The Van Buren press., 1873-04-22
MISCELLANY.
The Secret Society.

1t was the beginning Of May, and get
ting very warm in St. Petersburg; so, af
ter my days work was over, l went dewi
to the bathing blace, where in the no
weather | was accustomed to spend many
hours. To-day was not the only on'
there, as often happened there was E;
young light-hairsd Russian enjoying him
self in the limpid stream. 1t wasn't very
long before was following his example
and in about twenty minutes was on,
again drying myself and watching the
gambols Of this young fellow.
He must be tolerably fond Of bath
Jag, said to myself, "to stay in that
ice bath SO long"
turned aways to dress, and had put
on my trousers and shirt, when l looked
round to see if he was out yet or per
forming any strange antic; but he was
no longer to be seen. looked for his
clothes. which were still there but no
signs Of the bathsr, Good heavens
what was that? A hand surely! yes
and now another and head and mur
INJURED scream for help! To jump in just
as l stood, half dressed, and haul him on
land was the work of an instant He
was perfectly unconscious, and till felt
his heart gently beating, / thought him
dead after, with much laber, rubbing,
chafiRg, and administering brandy, which
providentially had with me, got him
into hackney carriage, and, learning his
address from card In his pocket, had
him driven to his home.
In a few hours he Was conscious and
on his way to recovery. In the mean
time the good people had insisted on my
going to bed. ald had ordered their man
servant to rub me well with brandy and
swathe me in hot blankets.
Some time in the evening awoke and
found complete set of clothing laid out
for me; so, feeling as right as trivet,
jumped up and dressed Being dressed,
| went out to inquire how the patient was
getting on; and, as opened my door,
the one ris a ris opened also, and the
mother came forward with both hands
out stretched
Now you are yourself again, let me
give you mothers blessing for having
saved her only SON." and with these
words she raised her hands, and, placing
them on my bowed head exclaimed /:
" May God bless you and reward you
for the great good you have done, and
may all my household lay down their
lives at any time to render you ser
vice :"
She then kissed me once on the fore
style, and added, "And now come to see
Peter; he is doing charmingly, and can
not rest until he thanks his preserver -
We entered the room, and there, lying
in bed, was the light haired youth, look
ing more like what first saw in the wat
er than the corpss-likc body | had drag
ged out with its haXen hair clingiHg
tightly to the face. Beside him sat the
most beautiful girl had ever seen.
The end of it was that | was persuad-
ed to give up my lodgings and live With
them; the very natural consequence be
ing that fell in love with Catrna, the
Lovely daughter, and (what was not SO
natural consequence she with me.
A blow fell upon me about three weeks
after the accident happened-n fact, |
received two blsws together.
One was a letter from my sister to say
my mother was dangerously i'll, and that
il | wanted to see her alive, must lie
turn at once to England. The other was
from my employers. saying that, as the
firm had experienced severe losses in the
Colonies, my services would no longer
be required. | showed Catrina both let
tsrs, and asked her advice.
"Go home directly" she said
"Will you come with me, Catrina"
"No, she replied 81 cannot leave
my mother "
The next day l was en- route for Eng
land.
Ny mother got rapidly better, and in
August was recommended to 60 to HON
burg, and take the mineral baths and
drink the waters, and she insisted on my
aces smpsnying her, We arrived after a
hot and dusty two days journey
enjoyed myself very much at HON
burg met great number Of Russians
whom had known in their own country,
and it was 4 great treat to me to speak
the language again; it reminded me so
much Of Catrina and my Russian home.
There was one gentleman ] took q great
fancy to, \ man called Scholvolski. a com
mercial traveller like myself He seemed
TO have taken an equal fancy to mo, and
was always asking me to dine with him
at the restaurant Sometimes friend OF
his dined with us, man dislked, why,
| knew not-unless it was that his cx-
preston was diabolical, sensual, cruel,
and ptiless. I told my friend Scholvel.
ski one day that | wouldn't join him
again il he asked his friend. To which
he replied, laughingly, "Oh, hos not a
bad fellow. only his face is SO much
against him"
ri had been in Russia ! should not