Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-07-29

on means Of deiverance. These letters
and secret conferences led them land very
naturally sol to the following conclusions
that life would be burden were they to
be separated from each other, and as their
hard-heaTted parents chose to place OBJ
stacles in their way of happiness, would
it not be possible for them to forego their
consent altogether?
Winter setting in put an end to their
meetings, but their correspondence became
the more active. Vladimir Nikolaevitch
besought Maria Gavrilovna in each of his
letters to give herself up to him, urging
her to clandestins marriage, proposing
that they should keep themselves con-
cealed for awhile, and that they should
finally throw themselves in repentance at
their prrents feet, who by that time would
doubtless be touched by such unequalled
constancy, and by the unhappiness Of the
lovers, and would be certain to receive
them with the exclamation, ''Chidreu
come to our arms"
Maria Cavrilovua wavered long one
plan of flight was dismissed for another.
At last she consented. 1t was arranged
that she should on the appointed day, re-
tire to her room before supper, under the
pretext Of suffering from headache
that, accompanied by her maid, who would
he privy to the arrangement, she should
descend to the garden and pass out at the
back gate; that sledgc should be in
readiness, and that she should drive to the
village Of Jadrino, and alight at the
church, where Vladimir would be found
awaiting her.
Maria Gavrilovna passed a sleepless
night. She packed up, making up her
linen and dress into bundle; she wrote
one long letter to a certain friend, SEN
tineutal young lady, and another to her
parents. She bade them farewell in the
most pathetic terms, urging in exteuuation
of her conduct, the uusurmounsed strength
Of her passion, and concluded with the
assurance that she would consider it the
happiest moment of her existence when
she would be able to throw herself at
their feet. Having sealed both the let
ters with Toula seal, bearing the repre-
sentation of two flaming hearts and an ap-
propriate motto, she flung herself upon
her bed just before daybreak and slum-
bered. But her rest was disturbed oy
horrible dreams. Now she saw her fa-
ther arresting her just as she was on the
point of driving off to be married she
felt he was dragging her with Lightning
speed over the cold snow, and hurled her
into dark, unfathomablo pit, and she
was falling headTong, with an inexpressi-
bic sickness at heart. Then she saw
Vladimir, stretched on the ground, pale
and bloodstained. He was dying, and
calling upon her in piercing voice to be-
come his bride---these and other equally
shapeless, equally wild visions, passed
before her. She rose at last, paler than
usual, and this time with a real headache.
Her father aud mother noticed her indls-
position; their tender soicitude and con.
slant inquiry, "What ails thee, Marsha?'
went to her heart. She tried to reassure
them, and endeavored to assume her us.
ual cheerfulness, bnt she could not sue
coed. Evening came on. The thought
that now she was spending her last day in
her old home seemed uncomfortable Her
heart beat fast. Her voice taltered as
she babe her father and mother "good
night" They kissed her and blessed her
as was their wont; she strove hard to
conceal her tears. But upon reaching
her room. and fuding herself alone, she
threw herself upou couch and wept.
Her maid entreated her to be calm aud
take courage. All was ready. But one
half hour, and Masha was to quit forev-
er her parents roof, her room. her peace
ful maiden existence. A SNOW storm was
raging; the wind howed, the shutters
creaked and shook; she looked upon all
this in the light Of warning, of sor-
rowful omen. At last the household was
wrapped in silence and sleep. Marsha
drew shawl around her shoulders, threw
on warm cloak, and slipped through
the back entrance. Her maid followed
ber. They entered the garden. Tie
storm had not abated the wind blew
violently into their faces, as if desirous
of arresting the young culprit The gar
deu gate was reached with some difficulty
The sledge was 10 readiness. The chilled
horses refused to stand still. and Vladi-
Mrs eoachman was trying to curb their
restlessuess. He assisted the young lady
and her maid into the sledge, seized the
reius. and they were off.
Vladimir had been astir all day. In
tho ,ncrn;no ha had called nm the priest of