Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-05-25
WOODSTOCK, w. WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 1884,


oThe presence Of tho parenta 0f tho
bride Is forbidden, II IL true at 9 mar
riagc, hut none tho less shall You
accompany us ~ far aS tho church
door,"
At look from Khawielli, two young
officers, who were ready for anything,
took their seats one on each side Of lio,
laroll, to prevent his escape, We had
gone into the outer room, leaving NarNa
sleeping profoundly In tho inner one,
In about two hours DubasoIf returned
with the mayor and iladetsky with tho
priest's wife, Everything was ready,
ly the liberal use Of threats, promises,
and money the affair had been AZ
ranged In two hours, instead Of tho two
weeks that tho village officials usually
require, mn
II was now almost daylight, The
only thing TO bo hal for tho bride IN the
shape Of carriage was q tarantaSa'
which had arrived, and tho priest was
waiting IN tho church, khaTielI now
went into tho next room from Naiya'
In few moments We heard her voice
in angry protest. Then tho door How
open, and she walked In among us,
Sho went up to her father, "llc
says" ~ pointing over her shoulder to
Khawcn'-"that | MA to marry him
No, | will not marry him." she said,
stamping her foot, ~ will 90 back
with you, You may beat me, You may
kill me, You may do what You will, hut
| will never marry Niclor kharyiclf'
KharviclI put n stop to all further ar
pumcnts by scizing her firmly in his
arms and carrying her ont to the 'aran'
tass aud placing her in it.
The procession to the church was ns
follows Narya aud khaTiclr IN the
tamniass, he holding her so that she was
utterly poworlcss, and replying to her
angry tears and declarations that she
would die rather than marry him by
the most cndcaring expressions; Loris
Bolaroil, on his own old horse, with
two of the scapcgmcos of the regiment
ON either side Of him, one holding his
bride, while the other took possession
of his stick the mayor escorted between
two other officers; myself with the
priests wife, who was supposed to give
dignity to the affair; and u miscel-
lancons crowd ut our heels, for the
regiment, as we'll as the whole village,
was awakened by this time.
Upon reaching tho church, some of
our comrades were found waiting with
the priest, and according to the Russian
custom, that the parents OF tho bride
shall not he present at the church, in
order that she may be free and untram-
mclled in her choice, Loris Bolarolf re-
mained outside under strong guard OF
villagers. BY the aid of few roublcs
the priest was induced to overlook
any informaltcs in this hasty trans
action.
The ceremony began. When the con-
sent of the bride was asked, Varva stood
up stiilly and absolutely refused to
speak, when Kharvieil, taking her by
the top of her head and her chin, in
olinad hor head for her. The priest
proceeded, and in few moments they
were man and wife. The marriage was
scarcely over before / was beckoned out
of the church by courier. was
ordered to transfer the regiment to the
next in command, and to lose not an
instant in presenting myself at st.
Petersburg to be sent to France on n
mission of importance from the ministry
of war.
The last I saw of Varva, she was re-
cciving the kiss from the Bridegroom
usual to Russian marriages, while it
required all Kharvieil's strength to keep
her from rushing away from him.
reached st. Petersburg several days
before the regiment, and was sent to
Paris Immediately. I remained there
for nearly three years, by order of the
government. During that time l re-
ceived the following letter from khar-
viefl':-
"You are, perhaps, commiserating my
domestic difficulties. My friend, l have
none. My wife is most beautifully
af1ectionate and submissive to me. She
is perfect. But for year after my
marriage she never gave me civil
word. She told me she would kill her
self rather than remain with me. AT
last made her fear me then | made
her love me then I made her jealous.
My dear friend, if you wish real ex-
element and glorious triumph, marry
a woman who processes to hate you p
NppincoNs.