The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-09-11
SONIA
MARANIEFF
BY F. A. Mitchell

Inc province OI .IlIka, III liuSSld,
borders on Siberia. and. though it is
not quite so far north as st. Peters
its center is a fine estate. in whicl, On Il
piece OF rising round Is II spacious resi-
dence. One day II lady rode out from
this house on horseback. 1t was the
spring of the year. and the winter had
been cold. The lady had been told
that wolves from the forests had been
driven by hunger to seek food in til"
more civilized region, and she had pi>-
tolls and holsters ut the pommel Of her
saddle and Il short rifle Slung over he.
shoulder. Two servants. also armed.
rode Il short distance i'm her rear. She
WAS going to visit II charitable in>titu-
ton in which she was Interested.
During her return Il sound Of bark
Glg and shots was heard behind her.
which drew rapidly nearer. Then IL
sleigh appeared. the driver laSh:n" his
horses to escape Il pack Of wolves. n
man in the real seat Of the sleigh fired
Al ~ 't Nv ~ '" ~
his gun. 1t VAS evident that hr had
used his last cartridge. The cuucstri-
enne. supported by her servants. began
firing at the wolves. which made off int"
the woods. Then the man in tine sleigh
thanked them for his life since. had it
not been for their coming. in Il few
minutes more both he and his driver
would have been devoured. Handing
Il card to the lady bearing the lame
Count Boris GerOnsky. he said:
III YOU eve come to st. Petersburg
please advise ne. | trust | shall he
able to make your visit there enjoy
able"
When the lady read the name Oh the
card the expression On her face chang
ed. but the count, whose nerves had
been severely taxed. felt n swimming
sensation and did not notice the I'M
preston his name had created.
You need rest and refreshnent.
she replied to his request. Eve are
not half Il dozen versts from my house.
If You will partake Of my hospitality
! II h''SFi N'uI VII i"t'i' W
] shall sOOn visit the capital"
The count invited her into his sleigh
and together they rode to her home.
where she entertained him ut dinner.
After which he proceeded on his jour
ney.
Within a few months Count GerOn
Sky received a card on which was the
name Of Sonia Maranieff, the lady who
had saved him from the wolves. He
called upon her and begged her to tell
him in what way he could best make
her visit to the capital enjoyable.
Il live on the edge of il Wilderness"
she replied, land have never g e any
thing of life in Il great city. | would
like to be present ut II of the funr-
lions given at the palace"
You shall he present" the count an
swertd. n o only ut n function. but
the emperor's privy council and can
command invitations for the asking"
Sonia Maranieff proved il great sue
cess in court society. Though she
came from Il wild country she was re
fined. and there was about her Il
than in the women Of the city. More
over. she was beautiful. Since she
always gave her name rs Sonia Mara
nieff it was supposed that she was I'M
married. Many men StrOve to win her.
but she seemed to prefer the attentions
~ him, u-hn had i,trnI,,..l hn,. ('n,,nt
Boris was devoted to her. but it was
generally known that he was II mar
ried man and the Russian church does
not admit Of divorce.
There is Il custom in Russia that II
nan of rank nay marry Il Of
wealth. giving her the right to bear
his name and title for a consideration.
Count Ger0nSky. on coming Of age.
found his paternal estate involved in
debt. \ career at court was Open to
him. but he must have means to
achieve 1t. For 2OO.ON rubIes he had
call herself Countess Geronsky. The
marriage had been by proxy. and he
had never seen his br; L..
Those who noticed Count Boris at
tentiOn to Sonia Maranieff and to
whom it was evident that he had fall
III in love with her. knowing of his
marriage. sympathized with him. for
there was a certain dignity about this
girl from Il distant province. Il chaste
bearing. to make 1t evident that no
man could possess her without making
her his wife.
One evening when Sonia was dancing
at the Winter palace a lackey stepped
up to her with a telegram on II Salver
which had been forwarded from her
abode. She opened it. and it was evi-
dent that it contained some diStresSin:
news. She straightway left the room
and so absorbed was she that she drop.
ped her telegram. A lady picked it NJ
and read the address. Countess &c
ronsky."
The incident was soon common talk
GerOnsky was congratulated on his
marriage with Sonia Maranieff and
asked why he had not announced It
The count was astonished and whe,
told Of how Sonia had dropped the