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

again over his cheerleSS and mOnOtOn-
GUS surroundings, it was bitterly cold.
AS he drove along, contemplating all
sorts Of means to eXtricate himself
from his perilous position, he beheld a
village, consisting of four or five little
huts. He directed his horse toward it,
and as he reached the first hut began
to rattle at the window with all the
might of man for whom there is
nothing left but despair. A few mo-
! ments later the window raised, and
Long gray beard. apparently belonging
to the master of the house, became
visible.
"What Is it you want"'
"Can you tell me how far it is to
~Dslnadrino?''
"Dshadrino! Dshadrino! Let me see
I reckon it will be about ten versts.''
| A t1hunderbolt or an electric shock
could not have had more effect upon
| Vladimir than these words. He re-
! NAMED upon the spot, mOtiOnless, like
a man doomed to death.
And where do you come from?' re-
srImed the old man.
! Vladimir had no patience to answer
| his question. "Can 1 hire your horse
to take me there?" he uttered at last
Hire my horse? Why, man, wait
till buy one"
'"Then give me a guide. I will pay
| him all he wants for his services"
''This I'll do. Just wait a second; I'll
send my son and he will take you
there" said the old man, disappearing
in the darkness.
| The young fellow, armed with a
dubina, soon appeared and without
losing any time, started on their way
to Dshadrino. Morning dawned when
they reached their destination. The
church was locked. After paying his
guide he directed his steps toward the
| minister's house. Alas! his team was
not to be seen there How sad the
news that awaited him!
But let us return to Nenaradovo and
! see what is going on in Gavrilo Gavril-
| ovitch's house.
| Nothing in particular
AS usual, the old folks rose early in
| the morning Gavrilo Gavrilovitch ap-
pearing in his ancient "kolpak'' and
felt jacket, and Paraskovia Petrovna
j in her warm morning gown. The
samovar. was brought in, the table
was set, and as Masha failed to ap-
pear in the gostinnui, or dining room
a servant maid was dispatched to her
apartment to inquire how she slept
during the night and how she felt in
general The maid soon returned, an
nouncing that the baruishinia (miss)
had had restless night, but that she
felt much better Low, and would soon
! join them at the table. The maid had
no sooner made her report than. Masha
| appeared. approaching her papenka
| and mamenka with an affectiOnate
/ good morning.
| How is your health, dear?' in
! Qllired Gavrilo Gavrilovitch.
II feel much better, papa" replied
NIasha
'You must have caught cold, Ma
sha," interposed Paraskovia Petrovna.
THAT may be. mamenka.''
The day passed quietly, but towards
evening Masha fell sick. A doctor
was Immediately sent for. and when
he arrived. two hours later he found
the patient in a state of delirium. 1t
soon developed into high fever, and
for two weeks the poor girl hovered
| between life and death.
No one in the house had the slight
est idea about the intended elopement.
The letter which she addressed the
night previous she destroyed as soon
as she returned home, and the maid,
fearing to incur the anger and punish
ment of her master, kept the secret to
herself. The minister and witnesses
| We're alike reticent about the matter
| (they had good cause for it). And as
| to Tereshka. Nladimir'S driver. he
knew we'll how to keep a secret, even
| when drunk, and more so when sober.
Thus the secret was kept sacred by
over half dozen conspirators But
"a in
to unrayel the mystery. Yet her moth
er, who never left her daughters room.
paid no attention to her words. She
merely ascribed them to the fact of
Masha being in love with Vladimir.
thinking that in all proba bility her un-
successful love was the chief cause of
her sickness. Something had to be
done, and one fine morning she con-
suited her husband and some Of their
nelghbOrs as to the advisa bilty of
gratifying Masha's wish.
in the meantime Masha became con-
valescent Vladimir was no longer to
be seen in Gavrilo Gavrilovitchs
house. The rude reception offered him
during his last visit kept him aloof
from their house. One more council
was held. and it was decided to write
and ask him to pay a visit But their
surprise may be imagined when. in an
swer to their invitation, he wrote a
very indignant letter, declaring his
determination never to cross their
threshold, asking them to forget him,
the unhappiest Of mortals, and con-
Guiding that death was his only hope
and consolation. A few days later
they heard that Vladimir had entered
the army. This occurred in 1912.
The FrancoRussian war drew to it's
close.
Although still surrounded by a host
OF admirers, Masha was as cool and
indifferent to them as at the time
when she first came to the city. She
changed. however, her opinion, when
one fine morning wounded colonel,
Brunin. with medal and a Georgian
cross in his button hole, and a 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 CT thirtytwo OF thirty-three.
AS to Brunln, he was certainly fine
young fellow. He possessed that hui
NOR and self-pespect which seldom