Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-03-26
STAR.
THE SNOW STORM
CONCLUDED.


ness that was destined for him. But what
was the surprise of the proud possessors of
Nenaradof when they received in reply a
letter from the young Ensign in which he de-
clared that he would never set his foot within
their house again. He concluded by begging
them to forget forever an unhappy man for
whom death was the only refuge.
They learned some days after that he had
gone to rejoin his regiment which was just
| entering on the campaign of 1872. Two or
three months passed away. No one ever
| spoke OF Vladimir before the young girl, and
she observed the same silence in regard 10
him But one day rs she was reading q news
paper the names Of the officers who had dis
tinguisked themselves at the battle of Boro-
dina, and who had been mortally wounded
there, she found among them that of her for
mer lover; She tainted away, and was again
\ attacked by the dangerous illness from which
he had hardly yet recovered, and Of which
ne was cured this time with more difficulty
still.
short time afterwards her father died,
leaving her his sole heir. But fortune was no
consolation for her |; she shared the grief Of
her mother, and made q vow never to sepa-
| rate from her. They abandoned their resi-
dence at NenaradOff, and took up their abode
| IN a distant domain, which did not recall to
them any sad remembrances. Soon a host of
| sui.ors laid seige to the heart of the amiable
| encouragement, and all the efforts of Petrow-
| ma could not prevail on her daughter to make
choice of a husband Vladimir had died at
| Moscow the day after the French had entered
the city ; the remembrance of him appeared
! sacred to the young girl, who treasured up
with care, the smallest memorials of an aTec-
tiOn which had been so mysteriously thwarted
The war soon terminated the triumphant
! regiments quilted the frontiers, and returned
to the cities, where the whole people eagerly
pressed forward to meet them and cOngratu
late them A young colonel Of hussars.
named Vourmin, who had gone through all
the recent campaigns, in which he had re.
ceived, besides promotion, the cross Of st
George, came at this time to pass som
months of furlOugh at his chateau, which was
in the neighbOrhood Of the residence Of Pc
trowna and her daughter The latter re-
celved him with more cOrdiality than she had
as yet shown to any of her visitors Besides,
a sort OF sympathy seemed to unite them
Both were handsome, intelligent, silent and
reserved. There was moreover a sort of mys-
terry in the conduct of the Colonel which
piqued the curiosity of the girl. 1t was evil
dent that he admired her; he showed it in
thousand ways, but why did he not speak to
her of love? But yet his dreamy eyes were
often fixed upon her with tenderness which |
betokened an approaching explanation, and
all the neighbOrs commenced talking of the
and Petrowna began to rejoice in the thought |
that her daughter was at length about to have
husband worthy of her
One morning as the good lady was ct work |
by the window of her room, Vourmin entered |
and inquired where Mary was.
:" She is in the garden replied Petrowna, /
"you will find her there, without doubt, if |
you wish to see herr
The young man hurried out with eager
steps.
God be praised, exclaimed the poor mo- /
ther as she made tie sign of the cross 81 i
hope that everything will be arranged to-
day
vourmin found the young girl sitting under
n tree, with a book on her knees He al
preached her with evident agitation. and
after having exchangedssome cOmmonplaces
with her, he said abruptly that he had de-
sired for long time to open his heart to her, |
and prayed her to listen TO him Mary closed
her book and cast down her eyes in sign of
assent.
81 love you," cried Vournim, "I love YOU
passionately have had the imprudence 20 |
SEQ you every day, and it is now too late to
resist my destiny. The remembrance of your
countenance and of your sweet voics will |
hencefOrth be the joy and the torture of my
life; but have duty to fulfil towards you.
| must reveal to you a secret which places an
insurmountable barrier between us'
This barrier" murmured Mary, "ex-
listed already. 1 could never have been mar
ried to you !"
"I know" replied Vourmin, g that you
have loved; but death and three years of |
mourning, ought to have restored you your
liberty. For heavens sake, do not take from |
me my last consolation, let me enjoy the sweet |
thought that you might have belonged to me. |
"Cease, L conjure you," cried Mary, " you
pierce my heart "
But after ALL it is in vain that you might
have been mine," continued Vourmin, "I
am the most unhappy of men. L am mar
ried"
Mary looked at him with the greatest sur
prise.
"Yes, l am married" replied the Colonel, |
{ married four years since, and L know nei-
ther who my wife is, nor where she is, nor I
whether We shall ever meet each other"
What do You say, and what means this
mystery? But continue. l will speak In my
turn" ,
"These are the facts as they occurred. In
1872, l was sent to wilma to rejOin my regi-
ment One evening, having arrived at the re- |
lay rather late, gave orders that the horses | /
should be got ready as soon as possible, when |
all at once there arose the most violent tenn :
pest that ever saw. The snow fell in such
thick masses that the roads became impracti-
cable, and the postman advised me to defer |
my journey. But l was determined to start ,
in spite of the tempest. The postillion i'm
agined that he could shorten the route by
crossing the river, the fords of which he knew
perfectly. But he lost the way, left the river G
and conducted me to a place which was en- G
tirely unknown 10 him. The tempest contin- J
ued with the same violence, so that il became q
impossible to 60 on, when he perceived light I
in the distance. L drove in that direction, a
and was soon near church, the door Of which a
was open. Several seighs were in 'front.' and y
some persons who were standing under the
portico called out to me, "This way, en-
tered precipitately. a
{. In the name of heaven, what has thus de- 4
layed you ?" said one of the individuals, push S
ing me before him, your affianced has been h
in a swoon and we were all on the point of re- f
turning home +" {
Bewildered as well as amazed at the ad- I
venture, resolved to follow it up. Besides S
was scarcely allowed time for reflection, for {
ny impatient friends dragged me into the
,hurch which was dimly illuminated by two
~ three torches younv GIRL was sitting in | ,