The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-09-13
Miscellaneous.
MARRIED II A SNOW STORM.
TRANSLATED FROM THE RUSSIAN OF
ALEXANDER PUsHKIN.


About the year 1911, memorable in
Russian history, there lived upon his
estate of Nemaradorf, rich landed
proprietor, ,Gabrilovitch by name, noted
for his afIability and hospitality. His
house was always open to his friends
and ncighbolI, who used to congrogate
there every evening the older ones to
enjoy game of ards with tho host and
his wife PetroWna, tho younger ones in
in the hope Of winning the favor Of
Mario, beautiful girl Of seventeen,
the only daughter and heiress of Ga
brilovitch.
Marie read French novels, which nat
urallyrendered her very sentimentaland
romantic. Under these circumstances
love was not long in coming. The OBJ
ject of her affection wos Russian cadet,
with scarcely q penny in his pocket,
who resided in the neigh borhood, and
was then at home on leave of absence.
As matter of course he returned her
love with equal ardOr. Marie's parents
bad strictly prohibited her from think
ing Of such q union, and they treated
The lover, wherever they met him, with
just as much friendliness as they would
haVo shown to an eX-collector of taxes.
The amorous pair meantime carried on
a correspondence, and met clandestine-
~ beneath the shade of the pine grove,
or behind the old chapel. AS will
readily be supposed, they here vowed
eternal fidelity to each other, complain
ed of the severity Of fate, and devised
beautiful plans for the future. After
some time they naturally came to think
that, should their parents persist in OPP
posing the union, 1t might in the end
be consummated secretly, and without
their consent. The young gentleman
was the first to propose this, and the
young lady soon saw the expedioncy of
ii.
The approach of winter put an end
to these stolen interviews; but their let
ters increased in frequency and warmth.
In each of them Vladimir Nikolovitch
conjured his beloved to leave the paren-
tai roof, and consent to clandesiine
marriage. ave will disappear for n
short WHILE" he wrote, "come back,
and cast ourselves at the feet of our pa
rents, who touched by such constancy,
will eXclaim, come to our arms, dear
children y" Marie was long irreso.
Lutte; at length it YVES agreed, how
ever, that she should not appear at sup
per on day appointed, but should re-
tire to her room under the pretext of
| indisposition, Her maid had been let
into the secret. Both were to escape by
q back door, in front of which they
would find sleigh ready to convey
| them distance Of five Worsts to the
| chapel of Jadrino, where Vladimir and
the priest would await them.
Having made her preparations, and
written a long apologetical letter to her
parents, Marie retired bctimos to her
room. She had been complaining all
day Of headache, and this was cor-
tainly no mere preteXt, for the nervous
excitement had in truth indisposod her.
Her father and mother nulscd her ten
dcrly, asking her again and again -
"HoW do you feel now, Marie? Arc
you no better ?" This loving solitude
cut the girl to the heart, and with,thC
approach of evening her excitement in,
creased. At supper she ate nothing, but
rose botimos and bid her parents good.
night. The latter kissed and blessed
her, as was their wont, while Marie
could scarcely suppress her sobs. Hav'
ing reached her room, she threw her
self into chair and wept aloud. Her
maid finally succeeded in comforting and
cheering her up.
Later in the evening q snow storm
arose. The wind howled about the
house, causing the windows to rattle
The inmates had hardly gone to res
when the young girl, wrapping hersel
in her clothes and furs, and followed
by tho servant with portmanteau, lef
the parental roof. A sleigh, drawn by
four horses, received them, and away
they went at furious speed.
Vladimir had also been active
throughout the day. In the morning
he had called upon the minister at Jad
rino to arrange for the ceremony, ant
then he went to look up the required
witnesses. The first acquaintance L
whom he applied was an officer on hal
pay, who expressed himself quite read.
to serve him. Such an adventure, III
said carried him back to the days o
his own youth. He determined Vladi
mir to remain with him, taking W
on himself TO procure the other tw
witnesses. There accordingly appears
| at dinner surVeyOr Smidt with his spui