The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-05-28
Maruscha starts up and razes at ma

much happiness Vladimir" she cries.
Our love has brought thee only
suffering."I reply wofully. And 1
see not the end of it."
Thou can'stnotmean it Vladimir!'
she gasps. Thou wouldst not drive
me from thee before-before the last.
And whittier wouldst thou 60 tonight?
Where wilt thou hide? Oh leave me
not in ignorance, Or shall 20 mad."
hit her to my arms again.
'Ma"uscha" l said firmly, thou
seest the mischief l have already
wrought. l have resolved that it
shall be enough, SO help me God. l
will ruin no moro Of my fellow-crea-
lures by forcing myself on them.
Thou wouldst not wish it? l leave
Petersburg tonight, so now. since it
must be. give me one kiss and leave
me; like the brave girl thou art::'
| raise her face, but she only
clings to me more closely, and fixes
on me a look Of such movng
appeal that l am fain to turn. from
it, as l tremble for my man
hood. Then again that broken.
pleading voice
Let me stay with thee ap|. help
thee, if thou wilt-if thou must go to-
night. Deny me not this consolation
the last. swear to thee l swear l
will not utter a single plant nor shed
a tear if thou wilt let me stay,
Vladimir. and if thou sendest me from
thee now l will will die on the
street."
When l say to Maruscha, BE con-
tent, thou shalt have thy way. she
gives me a solemn grateful kiss. and
a great calm descends on her. At
once she takes the initiative, pushes
me gently into a chair: and hastens to
place such food as she can before me.
'First thou must eat she says.
decisively. and l offer no objections
for God only knows when and where l
may get another meal!
| eat hea THY of the bread and ham
she places for me. and drink the
whole of a bottle Of beer. Meanwhile
she bustles about seeking clothes for
me to put OLA pair Of stout boots. a
coat. a felt hat of Ivan's. She also
fetches his razor and puts a pair of
scissors ready to hand, moving swiftly
and silently. When I have finished
eating, she stands ready to cut my
hair: and. like a second Samson. l
am speedily shorn of my locks. For
a moment. her task done. she regards
me-. and softly laughs.
have no time to think for myself.
for she thinks and acts on the thought
SO quickly. Already she is handing
me the razor. The water and soap
stand ready: and she is holding a small
mirror where the light of the lamp
my fall or it.
'NoW thou must shave"
The operation Of shaving is perhaps
the last a mar would care to have his
sweetheart assist at. The situation.
even at this moment, strikes me as
ludicrous. It is certainly extraordin-
airy, but am getting hardened to en-
traordlnary situations. l grasp the
razor, look up once into Maruscha's
eyes to exchange with her a smile, and
square my elbows to the task.
have hitherto been proud of my
strong curling beard and heavy mus
tache: in a few minutes they are no
longer mine-they lie on the table be-
fore me, and I am staring blankly at
my changed aspect in the glass.
Again my eyes seek Maruscha's: l
meet them fixed with wide amaze on
my face.
vladimir" she says. at length.
thy own mother would not know
thee!n
And thou" I ask, with a pang
for my departed glory. ''WqQldst
thou not have known me. Maruscha:"
'Of course I would" she replies,
her eyes softening to infinite tender
ness. under my anxious ones. But
truly it is surprising the difference in
thy appearance. No disguise could
be more perfect
She puts the mirror back on it's
nail against the wall and proceeds to
make sandwiches of the rest of the
bread and ham, putting them up in
several parcels, which she deposits in
my coat pockets whilst l am drawing
on Ivan's boots. Fortunately he has
a large foot for his size and the misfit
is on the right side.
Maruscha is done first, and she
comes and stands in front of me.
when we part. Vladimir" she be-
gins. with an effort to subdue the
tremor in her voice, where wilt thou
go first?'
! 'Westward--I will keep moving
westward toward the frontier" re.
DlV DrOmDt1v .aOf co,,rso m,ct ha