Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1910 — A LEADEN MEDAL. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A LEADEN MEDAL.

It Played an Important Part In a Love Affair.

By SARAH J. ATWATER.

[Copyright. 1910. by American Press A«so „ „ eiatfcjn.J —s-... At the breaking out..of our war with the Japanese I bad been somewhat surprised at the devotion of a young lieutenant in the army who seemed to consider me the object of a grand passion. He was several years younger than 1 and extremely boyish. We Russians are a fair haired race, but Paul Nevinsky’s hair was almost white—not with age. for he was but nineteen years old His eyes were a light blue and bis complexion milk and rose, suitable for a girl. No beard had yet sprouted. 1 well remember the day Paul called upon me to say that his regiment was

to be transported that very day over the Transsiberian railway to Manchuria. He told me that were it not for leaving me be would be glad to go, since he wished active service. “I am consoled, however." he said, “that I may have an opportunity to gain some honor to place at your feet.” I was moved by this, though I saw no reason why bravery should make me love him. 1 was pleased tbat he wished renown for me rather than for himself. Since he was about to leave me and I might never see him again I had not the beart to chill him. so I hade him goodby without giving him any definite knowledge with regard to my feeling for him. When be left me before going out of the door he turned and gave me a look so melancholy that I advanced a step, took his hands in mine and kissed him.

That kiss put new life into him. With a wave of the hand he walked quickly away, apparently not wishing to risk looking back at me again.

The battle of the Yalu was. I believe, the first great battle of the war. At any rate, it was one of the first. A few weeks after it had been fought I received a little package and a letter. The handwriting on both indicated that they bad been addressed by the same person. 1 opened the letter first. It was from the surgeon of the regiment to which my youthful lover was attached. It read: Lieutenant Paul Nevinsky at the battle of the Yalu distinguished himself. In a charge the Japanese tire was so deadly that all the officers of nis regiment who had not been picked off were driven back before the storm of bullets except Lieutenant Nevinsky, who stood his ground, rallied a small number of men and with them kept the enemy at bay till the others had returned, then completed the charge, winning all that it was intended to accomplish. But in the moment of victory he was struck by a bullet and carried off the field dangerously wounded. I have attended him and extracted the ball. He will not survive. He has asked me to send it to you, saying that since he cannot live to receive a decoration to send you he gives you what he denominates his leaden medal. So many wounded men need my attention that 1 feel 1 am taking time that belongs to them to fulfill my promise. This brief message written by one who was called away from his patient to other multifarious duties was all 1 ever received from Paul. 1 bad no hope that he lived, and when the returns of the killed and wounded came his name was among the dead. I would indeed have been hard hearted if this devotion bad not affected me. I had admirers, but all their admiration seemed trifling beside that of this young man who faced death that he might send me a medal and had instead only had time to send me the bullet that had killed him. But I kept my leaden decoration to myself. No other knew of it or that the man it had struck loved me. Nor did I Intend that others should know of it, especially those men who were honoring me with their devotion and their offers of marriage. I had before me a career, and I did not propose that’lt should be blighted by the blue eyed, beardless boj- who had been killed by the Japanese. • , ; When Count Gravienieff. a noble of high rank, offered himself I would have accepted him at once but for two reasons. First. I did not wish him to think 1 was overanxious for him; second. I wished to complete a year of

tu<>uruing for my young soldier lover. A few days before the expiration of this period a card was sent up to me bearing the name of Paul Nevinsky. Was 1 glad or sorry? 1 don’t know. I only knovt that 1 hurried down stairs. There stood the young soldier, bis cheeks, which had been round, now hollow, bis. complexion a pale yellow, bis eyes sunken in his bead. 1 wished to be taken into his arms tbat my beart might beat against bis. But 1 controlled myself. 1 showed my delight at receiving him back from the dead, but gave no indications that it was from love. Gravienieff was a splendid match, and I was by no means ready to permit this condition of sentiment to interfere with my taking advantage of what it would bring me. ' ' ■ ;

