Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-11


Alexis. amazed, stood mute rs
man continued: "o
Vera has paid you the connuu
Of proposing marriage to Won -
refuse her she cannot be ayep,a., ~ y
her father. for he Is too Old ana -
has no brothers. But her fafha- ,-. 'a'
not resent the insult even ~ A..
young and strong enough to do "a
has never adopted our customs ~
doubtless much displeased that ~
daughter should have adopted tbIs ~
so foreign to what he was formo-,.
customed. But Vera is very do, !.
us, and should you refuse her an
know her would turn away from 80
treating you as one who had insrs.'.
woman they love and revero =
seems to me. your excelIency, that va
have choice between two act;o-.
either to accept the offer made rou..
go away from here"
II was some time before AIerio r,,
any reply to this explanation. He ~.
suddenly thrown under the inaus,a.
of conflicting emotions. FoIIowfrr
custom which had been practieed !,
all her associates, there was certairl,
nothing immodest in vera's action On.
was beautiful girl and beloved br All
Nothing would be more pleasing TO him
than TO make her his wife. Rut =,
the other hand, he had come TO bs,
country to remain only a few wears
when he had expected to return 10 9,
D@N II
him up with the understanding that bs
0he father would select wife N,
him, and Alexis believed that should
he marry a woman who had hoe,
brought up among peasants and with.
out his fathers consent he would h.
disinherited.
What should he do? The girl wbo
had proposed to him was waiting for
his reception of her proposal II seem.
ed to him that since she had come
there in accordance with the custom Of
the country he must either accept her
proposition or turn her out. OF an
considera tons bearing on the case tbi,
election was the hardest for him to
think of.
Alexis spent an hour alone turning
the matter over in his mind. Then be
resolved that he would 20 to Vera and
explain to her that he had been brought
up to understand that his father was
to select his wife for him and he con
sidered it his duty as a good son TO
abide by his fathers decision. he
went to the room where Vera was
waiting for him. AS soon as he en-
tered she turned from him and stood
with her eyes bent upon the floor
Vera" he commenced, Maria has
informed me of what / was Ignorant.
the meaning of your coming here.
Your customs of this country are not
our customs in the city. l have been
brought up TO recognize my fathers
right to select wife for me, and
consider it my duty as good son 10
abide by it, but
She bent lower and lower as be drew
nearer what she knew was coming til
now she was like plant bent By the
wind. Approaching her, putting n
arm about her and taking her hand IN +
his, he finished:
Vera. | love you"
The nuptials were celebrated the
same evening, all the people turning
out to do the bride honor.
Alexis wrote his father, prominent
statesman. that he had married the
daughter of one Trolensko, who haa
come from Moscow and had lived fof !,
twenty years apart from the world Of I
which he had formerly been a part
No reply came for some time; then one
morning 4 sleigh drove up TO Alexis
house. and his father alighted. Alexis
was treasured when his father TOOK
him in his arms and kissed him. ne
also embraced Vera and said TO DEL
Come: let US go to your good fatheL
who was nv intimate associate ID 10Y
mer years when we were both !oune
Vera. delighted at the turn the nas
ter had taken, put on her fufs ap
with her husband. got into the sielsb
Her ewes were moist when the wv
friends met. But she was 10 mes'
much greater surprise.
Count" said the visitor. ION nea
ing of my sons marriage Win sOu'
daughter | made another and HUI
more important effort to induce w
car TO grant you pardon ana ~
nit YOU to return to that life 10 WIZ
You were once a shining light n
Drawing d parchment, be hanueu
TO Trolensko. +
.'Hhat does this mean?" asked A'eA
is eagerly. ,
.'It means" said his father, ,n'
NV old friend Count Nicholas l1oe
sko became unwittingly invoiveu -
political conspiracy against the PIC
ent cars father. Had tse charge ~
proved against him lie wouiu LIZ
been sent TO Siberia. AS it was me,s
case of suspicion. he was panisI
TO this place. He is now res'o'e Il
his title and estates" III
The Piekanoffs and the Iroiea'S "a
after that lived in the winter IN .
tersburg. where the young eon.',
was much admired in the sociai ~. 4
the capital. In summer they re'ua 4
to the country. where Vera rels.,
her life with the people wuo~
loved and who loved her.
April Ii in Amefics'