Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-01-03


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 fastened towards the
nearest, and, descending from the
sledge, knocked at the window. A
small door in the shutter opened, and
the white beard of an old man APP
peared.
"What do you want.?''
"Is it far to JadrinO?"
"Jadrino! About ten versts."
At this reply Vladimir felt like GRIM
inal condemned to execution.
"Can YOU" said he. furnish me
with horses to 60 there.
1--WE have no horses"
"Well. then, guide; will give'him
whatever he asks"
"Wait, then, said the old man; "Tll
send you my son"
The window was carefully closed,
and a considerable time elapsed. Via
dimir, whose Impotence became quite
uncomfortable, knocked again loudly at
the shutter.
The old man reappeared.
"What do you want?''
"YOur son.
"He's coming; he is dressing himself.
Are you coldo Come in and warm your
self"
"NO, no; send out your SON.
AT length young lad, with stout
stick in his hand, made his appearance,
and led the way across the snOw-cov-
cred plain.
what clock is it?" asked Vladi-
| mir.
ebay will soon break"
The suns rays, indeed, had begun
to gild the east, and the village cocks
| were growing when they arrived at
Jadrino. The church door was closed.
Vladimir, having paid and dismissed
his guide, fastened toward the priests
dwelling
What was he about to hear?
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
rs usual and went into the eating-roOm
- Gabriel Gabriloyitch in his wooden
vest and his night-cap, and Petrowna in
her dressing-gown.
Tea was served, and Gabriel sent Il
maid to. inquire for Mari. The girl
returned with a message that her young
mistress had passed restless night,
but that she now felt better, and was
coming down. In few minutes Mari
entered and embraced her parents.
''How do you feel. my poor little
onese' asked her father
Better" was the answer.
The day passed on as usual; but to-
wards evening Mari became more i'll
and fe,erish. 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 SUBJ
Jet; nor did any of the othes 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 doSbt
that her illness was caused by love.
She and her husband consulted some of
their friends on the subject; and, as the
result of the conference, it was unani-
mously decided that Mari was destined
to marry the ensign-that one can not
avoid ones fate-that riches do not in
sure happine sand other fine maxims
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 should
| be announced to him-that he should
be told he was now free to marry his
belo. ed. What was the establishment
of the pr )ud owners of Nenaradof, when
they received in reply letter from the
young ensign, in which he declared he
would never enter their dwelling again,
and prayed them to forget an unhappy
being. for whom death was the only ref
uge!
A few days afterward they learned
that Vladimir had rejOined the army.
! III WAS In lSlZ. NO one ever mentioned
his namc to Mari, nor did she herself
allude to him in any way. Two or
three months elapsed, and one day she
saw his name mentioned among the
officers who had distinguished them
selves at the battle of Borodino, and
I who were, MORALLY wounded. She
tainted. and had relapse Of fever,
from which she slowly recovered.
Not long afterward her father died,
leaving her the reversion of his whole
property. Wealth, however. brought
her no consolation: she wept with her
mother, and vowed never to leave her.
They left their residence at Nenaradof.
and took up their abode on another
estate. Numerous suitors thronged
around the rich and lovely heiress, but
to none of them did she vouchsafe the
smallest encouragement. Her mother
often implored her to choose . he's
band; but she silently shook her head.
Vladimir was no more; he expired at
Moscow on the eve of the day the
French entered that city To Mari, his
memory seemed sacred; she treasured
up the books they had read together,
his drawings, and the notes he had
written to her-everything that could
perpetuate the remembrance of the I'M
happy young man.
I About that time q war, glorious for