
replied the old woman. II will expect
you to have dinner with U.S." i
AS Brunin went out Paraskovia Pe,i
trovna crossed herself, supplicating
the Almighty that the proposal of mar
riage might take place. {
Brunin found Masha by the pond,
under 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 ridding
themselves-andt that was for Brunin
to open his heart. And so he did,
But l 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 / am. It is
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 tortureti
Try to forget and forgive me, dear
Masha. l am unworthy of you. That
| obstacle II
''That obstacle always existed" said
Masha, in suppressed voice" l could
never be your wife, s
Il know" he replied, quietly; "I
know that you once have loved But
he is dead, and time effaces the sweet
est Of memories. The tn ought that I
might have been happy with you if
''Not another word, for Gods sake!
Not another word; you torment me-"
eyes. I know. I feel that I might
have been happy; that you might have
| been mine. but. oh, miserable man that
am, I am married." i
Masha looked at him aghast for a
moment, hardly realizing her whereas
| bouts Z
eyes, am married man." resumed
Brunin, more firmly, "but l have not
| the slightest idea who my wife is,
| where she is, whether I shall ever see
her again" n
"1s it possible?" exclaimed Masha,
| scarcely being able to control her ,eN
citement; ''is it possible? Tell me sss,st
about it! 1 will-later"' ''assa
I'm the beginning of 1872" said Bru-
MN, Il was on my way to Vino. where
our regiment was ;hen stationed. 1t
was cold night. storm was raging.
we lost our way, and my driver was in
| despair. But as l was in great haste
to reach Vino, I ordered him to pro-
| ccod regardless of the weather. We
| crossed hills and valleys and rivers,
and, after being frozen almost to
death. entered a village AS we drove
along the street I suddenly beheld q
light: a few minutes later we found
ourselves in front of a church. 1t was
dlmly illuminated; some people were
inside. This way, this way I heard
several voices shouting. I ordered the
driver to stop the horses. What have
you been doing all this while? re-
marked some one; why. your girl is in
despair; the minister was at loss to
know what to do, and we We're just
ready to drive home Without con-
sidering the situation I entered the
church and was soon directed to
dark corner, where, upon bench, Law
the bride, while girl. evidently her
maid .busied herself about her.
Thanked be the lord, you are here at
last! cried the girl to me. why, the
baruishnia (maid) is overcome with
grief l had no sooner directed my
attention from the bride when the
half-blind old minister approa ched,
asking me if 1 was ready for the,
altar.
Certainly, certainly said I. hardly
knowing what I was about. The bride
was helped to the altar; she impressed
me as a good-looking girl-oh wretch
ed man that I am!
II took the plate beside her at the
altar. The minister was impatient.
the three witnesses and the maid sup
ported the bride, and it seemed that
their entire attention was given to
her. We were married. Kiss each
other commanded the minister, after
the ceremony was over. Ny wife re-
moved the veil from her face and |
was ready to kiss her She drew back.
shrek: Away! away! it is not her
''AIl turned their frightened eyes on
me. I retreatcd quietly. threw my
self into the sleigh, and was soon out
of the village, leaving a scene of
horror behind me.
MY God'' exclaimed Masha. "and
you have no idea what has become
of your poor wife?''
''Not the slightest nor do know the
name of that village or where it is
situated. I thought so little at the
time of such tricks that it soon cscared
my memory. My driver, who was
with me at that time, has long since
died in the war-and here I am. with |
not the slightest prospects of ever
finding the woman on whom / played |
such cruel joke.
"And do you no longer recognize the |
girl whom you married on that stormy
night?" cried Masha, clasping her
hands.
Brunin looked pale and fell at her
feet.-Alexander Pushkin, in Romance.