Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-11-28
friends to complete his preparations at

cd the fkirt of forest. He now hop.
ed to reach his destination soon, as it
was easier to pursue his way in the for
estysinto whiah.the SNOW had not vet
penetrated. Vladimir took fresh oour.
age I; however there werl no signs of
Sadeino. Bydsgrees thesstofm abated
and the moon shone brightly. He
finally reached the opposite skirt of the
torest.e Still 40 Jadrino; but a group
of four: f:or Eve houses ne this view. His
knock 1T the door of the nearest was
answered by m ofd msnxpa
teWhat do you want1sn
20; "where lies > Jadrinoa1 asked vladi-
9About ten. veruts dis1ant.'
ktthis reply Vladimir felt as if his
eettenoe Of death WA! being announced
@Oan you procureme o horse to take
me thithet2 he asked.
HWeshave no ,horae."
soT ,s at least Z guide ! l will pay any
-" .yssy wsll: M,'son can accompany
After little while, which seemed an
eternity to Vladimir, young fellow
made his appearance, holding O thick
staff in his right hand, and thcy took
their way across the snow.covered
plain. -
What o'clock is it," asked vladi-
mir.
ut is already past midnight"
And in very truth the sun began to
glide the east when they arrived at
Jadrino. The church door was locked.
Vladimir paid and dismissed his guide,
and then instantly hastened to the eain-
ister's dwelling. What he there learn
dc will appear from the sequel.
At Nemaradof the night had passed
quietly. In the morning the master of
the house and his wife rose as usual.
and proceeded to the dining room,
Gabriel Gabrilovitch in his wooden
jacket and nightcap, Petrowna in her
morning gown. After they had break
tasted, Gabriel sent up one of the girls
to inquire how Marie was. She return
ed with the message that her young,:mis
tress had had q sleepless night but feels
much better now, and would come down
! presently. Marie soon after entered
the room, looking exceedingly pale, yet
without the least perceptib!e agitation.
"How do you feel this morning,
love2 " inquired her father.
"Better, was the answer.
! The day passed rs usual, but instead
| of the looked-for improvement, seri-
ous change for the worse took place in
Marie's condition. The family physi-
/ clan who was summoned from the
nearest town, who found her in state
Of most violent fever. For fourteen
days she lay at the point CT death.
Nothing transpired of the nocturnal
flight ; for the maid took good care to
Keep silent on her own account, and the
others who knew of it never betrayed
themselves with syllable, even when
under the influence of brandy, 80 great
" did they dread Gabriel's anger.
Marie, however, spoke SO necessarily
of Vladimir when delrous, that her
mother could not remain. In any doubt
as to the cause of her ill, ,ss. Having
advised with few friends, her parents
resolved to let Marie marry the young
soldier, seeing that one cannot escape
ones fate, a. l besides that. riches do
not always lead to happiness.
The patient recovered. During her
illness Vladimir had not shown his
face in the house, and it was resolved
to apprise him of his unexpected GOOD
fortune. But to the astonishmont of
the proud proprietor of Nemaradof, the
cadet declared that he should never
again cross the threshold of his house,
begging them at the same time to for
get utterly SO wretched q creature as
he, to whom death alone would give
repose.
A few days afterward they learned
that Vladimir had again returned to
the army. It was in the year 1912. No
one uttered his name in Marie's pres.
ence, and she herself never made men
ton of him in ary way. Two or three
months had elapsed, when one day she
found his name among the list Of the
officers who had distinguished them.
selves at the battle of Borodino and
been mortaily wounded. She tainted
away and had relapse, from which she
recovered but slowly.
Not long after her father died, be.
queathing the whole property to her.
But riches were not able to comfort
her; she wept with her mother. and
promised never to leave her. They
sold Nemaradof and removed to anoth-
or estate. Suitors thronged around the
wealthy and amiable heiress; but none
of them received the slightest enconr-
agement from her. Often did her
; mother press her to choose husband
she would merely shake her head in
silence. Vladimir was no more; he
: died at Moscow on the evening before
: the entrance of tho French. Marie
seemed to hold his memery sacred :
she carefully preserved the book 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 in-fated
} youth.
} About this time, the war, fought with
such glories to the allies, Of whom
Russia was also one, came to IN end.
The victorious regiments returned
home, and crowds of people flocked TO-
gether to greet them. Officers who had
gone forth as beardless youths came
back with the grave face of warriors.
their gallant 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 ab-
, sence for several months, took up his
residence upon his estate, which ad.
joined Marie's present abode. The
: young girl received him with far more
. favor than she had hitherto shown ia
. any of her visitors. They resembled
? each other in many respects; both were
handsome, intelligent taciturn and re-.
Q served. There was something mysteri.
3 ous about Wurmin, which reused thu
7 curiosity and interest Of Marie. Hi
! affection for her was sc on unmi staka
d BILE; he showed her every conceivabl,
o attention; but why did he never speal
+ of love, though his dark ardent eyet
y would rest upon hers half dreamily
9 half with an expression that SCENE.
Il to announce ON early and positive lie
i claraton9 Already the neighbors spok
= OF their marriage as q settled matter
r and mother Petrowna was more tha
,, happy at the thought of her daughter
}, finding worthy husband at last
>. One morning when the latter was 81,
). ting in the parlor, Wurmin entered an
10 asked for Marie.
'e "she is in the garden" f." answered he