The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-25

onovna. She had soft and pretty voice
and at the colonel's request she sang us
two or three little Russian songs. sac
little dumki Of her native Ukraine, ac-
companyiing herself on a litter. She end
ed the evening in disgrace. Fascinated
by the sound Of the music, mouse crept
out from a corner toward the musician
Sofia was the first to perceive it; drop
ping her litter on the floor, she leaped
upon a chair. holding up her skirts and
uttering a series of little screams as nigh
pitched almost as the mouse's own squeak.
She was not an Orsha. Varvara Petrov-
| mas cat rose at the sound, and the mouse
fed for refuge to the window curtains.
| SILLY Sonia" said the stately Varvara.
! rising and going to the window; its only
| a mouse - Here, Misha!"
| She shook the curtains; the mouse fell
to the floor. and the cat bounced upon 1t.
With the utmost unreason Sonia burst into
a flood of tears.
Cruel. cruel Misha!" she cried.
Hush, Sonia" said her uncle: don't
disgrace yourself before our guests"
Sonia ran out Of the room like petu-
liant child, and was no more seen that
night.
We were up betimes In the morning.
Long robed hillmen had been sighted at
dawn in the pass; we might expect an at
to the drawing-room at about Q o'clock. /
found varvara Petrovna and the servants
kneeling before the eikons: Varvara Pc
trovna was reading Slavonic prayers out
of large leather book, while the servants
crossed themselves vigorously at every
pause, and answered Hospodi pomilui-
Lord, have mercy on us! Sonia was no.
where to be seen. She was discovered lat
er in the great servants hall, amusing her.
self with the soldiers. When the lieutenant
and I entered the apartment she was per-
forming the national shawl dance with
the big corporal, while the rest stood by
as chorus, singing, ''Vo sadu Ii ogorode.'
and clapping their hands In measured time.
She was gliding coquettishly away on heel
and toe with the shawl raised above her
head, while the corporal stamped rhythmi-
cally after her In the role Of the gallant
lover" At the end Of the dance the sing
ers broke into rapturous applause:
GAY de Sofia semyonovna!" they cried;
"molodetz!"
The crash Of a rife butt on the stone
floor of the vestibule broke up our mu-
steal party; one Of the sentinels had come
in with the news that the Chechenians
were ascending the hillside. Vavara Pet
royna summoned the whole company into
the drawing room. We stood in a circle
about the room and sang the national an
them, "Bozhe Tsarya chrani.' Varvara Pc
trovna leading the music In clean! ring
ing voice.
Our hymn was hardly ended when the
crunch of bullet in the top Of the French
glass over the piano followed by the crack
Of rifle outside, warned us that the at
tack had begun. Sonia turned pale and
uttered Just such another little scream
as she had uttered the evening before at
the sight of the mouse; then she looked
round from face to face. with tears in her
eyes and a little frightened smile paying
about her lips. varvara Petrovna took
her by the hand and led her from the
room; women we're not wanted in the
apartments facing the enemy.
The house stood, as I have said. on
promontory jutting from the hillside: on
two sides the rock continued the lines Of
the walls precipitously downward; on the
third there was no more than terrace
between house and cliff: attack and de-
fence were concentrated on the side fac
ing down the garden. The enemy took up
their place behind the low wall which di-
vided the garden from the hillside, and
the fighting resolved itself into 4 logged
exchange of bullets between sheltered
men. Meanwhile the spring bubb1ed and
ran peacefully across the middle distance
with cheerful unconcern.
Inc enemy Qdu Iudue LuelT attack luOp-
portunely, just at the hour when we had
hoped to be sitting down to a comfortable
dejeuner. As man l resented the wrong
to my appetite; as an artist I could do no
less than let off an Ineffective gun |
through loophole to add to the pictur- |
esqueness of our defence. Man and ar |
fist rejoced together when Sonia and Var !
vara Petrovna ran into the room with |
dishes Of smoking outlets in their hands, !
and stole along the shelter of the walls to |
distribute the delicacies among the war
riors at tne windows. For some reason or |
other Sonia had arrayed herself in large
white apron. and fixed cooks cap on her
head; in this setting her little slender fig
ure and flushed face made the most be-
picture in the world. as she held
her plate daintily out toward me. There
was still one plate in the bottom of the
Ioophole, between the sand0ags, when an
envi0us bullet howled through the OPEN
ng, grazing the skin from her white flesh
It was tiny wound-our first casualty
Sonia drew her hand quickly away, sank
70 the floor, and cried helpless between
pain and terror. She refused to be COM
orted, and was led away sobbing bitterly
,y the imperturbable Varvara Petrovna.
The Notifications Of our lcopholes were
made OF intlammable stuff. and in spite
II all carefulness We were in perpetual
hanger of setting our defences on fire.
TO prevent disaster from this cause the
lieutenant had had all the water in the
house brought into the front rooms. The
went proved the wisdom of his precau-
.ion bolster in one of the windows
taught, and burst at once into a mass of
lame. Our united efforts extinguished the
main confagration: but meanwhile the
,utcr woodwork had taken fire and the
.oof was In danger; without a moments
hesitation the big corporal leaped upon
he window sill with 4 bucket of water |
md saved further peril with a douche. Be-
ore he had time to step back into the
com. bullet from Chechen gun struck
lin in the chest. With q loud cry he
lung up his arms and fell crashing to the
ioor. The noise of his fall brought the
women to the door; Varyara Petrovna
stepped stately into the room, and Sonia
appeared behind her with bandged hand
md tear stained cheeks.
Through the lungsI" calculated the
lieutenant. as the corporal coughed
heavily and the blood flowed over his
lips.
Its all over with him. murmured a
soldier. wagging his head as one who
knew. God rest his SOUL"
Ivan, take his place." said the lieu
tenant "Ephim must have his window to
himself"
Let Ivan stay where he is" said Var
sara Petrovna, coming quietly forward
and loosening the dying mans grip of
his rifle. Il will take the corporals
place.
She walked to the window. opening
he breech with the aii of an expert to
see if the magazine was full. The dying
corporal lay grooming on the floor, but we
could nnf cfnn n itfnnd IN him Sonia !