East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1862-05-06
THE SN0W-STORM
A TALE FROM THE RUSSIAN OF pousnklSt

memorable IN the history of Russia
there lived on his domain of Nenarad
a rich proprietor named Gabrilovitch.
ile was noted for his kind dispostic
and hospitable habits. His house was
all times open to his friends and neigl
bors, who resorted there in the evening
the elder ones in order to enioya quit
game of cards with their host and h
wife Petrowna the younger, in the hop
of gaining the good grsces of Mari,
fair CIR! of seventeen, the only child an
heiress of Gabrilovitch.
Mari used to read French romances
and, as the natural and necessary conse
quence, was deeply in love. The obiec
of her affection was an almost pennies
young ensign belonging to the neighbor
bood, and then at home on leave, wht
returned her love with equal ardor. 1
is scarcely necessary to add, that tn,
young lady's parents had strictly forbid
den her to think of such an alliance; anc
whenever they met the lover, they re
ceived him with about that amount Of
friendliness which they would have be-
slowed on an ex-colector of taxes. Gu,
young lovers, however, managed to keer
up correspondence, and used to NEE,
In secret beneath the shadow of the pine.
grove or the old chapel. On these occa.
sions, they, of course, vowed eternal con.
stancy, accused fate of unjust rigor, and
formed various projects. AT length they
naturally came to the conclusion that, as
the will of cruel parents opposed their
marriage, they might very well accom-
plish 1t in secret. It was the young
gentleman who first propounded this
proposition, and it was most favoraby
received by the young lady.
The approach of winter put stop to
their interviews, but their correspondence
went on with increased frequency and
fervor. In each of his letters, Vladimir
Nicolevitch conjured his beloved to leave
her home, and consent to private mar
riage. awe viii disappear" he said,
"for short time; then, some day, we
will go and throw ourselves at your pa
rents feet, who, touched by our heroic
constancy, will excaim Children, come
to our arms =" For long time Mari
hesitated. At length it was agreed, that
on a certain day she should not appear at
supper, but retire early to her room Gil
the pretext of violent headache. Her
waiting-maid was in the secret, and they
were both to slip out through back
door, near which they would find sledges
waiting to convey them to the chapel of
Jadrino, about five versts distant, where
Vladimir and the priest would await
them.
Having made her preparations, and
written long letter of excuse to her
parents, Mari retired at an early hour to
her room. During the day she had COM
planned of headache, which was GER
tainly more than pretext, for nervous
excitement had made her really i'll, Her
father and mother watched her tenderly,
and constantly asked her. "How do you
feel now, Mari; are you still suifering?"
Their fond solicitude went to the young
girls heart, and with the approach Of
evening her agitation increased. At din
ner she ate nothing, and soon afterwards
rose to take leave of her parents. They
embraced her, and, according to their
usual custom, gave her their blessing
Mari could scarcely refrain from sobbing.
When she reached her chamber, she
threw herself into an armchair, ard wept
aloud. Her waiting-maid tried to con-
sole and cheer her, and at length sue
ceeded.
There was a snow-storm that night /:
the wind howled outside the house, and
shook the windows. The young girl,
however, rs soon as the household had
retired to rest, wrapped herself up in
thick mufflings, aud, followed by her
maid, carrying valise, gained the outer
door. They found sledge, drawn by
three horses, awaiting them; and having
got into it, they started off at rapid
pace. We will leave them to pursue
their journey, while we return to Vlaii-
mir.
All that day he had been actively en-
ployed. In the morning, he had visited
the priest of 'Jadrina, in order to arrange
with him about performing the ceremony;
and then he set off to procure the neces-
sary witnesses. The first acquaintance
to whom he addressed himself was half
pay officer, who willingly consented to
what he wished. "Such an adventure"
he said, reminded him pleasantly of the
days of his youth" He prevailed on
Vladimir to remain with him, promising
to procure for him the other two wit
nesses. Accordingly there appeared at
dinner the geometrician Schmidt, with
his moustaches and spurs; and the son of
Captain Ispravnik, led of seventeen,
who had just entered the Uiii,i::n CORPS
Both promised Vladimir to stand by him
to the last; and the happy lover, having
cordially embraced his three friends, re-
turned to his dwelling in order to COM
plete his preparations. Having despatch
cd servant on whom he could rely with
the sledgc for Mari, he himself got into
one.horse sledge and started for Jadrino.
Scarcely had he set out, when the storm
commenced with violence; aud soon
every trace of the road disappeared. The
entire horizon was covered with thick
yellow cloud, whence fell masses rather
than flakes of snow; and soon all dis
tinction between land and sky was lost.
In vain did Vladimir try to find his way.