Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-07-08


Russians: almost all their airs have melan-
holy character. The songs of the scrfs re
semble a lamcntation and the poetry of the |
North, in its national type, has in II some-
thing sombre and masked, like its institutions.
Olga descended hastily, chose few sheets
of music, marked them, that she might be
able 10 distinguish them, and returned full of
joy, crying, Heaven be praised: shall know
how to read. She concealed her treasure
with the greatest care-these love songs
which were, at future day, to tell her the
fate of Ivan.
When night was come, she lighted her
lamp, and kncelng upon her bed, she took
one of the sheets and endeavored to find in
the printed characters the value of the artic-
ulate sounds, which she knew by heart. AT
first, she COMPOUNDED the signs but she was
determined to succeed; she felt that she
should succeed; and in this hope fell asleep.
The following night she returned TO her
task with the same zeal and perseverance.
She thought she was sure of few words
and looking into the different stanzas for the
expressions which were repeated, she found
them with a transport of inexpressible Joy.
The rhyme aided her IN these successive
discoveries: she learned that the same sounds
we're represented by the same characters.-
Analogy sustained and guided her.
Finally, after twenty nights of determined
efforts, Olga had decyphered page. Olga
could read! Hcnceforth, she had at her
command the key to all human knowledge:
but the ambition of Olga is no longer bound
cd by the pages of journal. From this
moment complete revolution is in progress
in her mind she turns her reflections TO
herself, and all that surrounds her: she in
qures why Providence has subjected her to
the caprices of vain, unjust and tyrannical
woman she feels that her mind belongs TO
her Maker, and she revolts at the thought of
a degrading subsection. As the sense of her
own dignity is elevated, she feels more con-
strained in the sphere TO which chance has
consigned her. Sometimes she asks, with
sigh, whether her former ignorance is not
preferable TO the consciousness of her own
misfortune. But in the midst of these griels,
, she has the richest enjoymcnts she endca-
) vors to trace the characters which have be-
t come familiar to her !; and this attempt she
finds much easier than the first: but she
, conceals her knowledge, as another would
iiidc htuit Ioi IlcI iIIotSsS NOuu VIC II
tated, and would have considered her as
committing crime in conceiving and exc
cutting this act of intellectual emancipation.
She has read, or rather devoured, the few
, books size could procure she continues
above all, with a lively interest, the perusal
: of the journals. Thus love, the cause of hel
. misfortunes, by cnriching her intelligence
has taught her how TO assuage them.
One evening, while agitated by an unac-
e conntable presentiment, she was reading the
! news from the theatre Of war, she found ;
+ detailed report of an advantage obtained b,
the imperial troops. The corps of hussaic
. which were on guard being taken by sur
r prise, was constrained to yield to the fury O
f; the enemy's cavalry: but it was prompt,
I rallied and put the Turks to fight, TIL,
Russian colonel would have lost his life bu
t fer the gaantry of a young soldier, win
rushed into the very midst of the enemy
, ranks to rescue him. The brave Ivan wa
y decorated with the cross of ST. George upo
= o,,as s.a, H., -'.'", At this recital, Olga
l s;;aoi u.;,l, snIl;na sho o.;'l :, ''"o Tvs
i fell sopseInss unon ,ha floor A. ,bo s,u mn,
, of her fall her mistress ran 70 bcr. sbo s,n
Oloa ey,rnded without sions If Eco smaI
lamn was burniny near her he'd several bonL
:, ycre mon IN ber ,,hle and ito ;ourr,I ~
, ma;uod crusbed in rho hand nr ,la. ,,nnu,
serc Cur;osi,v rathcr than connass;on
h movod his woman to rondnr hor ass;s,anco ,
. As OLGA rcoaincd bcr consc;onsness ,bo fire
-. word She uttered was, Iyanl Her mis,rcs
in,erropoted her with an air or kindnoss nc
sumcd for thc nurnoso If J;scovcr;nn Lo, 90
q crct. and Of addino mental sni,.r;na ~ ~,
4 wc,nLt of bor srry;,ndo Oln, nag an ~,
noint If v;cldng to h"r soI;ci,s,;onS 90 -" ,n ~"
r ;ous was sbe to oncn hor hoar,. h., , "hH
She cnst bcr eves rnop ,La, f,co ,baro W" ,r,
r elty and pride were alike denic,,J sbo ha,
p the couraoe to male NO ,nswor Sho , "">
e questioned and mcraced. hu, sho roma;mo,
o silent. The betro,hed of lva, ,,;,iJ. ,,o, :,
Il fcar Tho Sara, ;ns,;no, ''h;.I, - NV :;
h were. ,Le second sioht of tho sorf ,n,,s 10
r She INNS, M, sneaI Thms ros;s, n'' ho
p mistress under,ntos ,bo n,;n,,as. ' ~
d lions. and she Soon ascer,ainS ,ho, ,h;s "onu,
GIRL can read and wr;,c '''''' ''"' WIS 0'"'