The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-01
MORNING JOURNAL

lra Peraovna stepped stately into the
room, and Sonia appeared behind heI
with a bandaged hand and tear
lstained cheeks.
Through the lungs" calculated the
lieutenant. as the corporal coughed
heavily and the blood flowed over his
lips.
TITS 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 win
dow to himself"
| LET Ivan stay where he is" said
Varvara Petrovna. coming quietly for
ward and loosening the dying mans
grip of his rifle II will take the cor
poraPs place"
! She walked to the window, opening
the breech with the air of an expert to
see if the magazine was full The dy-
ing corporal lay grooming on the floor,
| but we could not stop to attend to him.
Sonia knelt down, took his head in her
Hap, and soother him as one might
soothe a sick child; her tears rained on
| his face as she kissed him and caressed
| him and murmured words of comfort.
"Water water!" groaned the corpo-
raj
"Akulina! Masha!" cried Sonia to the
servants beyond the doorway; bring
water quickly!"
"There is none, Baryshnia," answered
the frightened Masha; the corporal
threw the last drop out of the window.
Sonia slipped a cushion under the
wounded mans head, and went to seek
| in the empty cans; with all her zeal
she could collect no more than thim-
bleful, which she administered to her
patient
varvara Petrovna stood at her post
| in the window, tall and terrible, level
ling her gun and firing as If 1t were the
most natural thing in the world.
SAY da Varvara Petrovna!" said the
soldiers approvingly; molodetz! she's
heroine!"
The dying man soon renewed his pit
eous cries for water.
"Varvara uncle, lieutenant, for heav-
ems sake get some water!' cried Sonia,
going frantically from one to another,
"Hush," said Varvara, without turn
ling round, "you disturb our aim"
"There is no water but in the spring"
said the colonel.
Sonia disappeared from the room, A
minute later we were stupefed with
horror. A little slender figure darted
out upon the lawn from behind the cor
ner of the house and sped toward the
spring; it was Sonia with a bucket in
her hand, running as fast as her legs
could carry her A bullet from the en-
envy ploughed up the grass at her feet,
but she ran on unheeding. We held
our breath and waited. The
Chechenians had ceased firing A tall
form arose and stood upon the garden
wall-a handsome young hillman,
dressed in a fez-shaped lambskin cap
and long Chechenian robe, with a
belt full Of silver hilted knives.
1T is Arak himself the son of Fee
raz" said the lieutenant.
varvara Petrovna slowly raised her
gun and covered him.
Down with your gun, Varvara!"
cried the colonel angrily; "the Che
chens have stopped firing" She low
cred her weapon. 49,
The young chief jumped down and
walked toward Sonia, saluting grace
fully They exchanged a few words;
Arak took the bucket from her and
filed 1t at the spring. As she put out
her hand to receive it from him he per-
ceived the bandage on her finger, He
paused and questioned her; question
and answer were lost to us. Instead of
handing her the bucket he advanced
side by side with her up to the house.
She took the water from him and ran
round to the door by which she had
made her exit. Arak came close under |
the windows and asked who was in
the lieutenant stood for |
ward in the open window
II congratulate you, sir, upon the |
valor of the women Of your garrison"
said Arak, with polite little smile; !
but Chechens do not fight with wo- |
men. We are disarmed by the courage |
and devotion Of this lady; the house |
which shelters her is sacred, and we |
have no more heart for the attack.
There are plenty of foes for us be-
yond the pass; we go to meet them.
FAREWELL"
He bowed and returned to his men.
In a few minutes there were no Che
hens to be seen on the hillside
Some hours later detachment Of the |
regiment brought us news
# an engagement in the valley. Arak
md his father had both been wounded
ind taken prisoners; the discontinue
" the hillmen was so complete that the
Uprising was practically at an end.
Sonia attended the corporal till the
nd, which was not long in coming
rs she rose from her place beside the
ouch where he had been laid she fell
on the floor; the excitement of
ction ended, she had nothing to sus-
ain her. She was put to bed in a state
f high fever. After a thanksgiving
ervice, which Varvara Petrovna held
n the drawing room, the lieutenant
nd / left the house, pursued by the
ospitabe injunctions of the colonel to
e his guests as soon as our fortunes
hould bring us again to the neighbour
God of the Otova.
I met the lieutenant year later at
dance at Government House, Tihis
We talked of the eventful day we had
pent in the colonePs house.
81 shall always be grateful for that