Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-10-09
THE STORM.

/ AT Tue Close OF lOll. III Tie estate OF
Nenaradovo, lived Gavrilo Gavrilovitch,
a Russian proprietor. His unbounded
hospitality and frankness won him
many friends among the neighboring
lproprietors. While many would visit
him TO partake of his hospitality or to
play a game of ca ds with his wife,
Pa askova PIetrovna, an amiable and
prepossessiDg lady of 40, the thoughts
and aspirations of the majority were
chiefly centered upon his 17-year-old
daughter Masha, who. in addition to
her fine manners, pretty face and
| Statue-like fguIe, was wealthy heir-
ess, and many a sleepless night did that
little circumstance cause the young
| men of the town. But like many other
girls of her age and station in the Rus
sian provinces, Masha had been brought
| up on the French novel, and It goes
| without saying that she was passion
ately in love. The object of her affec-
| ton, who was also hes ideal OF he: o,
was a poor army officer, who lived a
few versts away from her fathers es-
tate. OF course her ''ideal'' recipro-
Gated her love. But, alas, t! !ue 1--we
seldom runs smooth. Masha's parents
positively objected to the match AM
| the young mans welcome became
cooler every day. This, however, did
not hinder the lovers from correspond
ing or from meeting quite fl Iequently in
| the forest. Amid romantic surround
| ings, with no human being 10 det ct o
TO overhear them, they would pledge to
each other eternal love, would bewail
their fate and devise all soits OF
schemes. Elopement was of course
| proposed i'll due season by the young
man, and as Masha was an ardent ad-
mirer of all soIts of adventures pei tain
ing to eIoism, it more than pleased
her romantic imagination
The cold winter put an end TO their
secret interviews; the more voluminous,
however, became their correspondence.
| Vladimir would entreat his beloved in
every letter to entrust her destiny to
him; to elope; to keep out of sight until
the excitement should be over; then 10
appear before her parents, who would
undoubtedly become resigned to the
inevitable, to kneel down before them
and beg their forgiveness and blessing.
And his, according to his calculations,
would surely end in: ''Come, children,
to our embrace and be happy" AL
this seemed very fascinating to Masha,
and without much meditation, she con.
Il
by her lover. And the course was this:
On the day of her departure she was
TO decline taking her meals with her
parents at the table, pretending to suf-
| fer with a severe headache. Thus she
would be enabled to make preparations
for the journey in her room. Her ser
want, who was in the secret, was TO
accompany her TO the garden gate,
| where a troika, or span of three hor. es,
sent by Vladimir, would be in waiting
| They were then to dive as fast as the
horses could carry them to the church
in the village OF Dshadrino, where
| Vladimir would be sure to meet them.
Now if anyone spent most miserable
and sleepless night in Gayrilo Gavrilo-
| vitch'5 house it was his daughter Ma
sha. After packing her things and
clothes she wrote two very long lette. S
one to her intimate friend, young
girl of her own age, and the other to
| her parents. She took leave of them
in the most touching and pathetic
words, ascribiDg her rash action to a
providential will. expressing her hope
that her step towards perfect happi-
ness" might not incur their anger and
concluding that the happiest moment
I'D her life would be that when their
paternal blessing will be bestowed upon
their daughter and her most noble
husband. After sealing her letters with
Il seal, upon which two impassione
hearts with an appropriate line under
meath were engraved, she threw herself
upon her bed and fell in a sort of a
dream. Awful visions kept her half
awake. At one time it seemed to her
that at the very moment she took her
seat on the sleigh and was ready to
drive to Dshadrino her father overtakeS
her; he drags her down and throws her
into bottomle:s cave. Down she goes
with a broken and horror stricken
heart. Then she sees her vladimir
lying upon the ground, pale and bleed
ing. He implores her in heart-rendIng
voice to marry her ere he parts with
life. Many other horrid visions or a
similar nature pass before her in Zap: d
succession. At last she awoke, paler
than usual, and this time with real
headache. Her parents saw at glance
that some trouble weighed upon her
mind and their tender care and inceS-
SAINT questions as to her health and well
fare made her heart the more oppTe sed.
She made an effort TO soothe their
anxiety, to assume a happy and cheer
! ful lace, out 1alltu- Evening cdInt
The thought that it was her last day
under her parents roof gave her 10
peace. She CO I'D scarcely control her
feelings. She mentally took leave of
all the people IN the house, of all the
surroundings. Supper was served. Her
heart beat faster than ever, as she de-
clared that she would be compelled to
remain in her room.
1t was nearly midnight when Masha
and er maid left tie house. TeTeshka,
| Vladimir's driver, was already awaiting
them at the garden gate. He helped
them into the sleigh, and after arrang-
ing the bundles and packages and see
ing that his masters ''jewel" was con-
fortably seated. took up the reins and
in five minutes they were beyond the
limits of Gavrilo Cav iloyitche's estate.
While Tereska is taking ca-e OF
Masha we shall turn our attention 70
our gallant officer. Vladimir hal bis
hands full all day. In tie morning he
visited the Dshadrino minister, who,
after considerable difficulty and upon
rec living a handsome deposit, con-
sented to marry him. Then he set ont
! in search of the three necessary wit
uesses The first one he met-s etired
colonel, d avin-coDsented to accom-
rnosate him. This adventure, he as
H. 81 1..r Ia vnaz ~