Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-10-15
LA is
A Story Showing the Pow
er OF Beauty Without
Conscience For
Evil
BY F. A. Mitchell

Alexis Alexandrovich, a tall. slender
youth Of fifteen. while hunting rode up
to a peasants cottage on his fathers
estate In Russia To ask for drink Of
water 4 little girl. not more than
seven years Of age. stood In the door
looking Up at him with the mild blue
eye indigenous TO northern climates.
Her hair, too. was OF a light hue. but
her cheeks were a pair OF roses, AS
she looked at the young man her face
broke into q smile. revealing white
teeth. while a dimple appeared in each
cheek Alexis forgot about the drink
of water. SO earaptured was be In the
beauty OF the child
"Lalsr' he exclaimed.
The girl continued to look az him
and. Notwithstanding her few years.
perceived that she was admired.
do you know" be asked. why
call you Lais?''
mo
II viii tell You. More than 400 years
before our saviour came upon earth
an Athenlau general captured a pic
turesdue village on the island Of Sicily.
Among bis prisoners WIS a little girl
about yoar age 90 bewitchingly bean
tiful that be carried her back with him
to Athens, where great artist painted
her as a nylnph at a fountain, and all
the great men Of the time were enrap-
tured with her"
Did they give her pretty presen;sy"
asked the child
Alas, Underneath Oh this beauty
turks the vipec-the desire 10 use the
charms 10 obtain pretty presents
One day the child might not only So
cure the presents. but ruin those who
gave them to her.
This was the first meeting between
Alexis Alexandroyich. the son of Count
Alexandroy ich. Russian nobleman.
who dwelt, as bis ancestors had dwelt
before bltn. on his estate, kind mas
ter TO his serfs and a humble subject
OF the ear. The boy resolved cup
OF water from the child. and as she
handed II up TO him he noticed the
beautiful shape OF the arm and hand
that extended it. Aud as tender as
were her years out Of her eyes came n
look to charm him. lie laughed that
one so young should show such dis-
position and rode away. leaving the
child gazing after him.
Alexis. who was studying at the
time to enter the university. found
when be returned 10 his books that the
face and figure Of the child kept thrust
ing themselves between his eyes and
the page before him. As soon as his
school hours We're ended he went again
10 the peasants cottage. making ex.
cuse this time that he wished to Dor
row from her father gun with which
10 shoot birds. The man was intent
on the matter OF the gun. but his wife
noticed that Alexis had not come for
a gun. bat to feast his eyes on her lit.
tie daughter. After Alexis had gone
she said TO her husband:
II foresee great things for our Katia
Such beauty must elevate her to
higher rank than ours. Did you notice
the admiration In the eyes Of the young
county,"
NO
1T was plain to me. He VIII come
here at times TO gaze at her. and IL her
beauty holds when she comes to won.
anhood be Will marry her. and. instead
OF spending her days In this hut. she
will live mp on the hill and be a coun-
tess"
Many were the excuses Alexis made
to see his Lais. as be called her. Now
1t was fishing tackle. now his horse
needed shoe-for the peasant was a
smith-but whatever 1t was he wanted
his eyes never left the child while he
was at her fathers place. and Lais
knew that she had made her first cap
tive When Christmas came and
brought with II little ring from Alex
| is she gave the kiss be asked for. but
after he Went away her young brows
knit. and. her mother asking her II she
was dissatisfied with her gift. she
pouted and replied:
Yes. There Is no gem in It."
Alexis went 10 the university; but.
though he left his father. his mother
and his home behind him. he could not
leave his Lais. Those innocent eyes.
| that delicately rounded face. those ex-
| quisitely curved lips that seemed form
ed only TO he kissed. were present In
his memory and in his thoughts dur
ing his absence. and each year when
he returned she had grown a year old
er. and instead OF losing her childish
beauty there was added TO 1t that OF
/ budding womanhood.
| And now the countess had learned
the secret that her son was infatuated
with a peasants daughter. Realizing
/ that such passion could not be eradi
Gated by argument. she said nothing e
him. but arranged with her husband L
send Alexis away rs soon as he was
| graduated from the university. Ths
count went to ST. Petersburg and OBJ
tanned a government position for biz
boy. But. alas. ii came too late, The
| day the anDointment arrived Alexis In