Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-02-24

in love with her and about to approach
her with proposal which she was by
no means inclined to accept. And
yet, like many another woman under
similar circumstances, she was flat
tered by his passion, and, being
drawn to him by the magnetism OF
sincere friendship, she had not the
heart to cut their agreeable acquaint-
ance short.
He procured some lessons for her,
escorting her home after supper and
took her to theatres and public lee
lures. All of which attention she
would accept with secret self-condem-
nation, each time vowing in her heart
that on the following evening she
would change her restaurant. Never
theless, and perhaps unbeknown to
herself, she even grew exacting, and
on one occasion, when she had ex-
pressed desire to see Duse in Mag
da, and he remarked thereupon, with
profusion of impulsive apologies, that
he was kept from the pleasure of TAX
ing her to the performance by previ-
GUS engagement, her face fell, and for
five minutes she did not answer his
questions and witticisms except in
rigid monosyllables. This augured
we'll for him, he thought He did not
yield, but at the next walk they took
together he popped the question" in
rather original way.
They stood in front of the house in
which she had her room. He had bid
her goodnight and was about to doif
his hat with that .dashing sweep of his
which makes him ten years younger,
when lie checked himself, and said, as
though in jest;
SIS it not foolish, Parma Roush-
etzka?"
"What is foolish9" she queried,
without shadow of presentiment as to
what was coming.
"Why, the way we go on living
separately, each without what could
justly be called home. 1 an madly
in love with you, Parma Roushetzka,
and I feel like devoting my life to
your happiness"
She stood eyeing the door of a
house across the street and made no
response.
"Panna Roushetzka!" he implored
her tremulously.
"Ill give you my answer to-mor-
row." she whispered.
Mime. Roushetzka has not come
yet, has she? Any letters for me?"
Smirnoff asked the next evening, as he
entered the little restaurant with his
usual blitheness. Like some others
of the customers he received his mail
at the restaurateur's address.
The Frenchman handed him letter.
When he opened it he read, in Rus
sian, the following:
"Much respected Aleksey Alekse-
evitch-I am the unhappiest woman
in the world to-day. 1 confess [ was
not blind to the nature of your feel
ings toward me, but was too much of
woman and an egoist to forego the
pleasure of your very hattering kind
ness to me. Forgive me, / pray you,
dear Aleksey Alekseevitch; but my
answer must be of negative charac-
Ter. L have been crying like baby
since last night for having led you
into a false position. Do forgive me.
Your sincere friend,
"MARIA RoUsHETzKA."
"Do you forgive me? L beg you
again and again"
Smirnoff had had too many sue
cesses and failures in life to let this
defeat hurt his pride deeply. But he
was overcome with n poignant sense
of loneliness, coupled with a cruel
consciousness OF his old age. At the
same time he sincerely regretted the
pain he had caused the widow, and
out Of sympathy for her as well as for
the opportunity Of seeing her, he
secured another interview with her,
which took place in one of the remote
hooks of Tompkins Square.
'I wish to reassure you, Parma
Roushetzka," he said, grayely, "and
to restore peace to your mind. / love
you, and your letter leaves me
more wretched and desolate than /
ever felt before, but believe me your
happiness is 'dearer to me than my
own, and since you find that it would
be disturbed by your marrying me 1
am resigned to my fate"
The panna was overjoyed and
thanked him heartily for this friend
ship, and yet his ready surrender, the
ease with which he was getting recon
ciled to her refusal nettled her.
However, he did not seem as light