This was Paul’s story: He bad disappointed the surgeons by recovering from bis wound and far more quickly than could have been anticipated. He bad taken part in the subsequent battles of the war fought by the army with which he served and bad returned a general of brigades, covered with decorations. 1 asked liiin why he bad not informed the of his recovery. He replied in a shamefaced way that, having sent me the bullet that killed him. he bad felt that to announce that be had not been killed after all would have put him in a ridiculous position before me. He had therefore put off the announcement of his continued existence from time to time and finally had concluded to commitn:- ate it j<> me in person. He hoped that 1 would not think any the 1 less of him for not haying been killed. While I could not forbear smiling at this absurd self abnegation. 1 confess I was tom bed by it I could not forbear taking his baud, and when he bent forward for a kiss J could not help giving him one, 1 now had two lovers between whom it was not j-iisy for me to decide. On the one hand, there was Gravienieff. who permitted me to understand that it was a great condescension on the part of his family to consent to mingle its blood with mine. Indeed, considering that be (.ame of the oldest stock in Russia and 1 was noble only on my mother’s side, the match would be very advantageous to me. On the other band was my boy soldier, who was so anxious to honor me that be apologized for returning alive after having sent me as a mark of his devotion the bullet that was supposed to have killed him. Never was a woman called upon to decide between such extremes.

And while 1 was undecided, or. rather, while I was unable to hurt my young lover by turning him away for the man it seemed best for me to marry, my position was a delicate one. When the count learned that Paul Nevinsky was his rival he was very much astonished. Paul had no fortune. was a commoner and was iff, years and appearance a mere boy. That such a man should presume to compete with him for the favor of any woman was a great blow to Gravienieff's vanity. That I should consider Paul at all in competition with a nobleman of his rank and wealth somewhat diminished the count’s good opinion of me. I believe that on this account, bad he not been too proud to give in to such an inferior person, he would have withdrawn his proposal for my band As for Paul, when he first learned that he had a rival in Count Gravienieff all hope deserted him. “I would not truly love you.” he said, “should 1 insist upon your bestowing yourself ou me when a position so much more exalted than I could give you is in store for you.” I could not but contrast the self confidence of the count with the modesty of the little general. Nevertheless I was not so affected by this difference between the two men as by the fact that the one considered himself too good for me. while the other cared only for the honors he had won that he might lay them at my feet. One evening my two lovers happened to call upon me at the same hour. As soon as the count saw the general his brow darkened. 1 introduced them. The count bowed stiffly. The general returned the salute with more amiability than might have been expected under the circumstances. The count’s forbearance with me for keeping him so long in doubt broke down. “I cannot consent,” be said haughtily. “to be placed in rivalry with one who. though he has distinguished himself on the field of battle, belongs to an entirely different class from my own. I have offered you my heart and hand. It remains for you to decide whether you prefer to be the wife of a noble or the wife of a commoner. If General Nevinsky can bestow upon you what 1 am able to bestow I will resign you for your own good. If not. let him cease to come between you and me.” , '

“Count” I said. “I will no longer keep you in ignorance of my decision. I fully appreciate the substantial honors you are able to bestow upon me. General Nevinsky has already made me one gift which I bold in greater esteem than the wealth 1 would share with you as your countess. That gift has won. Being called upon to choose between you. 1 choose him who gave me this.”

Catching hold of a small gold chain about, ray neck. 1 drew from under my bodice that which was attached to It—a leaden bullet. The count stood for a moment astonished that a bit of metal should overbalance his estates: that the little general should have won me with a bullet, But he knew that my decision was against him and in favor of the giver of the ball of lead. He withdrew haughtily, and the moment the door was closed behind him my accepted snitor knelt at my feet.

“I WILL NO LONGER KEEP YOU IN IGNORANCE."