The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-05

| Marina. and said to her: you
shall be my wife," and Marina replied,
also with low bow: And you-my
husband"
| Immediately after the wedding Ras-
triga went away with his comrades on
a spree which lasted two days and two
| nights, and when he had finished feast
| ing he started off in quest of booty to-
wards the Blue sea. And the young
bride waited and waited for her lus-
band in vain.
| 1t was a winter evening. Here and
there in the village groups of Cossacks
sang old songs of valor. told stories of
victories in the past and drank wine.
Suddenly the singing ceased.
| II hear some shouting near the viii
| lage." said one of the older Cossacks.
All listened amidst profound silence.
At first it seemed to them like the
| bowling of the wind: then they heard
distinctly shouts Of joy, songs and gun
shots. The Cossacks ran out into the
| street.
at looks as though our people are
coming home. Afanasy is coming
home!" All the men collected on the
square; only the women dared not
leave the huts; they sat by the win
| dows and waited for the return of their
beloved ones with alarm.
When Afanasy reached the square he
| jumped off his gray Persian horse. went
| down on his knees. made the sign of
| the cross facing the east, imprinted a
devOut kiss upon the ground. then rose
and bowed on all four sides:
| Peace to you, great chieftans. and
all the great army of the Cossacks on
the Don," he greeted the assembled, in
a loud. clear voice.
peace to you. Afanasy. How have
you Jared? Have you brought much
| booty with you?"
You can see it for yourselves" he
said, pointing at the tilted carts We've
done a clever piece OF work, my boys!
| Oh, how we've worked! I'll never for
get it''
The village became noisy at once.
| The Cossacks began to kiss one an
| other, and the newcomers related the
stories Of their adventures in distant
| lands. In the meantime the booty was
| carted away to another square, where
| men We're stationed to watch 1T until
the next day, when each Of the plum
derers would get his share in front of
the entire community.
| 1t was late at night when Afanasy
came home. He was not alone: with
| him came a handsome young Cossack.
well. my dear little wife, shouted
Afanasy cheerfully. kissing Marina and
clasping her close to him, "thank God,
we've brought along fine things with
us. This is my young friend. Mikhailo.
He'll stay with us, for a while. Let US
now eat our supper. and then Well take
a little rest. Tomorrow at dawn Well
| go to the square to share our booty
Marina had hoped to succeed this
time in checking her husbands sense
less prodigality, his mad thirst for
gambling. his love of drink. But in
vain. Afanasy rose at dawn. and. dom
ming his best velvet coat embroidered
with gold, threw a Persian rug on top
of it, put on his colored boots, thrust a
Circassian saber into his belt, and went
off to the square with his young friend
Mikhailo.
Towards evening Mikhailo came to
Marina with a message from Afanasy,
saying that her husband would not re-
turn home so soon. because he was in
the middle of an exciting game
"And besides" added the young Cos
sack "he has been drinking too much
to be able to come home now"
Thus it w9s for several days in sue
cession. Marina could restrain herself
no longer. She resolved to unburden
her aching heart to Mikhailo. though
she did not expect to find in him n
ready listener She even felt certain
that as a Cossack he would stand by
her husband. But she was wrong.
ITO forsake a woman like you!" said
Mikhailo in broken voice. That's
horrible; Drop him, come with mel
love you! / loved you ever since I first
cast my eyes on you. L cannot live
without you! I feel so sad now. The
square does not tempt me with its
cheerful songs, nor the wine, nor the
exciting game. You alone are always
before my mind; I can't be without
YOU"
Marina looked at him with frightened
eyes. Never had a single Cossack spok-
Ell TO her in such q manner. She
stood as petrified. Though his words
We're like music TO her ears, she soon
turned away from him in silence.
In the distance rang the songs the
Cossacks sang about Sweden. about
the Turkish Sultan, and the execution
of Stepan Rain.
The day was declining, and all was
quiet in the village when Afanasy at
last returned to his hut. His face was
swollen and read from sleeplessness
and excess of drink. His eyes had
grown DIM but he was sober. Marina
ran out to meet him.
AT last, my deareSt." she exclaimed,
and was about to embrace him, but
suddenly she stopped short.
"Afansy, what has befallen you?"
she asked, gazing into his sad, stern
face.
Marina. I've played the Danilo and
lost you to him. DO you understand"
Marina stared at him in astonish-
ment. She could not comprehend the
meaning of his words.
Yes, / played with Danilo-and I
lost. / must give him a hundred du-
cats tomorrow. Have you any nice
clothes TO put on?'
What for?'
What question. Don't you UNDER
stand? They'll give more for you if
you'll be better dressed"
"Afansy, what does all this mean?"
what 1t means?" shouted Afanasy.
IN take you out on the square to-
morrow and I'll proclaim aloud: Il
don't like Marina! Whoever likes her
may buy her from me-
Marina sank to the ground with a