The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-03-28
JAROMIR AND HIS BRIDE.


In cottage in one of the small Rus
sian hamlets, not far distant from the
great capitol OF the empire, there sat an
old woman in thoughtful attitude,
looking out from the window upon the
snowy waste sprinkled with houses out
Of which spiral curls Of smoke rose in
the frosty evening air. The starlight
was clear and bright without; and with
in, the evening meal was spread invit-
ingly; but neither the old woman nor
her young daughter, who was kneeling
at her feet, and resting her arm upon
her mothers lap, paid no heed to the one
or the other. Ever and anon would
the daughter lift up her beautiful face
and look earnestly sometimes implor-
ingly, at her parent. At last she ven-
tured to put her arm softly about her
neck, and to say in the sweetest and
most caressing tone in the world:
"Thou art thinking, dear mother, l
know, that Jaromir will be here TO
night"
The old woman smoothed the wavy,
golden locks Of the young girl, and an
swered:
"Nay, my daughter; l was indeed
thinking of Jaromir, but not that he
should come tonight; for | hope that
he will come here no norem
sand why mother?' cried the maid
en-, starting up, while her bright cheek
grew pale.
ABecause have forbidden him, Iva
nova"
The young girl looked into her moth
er's face moment with an expression
of surprise amounting to terror, and
then turned away and covered her face
with her hands.
"Thou art not weeping, my child ?
Nay, listen to me. Dost thou not re-
member the prophecy of the old gipsy
ofthe cave? have oft reminded thee
oft"
"That ! should be the greatest and
highest lady of the land"
"Even so. Thou vast then twelve
years old; now thou art fifteen, and
beautiful, my Ivanowa."
sand Jaromir loveth mel"
"Last night In my dream ! saw again
the gypsy. She held crown IN her
hand, and said to me, sit is for lvano-
wa.'
.But dost thou remember, mother,
the day after the gipsy's prophecy, how
the cruel eagle stopped upon my pet
lamb and carried him off? What left
the eagle in return for my beautiful
lambg
There is something great in store for
thee, my chld," said the old woman,
4let us not thwart destiny"
The young girl only murmured in re-
ply, sJaromir Ioveth me, and-l love
Jaromir." And as il the artless con-
fession had summoned the object other
thoughts, the latch was that instant up
lifted and .Jaromir entered. He was
the handsomest, the brayest and the
lightest-hearted young huntsman at
tendantupon the grand prince. So far
was his station above that of the wild
ow Maria and her fair daughter, that
none of the damsels in the hamlet who
envied her surprising beauty would be-
lieve that the princes huntsman meant
to wed the portionless girl; and many
a meaning smile and scorniul tauat
were flung after the lovers when they
passed TO and from the church, or when
ihe light in the widows dwelling denot-
ed the presence OF a visitor. But the
ambitious dreams Of the mother, and
the simple, loving earnestness of the
child, kept from their knowledge the
envious sneers of the villagers.
The widow was visionary and ambi-
atious but she loved her iair daughter
beyond all things on earth, and. when
Jaromir and Ivanowa knelt at her feet
to own their love, and implore her bles-
sing on their union, and she saw that
heaven had formed them in their youth
ful beauty for each other, her opposl
fion gave way; she forgot the gipsy's
predictionand stretching outher hands
in blessing, wept tears Of tenderness on
the sweet maiden's head.
The sun was shining brightly on a
morning in early Summer. Al process
sion Of the fairest damsels Of the ham,
lei, attended by young men--all in hol-
iday attire, was on its way to the church
where the solemn betrothal Of Jaromir