The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-05-10
A Russian Romance.

Russian ROmanoes
Miss Kondacheff, Russian author,
tells in the st. Nicholas the following
pretty little romance OF Twelfth Night
fortune-teIling:
Here is true story was once told,
showing that once upon a time this |
prophecy actually came true.
1t happened somewhere in the coun- |
try, many, many years ago, in the
good old days." when there were no
railroads, and people travelled about
mostly in their own sledges or car
riages drawn by post-horses, or II the
distance was not to great, by their own
"troika"-a Russian sleigh drawn by a
team of three horses.
The heroine Of my story was at that
time young girl still in the school
room, greatly troubled with lessons,
governesses, and dancing-masters, AMI
becoming rather tired of her quiet life
in the country. So, one fine evening,
just before going to bed, she thought
she would like to cast one look into
the future and see from what direction
she was to expect her fate. She step
ped out accordingly upon the terrace,
and-whiz-h slipper went skim
| ming through the cold night air. But
what was her discontinue when she
saw It fly over the high fence and into
the road beyond! Here was a predi-
cament.
She could not possibly follow and seek
4 in
silk stockings, and only one slipper
! for them both! She iij not like send
! ing out the servants, who were all at
supper, and it did not seem worth
while to put on thick boots and begin
a regular search so late at night.
"This comes of being too curious" she
soliloquized, as she limpei to her own
room. "Well, never mind; I dare say
I'll find my slipper safe and sound to-
morrow morning." But her search
next day proved vain; fresh snow had
fallen. during the night, and the lost
slipper. she thought, was probably
buried deep beneath the soft white
covering.
Several years passed. Her parents
moved to Moscow, where, in the
course of time, she married an officer
in the Emperor's guards. In her hus-
bands study, on the mantel shelf, she
often noticed, among other knick-
knacks, girls dainty but faded satin
slipper. 1t certainly seemed familiar
to the sleigh. The something prove
dered about it, she never could remeni-
Der where and when she had seen just
such shoe as that. At last her curios-
ity grew to such pitch-the old
slipper was always .,alf reminding heI
of something, she knew not exactly
what-that she decided to question
her husband about it.
1T is an old story" he answered
"and happened many years ago.
was then a young fellow, just begin
ming life, and travelling post-haste t.
join my regiment Happening to pass
through village one evening, at &
great speed (my horses being fresf
and in high spirits, l suddenly felt {
singing blow on the cheek, heart
an exclamation from the other side
of fence-and something dropped in
to the sleigh. hTe something PROVED
to be satin slipper, and as took i
l up, my cheek singing with pain,
own that felt very angry and indig
nant at this unexpected assault.
"Then l remembered it was Twelfth
Night; l remembered, too, the ancien
custom, and by that time my wratl
had Gained down. | even thought 0
turning back and delivering the wear
tentionally, dealt the blow, but O
looking round, | perceived that tn
: village, 'Krasnoe' think it was called
> was far behind us, and I, still holdin
the slipper in my hand, was being cal
.ried along over the snowy steppes a
: full speed.
Il have never since been In tina
= part of the country, nor have l an
idea whose feet once tripped abou
gaily in this old thing; but | came
. have tender feeling for it. I wa
= sorry for the girl who had surely bee
looking for it and probably wondere
about its mysterious disappearance
- duQ DIS Time TOilcu vi SOIuclOW Cdu
: to associate it with my early you'll
= and all its golden dreams; that is VIII
:. have kept it all through these pa.
:. ten years. You are not jealous dea
i are your" he added. smiling.
n "Jealous!-of my own slipper?" ST
N cried. This is fun! Why, it is min
q mine. mine! and she clapped h
q hands and laughed Joyous, ringir
n laugh you said the village WI
+ Krasnoe, on Twelfth Night, and ju
ten years ago? Why, it must be min'
g From the very first though it locke
10 familiar and like an old friend! Te
re- years old! / was Is then, and, oh, I
tired of lessons, lessons. lessons, al
IN snow, snow. snow. all day long, Wi
r. nobody of my age near, and the whit
IA evenings SO lonely and dull that o.
as evening decided to try the old G
j pertinent. and see whether there WI
" any hope of change for me. And
re- has come true. for didn't it strike "
MS on the cheek? Poor old cheek" al
or she patted it tenderly.