El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-07-23
Midsummer
A short Story.

| TT WAS summer, burning hot summer,
a real Polish summer. In the
great, shady park of the chateau
all the roses were in bloom and filled
the air with their sweet fragrance.
Sylvia Paldeinen was riding through
the rye, across the fragrant clover
fields, along the Goloplake. A lonely
falcon was soaring high above the
green woods. Across the fields lay
Gygarezin and behind it, away in the
west, is Ononrazlaw. with its blue
hussars.
She rode slowly through the hot air.
In the stables everything was quiet, a
chain ratified and from the garden
salon came the passionate, melancholy
airs of Chopin, played as only Pole
can play them
Silvia turned over her horse to a
sleepy groom and slowly walked up the
broad stairs. Bogislaw Gyga was play
ing. He turned around as she came in
''Dzien dObry, Panaw
'DZien dobry." She sat down on a
chair. "PIay the Polish song, Bogis-
law"
He played soft, melancholy, swelling
tones, as when the night wind speeds
across the fields Of Ostrolenka. like
SCome, Bogislaw, let US go out into
the land Of summer. 1t IS midsummer
today"
Her eyes followed the slender, boyish
figure as he walked in front Of her
down the steps.
It was again a midsummer day. SyI-
via Paldeinen and Capt KOrff, of the
blue hussars, were celebrating their
wedding. Hundreds of wax candles il
Illuminated the tables. hundreds of roses
filled the air with fragrance, and out
side il was Polish summer. Among the
nf
you saw a few black evening coats.
estate owners Of the neighbOrhOOd-
Count Gyga was among them The eyes
in his bOyish face shot fire-hoW he
hated the NiemZec, who had robbed him
of his Sylvia
Capt. Ven KOrff came towards him
play US a waltz by Chopin, count.
We want to dance Our wedding dance"
A CLEAN of deadly hatred came into
his dark eyes But Sylvia laid her lit
tie hand on his arm and pleaded:
''Bogislaw, do play, for my sake"
Slowly he walked TO the grand piano
His hands struck the keys The prelude
sounded hard, dark and ominOus. Then
She tones laughed moekingly, they
trembled and ragged, wilder and wilder
he played-it seemed like a dance ma
cabre. His eyes were staring into space
he saw large field full of red flow
ers. He was walking with Sylvia in
the moonlight, the midsummer bOnfires
were burning on every hilltop and her
How happy We are together, Bogis-
law"
The bridal couple were still dancing.
Sylvia's long train swept the parquss
floor, her bridal veil fluttered wildly
behind her
His SyIvia-his own Sylvia was in
the arms of the accursed Niemzec. DID
he know what a fire she could put into
her kisses2 Why did he smile so trf-
umphantly2 BOgislaW played wilder
still. It was no longer a dance, but a
maddening whirl
Sylvia, ducza moja, dance-danre
him to death"
The night was almost over-midsum>
mer night. Violin and triangles were
playing a mad muZurka, the guests
were dancing through the rooms.
Sylvia danced no more, she sat at the
side Of the bridegroom and her face
was pale and sad.
From the next room came a short
report cutting through the music like
a lash.
Bogislaw Gyga was lying on the
Iioor, his blood falling upon the red
roses which he tore down from the
table when he fell
And then the dreadful happened.
sylvia threw herself upon the PROSTATE
figure. In mad sorrow she threw her
arms around him and kissed the pale
llpS a hundred times, as if she thought
her kisses would bring him back TO life
again. She whispered tender words of
love into his ears At last a happy smile
came into the boyish face as he opeDed
his eyes and looked at her with infinite
tenderness Then his head fell back.
The bridegroom stood pale as death
leaning heavily against the table. IN
'front.' OF MIN sylvia was kneeling COW
erlng the dead body with her bridal
veil