Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-01-04

at the thought that her daughter would
at length have husband worthy Of
her.
One morning. when the 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 if
you wish to see her"
The Colonel went out hastily, and
Petrowna, making the sign of the cross,
murmured to herself: ''GOd be prasedl
hope everything will be arranged to-
day.
Vourmin found his lady love dressed
in white, seated beneath tree, close by
lake, with a book on her knee, like
any heroine of romance. After the in
terchange of few commonplace sent
eDces, NOurmin, with considerable agi-
tatiOn, told her that for long time he
had been DESTROYS Of opening his mind
TO her, and now prayed her to listen 10
him for few moments. She closed her
book and cast down her eyes in a token
of assent.
Il love you.' exclaimed Vourmin-
al love you ardently.
Mari bent down her head little
more.
a. have committed the imprudence
of seeing you. of listening to YOU, every
day. Mari recollected the first
letter OF It. Preux). The memory OF
your sweet face and gentle voice will
form henceforward the JOY and torture
of my existence; hut / have duty tc
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-dearesi
Mari, do not take away from me my
last consolation; do not deprive me 0f
the happiness of thinking that you might
have Geen mine, If not"
Hush cred 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.
NJ am married. resumed the Colonel,
married these four wears, and neither
know tCho my wife is nor Uhere she is,
nor whether 1 shall ever meet her."
What can you mean? What is the
mystery? But go on. beg of you;
Will tell you afterwards. "
Here, them sad the Colonel, ''are
the facts. In the year 1912 / was going
to Wilma to join my regiment. / ar
rived late one evening at station. and
lIai Just gwen orders to have the horses
Immediately harnessed, when suddenly
there arose violent snow orIn. The
master of the house and the pOstil or
both strongly advised me to defer my
journey; but, tempest or no tempest, |
was resolved to push on. The position
took IL into his head that he could
shorten the way by crossing river
whose banks he knew very well. 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 fastened towards it
and found myself outside church,
whence the light proceeded The door
and several persons were standing in
the porch. One Of them called 10 me:
This way! this wayr got out of my
sledGe and entered the church. One of
the people in the porch said:
lin the name of Heaven. what ha,
delayed YOU? The bride has tainted.
and we were all on the point of return
ing home"
Half bewildered and half amused.
resolved to follow up the adventure.
Indeed l was allowed no time TO DELHI
crate, Tor my impatient friends hurried
me intothe interior OF the church. which
was family lit up by two or three other
torches. A girl was seated on bench
in the shadow, while another stand
ing beside her, was rubbing her TEN.
pies.
"'At length, D." said the latter: God be
praised that you are come! Ny mistress
was near dying.
- An old priest approached and said:
Shall we begin?
"'Oh, begin by all means, nv reXs
erend fatherr replied 1, giddily.
They assisted the younggirl;to rise:
she seemed very pretty. Through n
lsvity quite objectionable, aud, as il
now seems to mr., inconcelyable, adj
vanced beside her to- tho -fsitar.1 Her
servant and the three meh' who were
present were so much occupied about
her, that they scarcely glanced st. me;
besides, the light. as | have said, was
very dim, and my head was enyeloped
in the fur hood of my travelling pelisse.
In n very few moments we were mar
ried.
"' Embrace each other said one Of
the witnesses. Ny wife turned her
pale face towards me. For an instant
she gazed as if petrified, then falling
backwards, she exclaimed:
- 1t is not he! 1t is not he.''
"Out of the church | rushed, before
the astonished priest and the bridal
party had time to think of arresting NV
fight. jumped into the sledge, and
soon left all pursuit behind"
And" said Mari. did YOU ever
ascertain what become of that poor
woman?"
Never. did not know the name
of the village where | was married, nor
can l recollect that of the station WHERE
last stopped. At that time SO little
Importance did attach TO my criminal
Ievity, that when all danger of pursuit
was over, fell asleep in the sledge and
did not awake until found myself at
another station. The servant whom
/ had with me was killed in battle. so that
every clue seems lost by which / might
discover the scene Of that folly which ]
now expiate so dearly"
Mari turned her pale face fully to-
wards him, and seized his hands.
"Whatr' cried Vourmin, Twas Il
you?"
"DOn't YOU recognize me?"
A long and close embrace was the 70.
ply.-N Y. Sunday Times.
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