The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-05-12

more, but instead she stopped snort, put
her hand to her left bosom and fell in a
heap. The peasant girl, leaving the
corpse, ran to assist her. Calling for
pillows and blankets from the upstairs
sleeping rooms, she made her comfort
able, washed her face with cold water,
opened her dress and massaged her
hands and feet until she recovered con.
seriousness.
After some fifteen or twenty minutes
she began to talk intelligently, pressed
the young peasant woman's hand,
thanked her and finally said: GAS you
may have guessed, I am the mother of
this poor boy"
"The more's the pity" replied Mar
iska, "a fine young gentleman, and such
noble looking mother. You must be a
countess or a baroness, Matushka, Lit
tie Mother).
Big tears were in the girls eyes as
she spoke, and the heart of the old lady
went out to her.
"Ah, no one knows how much lost
it's impossible in stranger to guess the
goodness of his heart. Such q son-a
treasure of boy, kind and lovable like
a girl. He was a sickly child and trou.
bled me much when young. God knows
how many nights spent at his bedside.
And he was never cut out for a soldier
indeed not, but his father placed him in
a military school. II was the end of
him and my hopes for my son never
liked the profession of arms. Study
was his hobby, music his passion. After
all, he was model son, hung upon my
skirts as if he were daughter. In his
early days, his friends and comrades
often leased him on that account, but he
cared not"
The old woman began to cry. She
sobbed aloud, and, crying like her, Mar
iska returned to her husbands corpse.
At last the old woman's tear-stained
eyes lit upon the group near the stove.
"Still another dead body| she sighed.
"My husband" returned Mariska, in
low voice.
The old lady rose and sat down by
Mariska's side on the floor.
"Poor little woman, you lost YOUR
young husband. Let us hope that you
uic ulcSseu WIFI CHlluTeH.
81 have two"
"And did you love your husbandf
did love him, Matushka? He never
went to the inn and his soul was ioy-
GUS only when he was with me and the
children. They called him the most
diligent and honest of all the young fell.
lows in the village. He had only one
fault. He loved justice too we'll. Even
the rights of a bcggar he defended, if
need be, and though he attended church
regularly, paid his taxes and obeyed the
laws, he got into fearful rage, got vio-
lent whenever he learned of an outrage
upon the people. The peasants knew
that, and when anything dangerous was
on the carpet pushed him forward made
him leader and scapegoat They knew
that his word was as good as his bond.
that II he agreed to thing he would
fight for it il it cost his very life"
The old woman examined the face Of
the dead peasant with melancholy in.
terest.
81 am sorry for him and-for you. He
was a fine. manly fellow"
Meanwhile the district chief learning
that the late lieutenant's mother had ar,
rived. came to pay his respects and ask
for instructions. Some necessary orders
were given. Then the old lady said:
Have you found the murderer of nv
SOM l will devote the rest of nv life
to see him punished"
The chief pointed to the body near the
stove"
There lies the man who killed YOUR
SON." And noticing Mariska, he added
in less severe voice, "and the lieuten.
ants saber cut short the life of his
slayer"
Only then did Mariska learn that the
lieutenant. whom she had admired in
death, had caused that of her loved one
And she stepped nearer to the i'm.
promptu bier and for moment or two
stared wildly Mt the face of tho ,,o,,n..