Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-12-28


seen; and after two hours of this sort OF
work the poor horse was ready to drop
from fatigue.
AT length sort OF dark line became
visible in front; he urged his horse on
wards and found himself on the borders
of forest. "Oh,n he exclaimed, ~
aia all right now; shall easily find my
way to Jadrino.n He entered the for
est, of which the branches were so
thickly interlaced that the snow had
not penetrated through them. and the
road was easy to follow. Tho horse
pricked up his ears and went on readily,
while Vladimir felt his spirits revive.
However rs they say in the fairy
tales he went on and on, and yet could
not find Jadrino. His poor, tired steed
with the utmost difficulty dragged nm
to the other side of the forest; and, by
the time he arrived there, the storm had
ceased, and the moon shone out. No
appearance, however, of Jadrino; be-
fore him lay extended large plain, to-
wards the center of which the poor
traveller deserted cluster of four or
| five houses. He hastened towards the
nearest and, descending from the
sledgc, knocked at the window. A
|
the white beard of an old man ap-
| peared.
"What do you want.p'
"Is il far to Jadrinop"
| "Jadrino! About ten versts."
At this reply Vladimir felt like GRIM
inal condemned to execution.
"Can you," said he. furnish mo
with horses TO go there.
ave have no horses"
"Well, then, a guide; / will give him
wha' ever he asks"
"Wait, then," said the old man; "Tll
send you my son."
The window was carefully closed,
and considerable time elapsed. Via
dimir, whose impatcnce became quite
uncomfortable, Knocked again loudly at
the shutter.
The old man rcappeared.
"What do you want?"
"Your son."
"He's coming; he is dressing himself.
Are you coldp Come in and warm your
self"
mo, no; send out your son.
At length q young lad, with a stout
stick in his hand, made his appearance,
and led the way across the snow-cov-
cred plain.
"What o'clock is itp" asked Vladi-
mir.
"Day will soon break"
The suns rays, indeed, had begun
to gild the cast, and the village cocks
were Growing when they arrived at
Jadrino. The church door was closed.
Vlad mir, having paid and dismissed
his guide, fastened toward the priests s
dwelling.
What was he about to hearp
Let us first inquire what was going on
in the mansion of the master of Nena-
radof. just nothing at all. In the
morning the husband and wife got up
as usual and went into the eating-room
- Gabriel Gabrilovitch in his woolen
vest and his night-cap, and Petrowna in
her dressing gown.
Tea was served, and Gabriel sent a
maid to in tuire for Mari. The girl
returned with message that her young
mistress had passed a restless night,
but ii 1T she now felt better, and was
coming down. In few IN nutes Mari
entered and embraced her parents.
''How do you feel, my poor little
onep' asked her father.
"Better," was the answer.
The day passed on as usualt but to.
wards evening Mari became more ill
and feyerish. The family physician
was summon ID from the nearest town,
and when he arrived he found his pa
tient in high fever. During fourteen
DAYS she continued on the brink of the
grave.
Nothing was known of her nocturnal
fight, as the waiting maid, for her own
sake, was prudently silent on the sub
ect nor did any of the other accom-
plices, even after having. drunk wine,
breathe word on the subject, so much
did all parties dread the wrath of Ga.
briel. Mari, however, during her deli
, rum, raved so necessarily about Vladi
mir, that her mother could not doub
that her illness was caused by love
She and her husband consulted some o.
, their friends on the subject; and, rs the
result of the conference, it was unani
mously decided that Mari was destined
to marry the ensign-that one can no
, avoid ones fate-that riches do not in
, sure happiness and other fine maximi
of the same kind.
| The invalid recovered. Vladimir
/ during her illness, had never appeared
at the house; and it was determined
, that his unexpected good fortune shoult
be announced to him-that he shoult
, be told he was now free to marry hi
t believe What was the astonishmen
of the )ud owners of Nenaradof, whel
| they received in reply n letter from tn,
: young ensign, in watch he declared h,
+ would never enter their dwelling again
l and prayed them to forget an unhapp,
5 being, for whom death was the only rcf
uge!
Y A few days afterward they Learned
l that Vladimir had rejoined tho army
J: 1t was in 1872. No one ever mentione,
i his namc to Mari, nor did she hersel
Q allude to him in any way. Two 0
G three months elapsed, and one day sh
: saw his name mentioned among tn
:, officers who had distinguished them
0 selves at the battle of Borodino, an
, who we're mortally wounded Sh
!, tainted, and had relapse of fever
4 from which she slowly recovered.
Not long afterward her father died
4 leaving her the reversion of his Who'll
r property. Wealth, however, brough
r her no consolation; she wept with he
mother, and vowed never to leave hel
J; They left their residence at Nenaradoi
d and took up their abode on anothe
|, estate. Numerous suitors thronge
d around the rich and lovely heiress, bu
n to none of them did she vouchsafe tn
r smallest encouragement. Her mothe
; often implored her to choose q hu'
n band; but she silently shook her heat
d Vladimir was no more; he expired ,
a Moscow on the eve of the day til
: French entered that city. To Mari, h
o memory seemed sacred; she treasure
up the books they had read together
/ his drawings, and the notes he ha
d written to her-everything that coui