East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1862-05-06


encouragement Her mother often i'm
plored her to choose a husband: but sh
silently shook her head Vladimir wa
do more: he expired at Moscow on th
eve OF the day the French entered tina
city. To Mari, his memory seemed sa
cred: she treasured up the books the,
had read together, his drawings, and tn,
notes he had written TO her-eyerythine
that could perpetuate her remembrance o
the unhappy young man.
About that time war, glorious foi
our country, ended. The triumphan,
regiments returned from the frontiers. and
the people rushed in crowds to gree,
them. The officers who had set ont as
mere striplings, came back with stern
martial countenalces, their brave breasts
covered with orders. Time Of ineifacea
BILE gloryl How the heart of the Russian
then bounded at the name of his country.
~ colonel of hussars, named Vourmin.
wearing in his button hole the Gross of
st: George, and on his face an interesting
paleness, came to spend few months
leave OF absence on his estate, which
joined that where Mari was resi- iinr.-
The young girl received him with far
more show of favor than she had hitherto
bestowed on any of her visitors. They
resembled each other in many particulars:
both were handsome, pleasing, intellect
ual, silent, and reserved. There was n
species OF mystery in the demeanor of
Vourmin, which piqued the curiosity and
excited the interest of the heiress. He
evidently admired her, paid her every
possible attention why did he never
speak of love? He had acquired habit
of fixing his bright dark eyes on hers,
half in reverie, and half with an EXPIRES.
sion that seemed to declare the approach
of decisive explanation. Already the
neighbors spoke of the marriage as de.
cided business; and Petrowna reioiced at
the thought that her daughter would at
length have husband worthy of her.
One morning, when the good lady was
seated in her drawing-room, Vourmin
entered and inquired for Mari.
"She is in the garden" replied Pc.
trowna. "You will find her there, if you
wish to see her."
The colonel went out hastily; and Pc.
trowna, making the sign of the cross.
murmured to herself: God be praised
| hope everything will be arranged to.
day"
Vourmin found his lady-love dressed in
white, seated beneath tree, close by
lake, with book on her knee, like any
heroine of romance. After the inter
change of few commonplace sentences.
Vourmin, with considerable agitation,
told her that for long time he had been
desirous of opening his mind to her. and
now prayed her to listen to him for a few
She closed her book, and cast
down her eyes in token of assent.
''I love youl" exclaimed Vourmin-"I
love you ardently"
Mari bent down her head little more.
81 have committed the imprudence of
seeing you, of listening TO you, every
day" Mari recollected the first letter
eff st. Preux.) "Now it is too late to
resist my destiny. The memory of your
sweet face and gentle voice will form
henceforward the Joy and the torture of
my existence; but / have duty to fulfil
towards you. must reveal to you a
strange secret, which places between us
an insurmountable barrier"
"That barrier" murmured Mari, "has
always existed. l could never have be-
come your wife,"
"I know" replied Vourmin in low
voice, "that you have loved but death,
and three years of mourning-dcarest
Mari, do not take from me my last con.
ISOLATION; do not deprive me of the happi.
ness of thinking that you might have
been mine, if not
"Hush!" cried Mari. "Cease, oon
jure you; you pierce me to the heart"
eyes, | haze the consoling thought
that you would have been mine. But |
am the most unfortunate of men-I am
Mari raised her eyes with look of
amazement.
'I am married." resumed tho colonel
--"married these four years, and neither
know who my wife is, nor vhere she is,
nor whether L shall ever meet her,"
"What can you mean? What is the
mystery9 But go on, beg of you; |
will tell you afterwards
"Here, then," said the colonel, care
the facts. In the year 1912, was going
to wilma, to join my regiment. / ar
rived one evening at station, and had
just given orders to have the horses inn
mediatcly harnessed, when suddenly there
arose violent snow-storm, The master
of the house and the postillion both
strongly advised lne to defer my journey;
but, tempest or no tempest, was re-
solved to push on. The position took it
into his head that he conld shorten the
way by crossing river whose banks he
knew very well. However, he missed
the right ford, and brought me to place
which was totally strange to him. The
storm continued to rage, bnt at length
we deserted distant light. / fastened
towards it, and found myself outside
church, whence the light proceeded
The door was open. Sledges were wait
ing outside, and several persons were
standing in the porch One of thom
called to me This wayl This wayp /
got out of my sledge, and entered the
church. One of the people in the porch