The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-27

=" WV W IVA kItAluNd1N Auu llly Will "
firm, aS any Of them. II ROsalnd seek
the love Of \ true heart, and the prOlec
lion Of stout arms and determined success
then / fear not 70 place myself by the sid
Of any sutton In the land. ButiiBhe seek
Immediate wealth, and the glitter for soml
hIgh'sOundIng title, then-ah, ! know shI
does not. But let Il pass now | will SCI
her."
Claudia would not oppose the wishes o
her son, and she said no more upon tn
subject. Fora while nothing further wa
said, until RurlG remarked upon the In
creasing force Of the storm.
1 "lfAFkw exclaimed bis mother, bend
Ing her ear In listening attitude. "WRl
that a knock upon our door,"
surely no Que Is out on such night
that could seek shelter here" continued
Ruric. "HOu must have"
The youth did not finish his sentence,
for ut that moment the knock came S0
loud that It was not 10 DO mistaken. The
youth caught up the candle aud hastenetl
10 the door He opened Il hut the bias,
came roaring In, whirling cloud Of snow
Into Rnric's face, and extingulshed the
light at once.
"ls there anyone here?" the gunmaker
asked, bowling his head and shielding his
eyes from the driving snow with one hand
"Yes," returned n voice from tile Sly.
gtan darkness. "ln Heavens name let
me- in, or shall perish"
Then follow quickly" said Ruric.
Here; give me your hand. There-nOw
come"
The youth found the thiCkly.glOved hand
-gloyed with the softest iur-Rnd having
led tho invisible applicant into the hall,
he closed the door, and then led the way
into tbs kitchen. As soon as the candle
was re.lighted Ruric turned and gazed
upon the newcomer. He WAS Il mOEk-
and habited something like one OF the
Black Monks Of st. Michael. lie was Of
medium height, aud possessed n rotundity
Of person which was comical to behold.
lie was fat and unwieldy, and wRddled
about with lauEhAble steps. Ills huge
black robe, which reached from his chin
TO his toes, was secured about the waist
with sash Of tue same color and the
snow, which lay upon his shoulders and
back, presented striking contrast. Ruric
brushed away the snow with his own
hand, and having taken his visitors thick
fur bonnet, the latter took seat near the
FIRE.
Before word was spoken, the youthful
host carefully examined bis guests iea.
lures; and the latter seemed equally de.
sirous Of discovering what manner Of PEG.
pie he had fallen in with. The monks
face was peculiar one. The features
were very dark and prominent, and almost
angular in their strOngly.mArked outlines.
Ills brow was very fair In mental devel.
opment, and his eyes were dark and brill
liant. The slight circle OF hair that es.
capped from beneath the tight skuIl.cap
which he retained upon his head, was
somewhat tinged with silver, though his
lace did not betray such advanced aye Us
this silyery hair would seem to Indicate.
you have been caught in EevCre
storm, good father" said the youth, after
his guest hal somewhat recovered from
the effects Of the cold.
"Aye-that have /, my son." the monk
returned, in deep, rumblinS tone, al
left the Kremlln this morning, little
thinking OF such 4 change. This storm
has commenced since. l started on nv re-.
turn. About half mile from here my
horse got toundered in the snow, and I
left him with an honest peasant, and then
started to make the rest Of my way on foot,
but ! reckOned wildly. The driving Storm
blinded me, and the piling drifts swal.
loved me up at every dozen steps. NV
BODY IS not very well adapted to such
work. Ha, ha, ha! Bat saw your light,
and | determined to seek shelter here for
The night By st, Michael, but this Is a
most severe storm! yet you are comiorta.
AYE, father, we try to be comfortable, +"
said Ruric. "My mother could hardly
survive winter In some Of the dwellings
which stand hereabOutS,"
The monk made no answer to this save
a sort OF commendatOry nod; and shortly
afterwards the youth asked:
DO you belong here in the city, good
t'Aye-at present do" the monk re-
Piled. And then, with amile, he added {:
~ suppose you would like 10 know whom
you have thus received? My name is
Vladimir, and my home is wherever
may chance to be on Gods heritage. At
present | am residing here In Moscow.
Ihere@could you ask me to be more
lrank?"
Ruric smiled, but he made no direct re-
ply. He was TOO deeply Interested in the
face oil the monk TO enter with much eager.
ness into conversation. At length the
guest asked il he could be accommodated
with some sleeping, place, and being an.
swered In the affirmative, the youth light.
ed another candle aud conducted him 10 a
chamber which was located directly over
tho kitchen, and which was very well
warmed by means OF several iron tubes
that connected with the furnace below.
Mother" said Ruric, as soon as he had
returned to the kitchen, "who is that
MANI"
"How should know"
"But have you never seen him beiore?"
Rurtc asked, in an earnest, eager tone.
II cannot tell, my son. His face most
surely calls up some strange emotions In
my mind, but think never saw him be.
FORE"
"Aud yet he seems familiar 70 me-" the
son resumed. "ThOSe eyes surely have
seen before, but to save my soul cannot
remember when or WHERE
And so Ruric pondercI and pondercd,
but to no avail. After he had retired to
his bed he lay awake ard thought Of the
strange face; and all through the night
his dreams were but startling visions OF
the Black Monk.