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

Ono morning, when tho good lady was
seated in her drawing-room, Vourmin
entered and inquired for Mari.
"She is in the garden" replied
Petrowna. you will find her there Ii
you wish to see her.
The Colonel went out hastily, and
Pctrowna. making the sign of tho cross,
murmured to herself "God be praisedl
hope everything will be arranged to-
day.
Vourmfi found his lady love dressed
in white, seated beneath q tree, close by
a lake. with book on her knee, like
any heroine OF romance. After the in.
terchangc of few commonplace sent
ences, Vourmin, with considerable agi.
tation, told her that for long time he
had been desirous OF opening his mind
to her, and now prayed her to listen TO
him for few moments. She closed her
book and cast down her eyes In n token
Of assent.
II love you'll" exclaimed Vourmin--
Glove you ardently.
Mari bent down her head a little
more.
~ have committed tho imprudence
of seeing you. of listening to you, every
day. (Mari rccollectcd the first
letter Of st. Prcux). The memory of
your sweet face and gentle voice will
form henceforward the joy and torture
of my existence; but l have duty to
fulfill toward you. must reveal to you
n strange secret, which places between
us an insurmountable barrier"
THAT barrier" murmured Mari,
has always existed. l could never
become your wife,"
81 know" replied Vourmin, in low
voice, "that you have loved; but death,
and three years of mourning-dearest
Mari, do not take away from me my
last consolation; do not deprive me Of
the happiness of thinking that you might
have been mine, il not"
"Hush!' cried Mari. "Cease, con-
iure YOU; you pierce me through the
heart"
"Yes, have the consoling thought
| that you would have been mine. But
am the most unfortunate of men-I am
marriedr'
Mari raised her eyes with look of
| amazement.
II am married." resumed the Colonel,
married these four years, and neither
know ,Uho my wife is nor Uhere she is,
nor whether | shall ever meet her."
"What can you meanp What is the
! mysteryP But go on, beg of you; /
! will tell you afterwards"
Here, them SAID the Colonel, '.are
the facts. In the year 1912 was going
to wilma to join my regiment. / ar
rived late one evening at a station, and
had just given orders to have the horses
| in, ma Il In al ,.,han IL,
there arose violent snow-storm. The
master of the house and the position
both strongly advised me to defer my
journey; but, tempest or no tempest, /
was resolved to push on. The position
took it into his head that he could
shorten the way by crossing a river
whose banks he knew very welh How
ever, he missed the right ford, and
brought me to place which was totally
strange to him. The storm continued
to rage, but at length we deserted a
distant light. l hastened towards it
and found myself outside q church,
whence the. light proceeded. The door
was open. Sledges were waiting inside,
and several persons were standing in
the porch. One of them called to me
This way! this wayp l got out of my
sledge and entered the church. One OF
the people in the porch said:
I'm the name of Heaven, what ha,
delayed youP The bride has tainted
and we were all on the point of return
ing home"
HHalf bewildered and half amused. ]
resolved to follow up the adventure
Indeed was allowed no time to delib
crate, for nv impatient friends hurried
me intothe interior of the church, which
was family lit up by two or three othe
torches. A girl was seated on bencl
in the shadow, while another stand
ing beside her, was rubbing her tenn
pies.
".At lenpth," said the latter: God b.
praised that YOU are come! NV mistress
was near diving
IAN old priest approached and said
Shall we beginp'
".Oh, begia by all means, my rev
erend father!' replied /, giddily.
"Tbev ossisted the vonno oirl m r;se
she seemed verv nrettv. Throngh
lcvitv ouite unnardonable and as
now seems To me, inconceivable lad
vanced beside her to the altar He
servant and the tbree men who war
nresent were 90 much occnn;ed ohon
her, that thew scarcely Slanced at me
besides. the iieht. as | have said. wa
verv dim. and NV head was enveione
in the fur hood OF nv travelling pelisse
, In a very few moments we were ma,
ried
".Embrace each other said one q
the witnesses. Nv wife turned he
pale face towards me. For an instan
backwards, She exclaimed: