Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-09-26


of them received the slightest encourage
ment from her, Often did her mother
press her to choose hnsband-she
would merely shake her head In silence
Naldimar was no more; he died at Mos
COW on the evening before the entrance of
the French. Marie seemed to hold his
memory sacred; she carefully preserved
the books they had read together, his
sketches, the letters he had written to her
in brief, everything that could serve TO
keep alive the remembrance of the ill.,
fated youth.
About this time the war, fraught with
such glory to the allies of whom Russia
was also one, came to an end The vic.
torious regiments returned home, and
large crowds of people f1ocked together
to greet them Officers who had gone
forth as beardless youths, came back with
the grave faces of warriors, their breasts
covered with badges.
A lieutenant of huSsars, Wurmin by
name, with an Interestingly pale face, and
decorated with the cross of ST George,
having obtained leave of absence for sew
eral months, took up his residence upon
his estate, which adjoined Marie's present
abode. The young girl received him with
lhl ihbit law iLlhIl NlIC iltlNA ilNhNll w
shown to any of her visitors. They TT.
sembled each other in many respects;
both were handsome intelligent
taciturn and reserved There was some
thing mysterious about Wurmin, which
reused the curiosity and interest of Mare
His affection for her WAS soon unmistaka-
bic he showed her every conceivable a;
tention, but why did he never speak of
l,,r,s thAYtyyI his larlr orAayt N.4In1I
rest upon hers half dreamily, half with
an expression that seemed to announce
an early and positive declaration AL
ready the neighbors spoke of their mar.
riage as a settled matter, and mother Pc
trowna was more than happy at the
thought of her daughters finding a wor
thy husband at last
One morning, when the latter was sit
ting in the parlor, Wurmin entered and
asked for Marie
She is in the garden answered her
mother. you will find my daughter
there if you would like to see her.
The young officer hastily walked out
into the garden,
Pctrowna crossed herself murmuring
" God be praised To-day, | trust his
visit will have some result
W w ltii lNhltNt iIiN tfIl'N N'f 'lhAl III
white, sitting under a tree by the side of
the pond book upon her lap, like a he
rOine of romance. The usual SamtatiOns
over, Wurmin, who was strangely agitat-
cd told her how he had long yearncd 20
pour GU: his heart before her, and begged
that she would listen to him few mo,
mcnts. She closed her book, and nodded
in token of assent,
II love yOu" said Wurmin, 81 loyaYOu
passionately."
Marie cast down ner eyes
81 have been imprudent enough to see
you, to hear you-daily II is now too
late to escape my fate The thought of
your lovely face, of your sweet voice, Will
henceforth constitute the " and the an
guish of my existence But have a duty
to perform towards you; must reveal to
you secret, which has placed an insur
mountable barrier between us,
THAT barrier murmured Marie, eek.
listed always could never have become
yours"
81 know" replied Wurmin, in a sup,
pressed voice, that You have loved be
fore; but death--thrcc long years of
mourhiug-dearcst Marie, do not deprive
me of my last comfort, Of the blissful
thought that you might become mine,
il"
Cease, l conjure you. You rend my
heart"
yes, you will grant me the comfort Of
knowing that you would have become
mine; but, most wTetched Of men that |
AMI am already married.
Marie gazed up at him with look of
establishment.
Eyes, married for four years. con.
tinued the lieutenant, and | do not
know either lcho my wife is, .sCheye she is
or whether ! shall ever meet her"
Explain yourself more clearly said
the girl
II love you, Marie, and will confide in
you You shall know all, and you will
not Judge too severely an act of youthful
levity 1t was in the year 1912. ! hap
pcned to be ON my way TO Wilma, with
the intention of joining my regiment,
Late in the evening, | reached a station,
and had already ordered that horses
should instantly he put to again, when a
fierce snow storm suddenly arose My
landlord and the position urgently ad
yised me to postpone my departure but
| was determined to 90 in spite of the
rough weather. The position had got it
into MS head that, by crossing a small
river, the banks Of which were perfectly
well known to him, he should find a
shorter route He missed the right
crossing, however, and got into region
TO which he was an entire stranger. The
storm continued to rage at length we
deserted a light IN the distance. We
made for 1t, and stopped before a church,
from the brightly illuminated windows OF
which the light shOne. The door was
omen, three slcighs were in front Of it,
and / saw several persons in the vestibule.
One Of them called to me This way
this way - got out and walked toward
the vestibuie.
The person who had called advanced
toward me.
"' Great Heavens he said, how late
you come Your intended has tainted,
and we were on the point Of driving
home again
"Half-bewlderel and half-amuscd, !
resolved to let the adventure take its
course And, indeed had little time
for reflection My friends tugged me
into the interior of the church, which was
poorly lighted by two or three lamps, A
female was sitting upon bench in the
shadow, while another stood beside her
and chaied her temples.
:" Al lastn cried the latter God be
praised that YOU have come, My poor
mistress liked to have diedr
IAN aged priest emerged from behind
the altar, and asked Can We begn|
Begin, reverend father cried, un.
adVi-cdly.
"They assisted the halfuncon,cious