Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-02-22
\ Russian Romance.

a Russian Romance.
Miss Kondacheff, Russian author.
tells in st. Nicholas the following pretty
little romance of Twelfth Night fortune
telling:
Here is true story | was once told
showing that once upon time this
prophecy actually came true.
IT happened somewhere in the conn
trE' many, many years ago, i'll the good
olu days, when there were no railroads
ana people Travelled about mostly i'll their
own Sledges or carriages drawn by post
horses, or, if the distance was not toG
great, by their own 'troika'-a Russian
sleigh drawn hy team of three horses
The heroine of my story was nj that
time a young girl still in the schooroon,
greatly troubled with lessons, governeSS-
eS ana dancing masters, and becoming
rather tired of her quiet life in the coun-
try. so. one fine evening Just before go
ing to bed, she thought she would like
to cast one look into the future and seq
from what direction she was to expect
her tate. She stepped out accordingly
upon the terrace, and--whiZ her slipper
went Swimming through the cold night
nr, But what was her discontinue
when she saw it fly over the high fence
and into the road beyond. Here was a
prcdiCamcnt
She could not possibly follow and seel;
1t IN the deep snow, her feet clad in silk
stockings and only one slipper for them
both. She did not like sending oct the
servants, who were all at supper, and it
did not seem worth while to put on thick
boots aud begin regular search so late
at night. This comes of being too curl
Gus, she suliloquized, as she limped to
her own room. We'll, never mind;
dare say I'll find my slipper safe and
sound tomorrow 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 70 Moscow. where, In the course
Of time, she married an officer i'll the
Emperor's guards. In her husbands
study, on the mantel shelf, she often no.
tlced among other knick knacks, Il girls
dainty but faded satin slipper. 1t GER
tulnly seemed familiar to her, but though
she. often wondered about it. she never
could remember where aud when she had
seen just such Il shoe as that At last
her curiosity grew TO such u pitch-thc
old slipper WAS always half-reminding
her of something, she knew not exactly
what-that she decided to question her
husband about il.
III is an old story he answered "and
happened many years ago. | was then
young fellow, just beginning life, and
travelling post haste to join my regiment
Happening to pass through village one
evening. at great speed my horses be-
inG fresh and in high Spirits. | suddenly
felt singing blow on the check | heard
an exclamation from the other side of Il
irnC"-and something dropped into the
sleigh. The something proved to be n
satin slipper, and as | took it mp, my
cheek Iinglng with pain, | own that |
felt very angry and indignant at this
unexpected assault
Then | remembered it was Twelfth
Night; | remembered, too, the ancient
custom, and by that time nay wrath had
Gained down. | even thought of turning
back and delivering the weapon into the
fair hands that had, unintcnti0naliy.
dealt the blow; but ON looking round, !
perceived that the village. 'Krasnoe' |
think it was called, was far behind us.
and L. still holding the slipper in my
hand, was being carried along over the
snowy stcppes Mt full speed.
- have never since been in that part
e. the country nor have / any idea
whose feet once trippcd about gaily in
this old thing; but | came 20 have a ten
der feeling for it. | was sorry for the
gil who mad surely been looking for it
and probably wondered about it's mystic
"oN disappearance, and as time rolled
somehow came to associate it with
..y carly youth and all its golden
dreams, that is why | have kept it all
through these past ten years. You are
not jealous. dear are you?' he added.
smiling.
"Jealous--of my own old slipper?" she
cried. This is fun, Why, It is mine
mine, mine and sine clapped her hands
and laughed Il Joyous. ringing laugh
"Gou said the village was Krasnoe. on
Twelfth Night. and just ten years ago?
Why, it must be mine. From the very
first thought it looked familiar and like
an old friend. Ten years ago, / was
fifteen then, and, oh. so tired of lessons.
lessons, lessons, and snow, snow. snow,
all day long, with nobody Of my age
near. and the winter evenings so lonely
and dull that one evening | decided to
try the old experiment, and see whether
there was any hope of II change for me-
And it has come true. for didn't it strike
you on the cheek? Poor old cheek"
and She patted it tenderly.