Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-09-30
DAILY SHORT=STORIES


opinion. How to get married In the
American way and not split the Molo-
kan community wide open and work
their own ruin was a problem too biz
for the peasant lovers. They could
not elope. as Americans might. They
We're aliens I'm an alien land.
Slowly an idea shaped itself In Max :
sims mind. He would hay the whole
matter before Mr.. Lowell, who was In
faliible and would surely have solu
ton.
The settlement worker listened IN
tiently TO the boys iaborcd eXplana.
ton. thinking hard and planning the
while.
"Maksim," he said when the young
man had finished. II think can help
YOU. Get away from your work hc-
tween 2 and 4 tomorrow Afternoon ana
come to me. Don't let your folks know
where you are"
Maksim was promptly on hand M
the hour first named. and Alr Lowell
said, Come with me-"
Together they visited Dan Cupid
Elmer. the marriage license clerk nt
the courthouse. where Mr.. Lowell, bv
deftly cvnding certain little iechnlt.nli.
ties. aided the boy I'm securing the
precious license. Then. cau,ionlug Se.
crecy. he said. See Nutas,ha ns ouipt.
ly as you can and bring her TO the
settlement house tomorrow afternoon
ut O'clock"
Four O'Clock the following afternoon
AL q al.
promptly the two were, made one and
happy at the same time. Mr. Lowell
handing Maksim the certificate Mt the
close OF tho simple ceremony, which
| his wife had Witnessed, saying: Now
you are married as well ns the prcsi.
dent OF the United States or John ID
Hockefeller Say nothing to your peo-
pie about this marriage nnd let the
other -marriage proceed. 10 be mar
RED twice won't do any harm. md IL
VIII satisfy your relatives. yourselves
and the laws OF California nil AT the
same time. God bless you" And Max.
sim and Natashn went their ways
with the reverent feeling that Cod"
and Mr.. Lowell were SYNONYMOUS
terms.
That evening there was crowded
meeting Of the faithful OF both sexes
and al ages. Devils were 10 be ex-
, orcised. The air was surchargcd with
4 suppressed excitement.
Maksim and Nntasha were both In
attendance. the boy dutifuly occupy.
Ing seat on the mems side. and Ma.
tasha sitting demurely on her side
among the women.
The meeting began with the usual
chant, the words OF Bible psalm bo.
ing intoned In unison by the entire MS.
semblage with long ptaeticed rhythm
ana accent far more precise than uu-
aslcaI. This chant was followed by an
sotner. the elders. who sat about a
small Table in n corner. lending and
the rest following. while rough shod
feet kept time against the uncarpetcd
floor
The cir OF tho place soon grew foul.
+ NOT window or door was open and
the stamping foet raised II su,rocntlng
DUST. to say nothing OF the vocnI OK.
Mutations Of the hot, excited mnys n
was evident that II the deyils could not
be expelled I'm any other way the mir
would soon become so rotten that no
devil who had any regard for his
health would stay.
during tho progress OF the serv Ice
thus fur many covert glances had been
cast ut Maksim and Natasha. Anxious
watch was kept on them for the first
Sign that they were being freed from
the Satanic spirits within them.
a
meeting was about half over the
benches having been removed and the
whole company were standing. he
walked TO the elders corner and wills
pcrcd something I'm his fathers ear.
IT must have been an assent to tho
church marriage. for instantlY tho old
patriarch. his face flushed. his eyes
SIlstcning and his whole attitude pro-
claiming that Maksim had got fic bot.
ter Of his devils. threw up his great
arms and began n new chant. At the
same moment Natasha. taking her cue
no doubt from Maksim. whispered
word in her mothers ear. and Katga's
triumphant shout could have been
heard three blocks away.
Every one in the room caught the
c'ectrIc signal OF good news. and the
excitement bcgan to boil The condi-
tons were ripe ana the moment had
come for wild debauch OF religious
frenzy. Devils had been driven out.
there was the exhilnraflon Of triumph.
ana u saturnalia OF religious lntoxica-
iiou was about 20 begin
The noise became more deafcninr ms
4 % q NrHa D. Inc 0
ed each other. sprlnglng into The air
and gesticulating wildly. The shrin
voices OF women arose above the pan
demonium. Here and there under the
stress OF excitement oycrwrought
nerves became unstrung. muscles be.
gan to Jerk involuntarily. and the
whole room bccnme M insane carousnl
Old Mother Shubeu coIluused "a ,.,,,,,,c,