St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-01-05

retired to rest, wrapped herself up IN
thick muffiings and. followed by her
maid, carrying Yalisn, gained the out
er door. They found sledge, drawn
by three horses. awaiting them; and
having got into it, they started off at a
rapid pace We will leave them to pur-
sue their journey, while we return to
Vladimir.
| All that day he had been actively EN-
lployed. In Che morning ne had visited
the priest Of Jadrina in order to arrange
with hir4 about performing the cere-
| mony; and then he set off to procure
the necessary witnesses. The first ac-
| quaintance to whom he addressed him.
self was q half-pay officer, who willing
| ly consented to what he wished. ''Such
an adventure he said, reminded him
pleasantly of the days of his youth
He prevailed on Vladimir to remain
with him, promising to procure for him
the other two witnesses. Accordingly
there appeared at dinner the geometri-
clan Schmidt, with his mustaches and
spurs; and the son Of Captain 1spraV-
nick, 3 lad of seventeen, who had Just
entered the Union corps. Both prom
| Used Vladimir to stand by him 10 the
last; and the happy lover, having cor
daily embraced his three friends, re-
turned to his dwelling in order to CONF
plete his preparations. Having dis
! patched a servant on whom he could
rely with the sledge for Mari, he him
self got into one horse sledge and start
cd for Jadrino. Scarcely had he set
=? out when. the storm commenced with
violence: and soon every trace OF, the
iroad disappeared The entire horizon
was coveted with thick yellow cloud,
iwhence fell masses rather than fakes
Iof snow; and soon all distinction be-
tween Land and sky was lost. In vain
did Vladimir try to find his way. His
horse went on Of random. sometimes
climbing over heaps of snow, some
/ times falling into ravines. Every mo-
ment the sledge was in imminent dam
ger of being upset; and, in addition,
| the pleasant conviction forced itself on
Vladimir that he had lost bis way. The
wood of Jadrino was nowhere to be
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,' he exclaimed, g [
am all right now; shall easily find my
way to Jadrino." He entered the for
| est, of which the branches were so
thickly interlaced that the snow had
not penetrated through them. and the
r6esyssa was easy to follow. The horse
| pricked up his ears and went on readily,
while Vladimir felt his spirits revive.
However, as 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 him
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 a large plain, tor
wards the center of which the poor
traveller deserted a cluster of four or
five houses. He hastened 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, p
/ Is it far to Jadrino?"
i "Jadrino! About ten versts.
AT this reply Vladimir felt like q Grim
| inal condemned to execution.
e" Can you,n said he, IS furnish me
| with horses to go there
We have no horses. y i
"Well, then. a guide; I will give him
whatever he asks. '1t55 ~ IA A
80 Wait, then,n said the old NJ n; /" I'll
/ ~
) The window was carefully closed,
! and a considerable time elapsed. Via.
/ dimir, whose impotence became quite
uncomfortable, knocked again. loudly at
| the shutter. 5Af5
The old man reappeared.
fsWhat do you Want?''
q ''Your son.'''af q.
astHe.s coming; he is dressing himself.
Are you cold? Come in andwarm your
self. . ss.!t
No, no; send out your son. 8s
At length a young lad, with a stout
! stick In his hand, made bis appearances,
and led the way across the snoW-cov-
.What o'clock is itP'' asked vladi-
mir. ss f,5
ebay will soon break 5z.f5s
s The suns rays, indeed, had begun
to gid 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. il
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
as usual and went into the eating-room
q Gabriel Gabrilovitch in his wooden