New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-16
THE SNOWSTORM.

Toward the end of 1911 at memoraole perlo N
for Russians. lived his own DOMAIN vi Ne lIa
radova the kind hearted Gayri fo H. hi; bosotaity
and his genial character Neighbors constantly
visited him 10 have something 10 eau anu uIi ia
and to play at hveeopecS CENT GOS ~ ba AVE-" look at
their daughter Maria, tall. pale giri OF seVe EN-
teen She was heiIess, ana they oesireu nei
seither for themselves or for their sons :. II,
Maria had been brought up on french n0 no SS
and consequently was in love. The object OF her
affection was poor ensign IN me army T IenVe oI
nbsence As a matter of course, the young hi'ii
,reciprocated Mara's passion But the parents "a
his beloved. noticing their mutual a him While
they received him worse than an eA-asSlze JIusIE.
Our lovers c6Tresponded, and met alone ualIS
in the pine wood or by Ins Og oTe invegRed
against fate, and exchanged various SUGGESTIONS
Writing and talking in this way, they qul'e haV
rrally reached the following conclusion -
II we cannot exist apart from each QUIET "Iu
IF the tyranny of hard-hearted parents tnro oSr
obstacles in the way OF our happiness 'nen 0'n
we not manage without them? . A.,
OF course this happy idea orlglnated III ele
mind of the young man, but it pleased immensely
the romantic imagination of Nara; ,oo.;,os
Winter set in and put stop TO ther piee'IliSa,
But their correspondence became all 19e InO :.
active. VlaNsnir begged Maria IN every NC'eI ~
give herself up TO him that they mgtS ill., gec throw
Tied secretly, hide for while, ana theh tnI9w
themselves at the feet of their parents, VINO woulu,
iof course, in the end be touched by their heroic
lconstancy and say TO them, "Chlldren' conic u
Maria hesitated a long WHILE and out OF many
different plans proposed that OF hSht was Ior a
time rejected. AT last however. she Soiseme s,on
On the appointed day she was 10 decline supper
and retire to her room under the plea Of head
laohc She and her maid, who was IN the secret,
were then to go out into me gsr tSe Wy would ind
"a sledge ready for them, would get 1nto IL ana
drive a distance of five miles from Nenaradova 70
the village of JadrinO straight to the church,
dirnir
On the eve of the decisive day Mama dld not
sleep all night; she was packing ana lying up
linen and dresses She wrote, moreover long
letter 10 a friend Of hers, sentimental young
lady, and another TO her parents. OF the latter
she took leave in the most touching terms one
excused the step she taking by reason OF the
uncomfortable power of love, and wound up by
declaring that she should consider II the happest
moment of her life when she waS allowed 10 throw
herself at the feet of her dearest parents. Sealing
both letters with TOula sea on which were en-
craven two flaming hearts with an appropriate
Inscription, she at last threw herself upon her
bed before daybreak, and dOzed oil, though even
then she was awakened nom one moment 10
another by terrible thoughts. First 1t seemed TO
her that at the moment OF entering Tie siedge
in order TO 20 and get married. her father stopped
her and with cruel rapidlty dragged her over
the snow, and threw her into a dark, bottom
less celar-d0wn which she fell headlong with an
understandable sinking of the heart. Then she
saw Vladimir lying on the grass, pale anu bleed
ing: with his dying breath he implored her TO
make haste and marry him. Other hldeous ana
senseless visions Eoated before her one after
another. Finally she rose paler than usual, and
with real headache.
Both her father and her mother remarked her
,indispositiOD. Their tender anxiety and constant
inquiries, -" What is the matter with you, Masha-
fare YOU i'll ?'' cut her TO the heart She tried 10
paeify them and to appear cheerful, but she
could not. Evening set in. The idea that she
twas passing the day for the last time In the
midst Of her family oppressed her. In her secret
heart she took leave Of everybody, of everything
(which surrounded her.
; Supper was served her heart beat violently.
I'm trembling VOICE she declared that she dld
mot want any SUPPER, and wished her father and
lmother good night They kissed her, and as usual
blessed her and She nearly lvept.
! Reaching her own room, she threw herself INTO
ian easy chair and burst into tears. Her maid
ibegged her TO be calm and take courage; Every,
thing was ready. In half an hour Masha would
leave forever her parents home, her own room,
her peaceful life as young girl.
Out of doors the snow was falling, the wind
Rowling. Tie shutters ratified and shook. In
everything she seemed to recognize omens and
threats.
Soos the whole home was quiet and asleep.
Masha wrapped herself in q shawl put on warm
cloak, and with box in her hand passed out
on to the back staircase The maid carried two
lbundles after her. They descended into the
blew against them, as if trying to stop the young
culprt. With difficulty they reached the end
OF the garden In the road a sledQe awaited them.
The horses, from cold, would not stand still.
Tladlmr's coachman was walking to and fro in
front of them, trying to quiet them He helped
the young lady and her maid 10 tfeIr seats, and
packing away the bundles and dresSne-case, took
up the rcins, and the horses flew forward int
the darkness of The night
Having entrusted the young lady to the care of
fate and of TereShka, the coachman, let us re-
turn 10 the young lover.
Vladimir had spent the whole day in driving.
in the morning be had called on the .adrino
,priest, and with difficulty came 20 terms with him
Then he went TO seek the witnesses from among
the neighbOrine gentry. The first on whom he
called was q former cOrnet of horse Drawn by
name, man in his forties, who consented at
once. The adventure, he declared, reminded him
Hussars lie persuaded Vladimir 10 stop TO din
ner with him, assuring him that there would be
mo difficulty II getting the other two witnesses.
veyor, Schmidt, with a mustache and spurs, and
the son of caltain-magistrate, boy of sixteen,
who had recently entered the Uhlans. They not
that they were ready 10 sacrifice their lives
for him Vladimir embraced them with delight
and drove off 10 get everything ready.
Ii had long been dark Vladimir despatched
his trustworthy Tereshka 10 NenaradOva with his
two-hOrsed sedge, and with appropriate instruc.
lions for the occasion. For himself he ordered
the small sledge with one horse and started alone
without a coachman for JadrinO where Maria
ought 10 arrive in couple of hours IIe ksSW
the road, and the drive would only occupy twenty
minutes
But Vladimir had scarcely passed from the en-
closure into the open field when the wind rose
and soon there was driving snowstorm so heavy
and so severe that he could not see. In a moment
the road was covered with snow All landmark,
disappeared in the murky yellow darkness, through
(which fell white fakes Of snow; Sky and earth be
came merged into one. Vladimir, in the midst
of the field tried in vain 10 get 10 the road The
horse walked on at random, and every moment
stepped either into deep snow or into rut. St
that the sedge constantly upSetting. Vlad
iir tried at least not 10 lose the right direction
but il seemed 10 him that more than half an houl
had passed and he had not vet reached the JadrinC
wood. Another ten minutes passed. and still tll'
wood was invisible Vladimir drove across fields
intersected by deep bitches. The snowstorm did
mot abatc. and the sky did not clear. The horss
was getting tired. and the pcrSpiraton rolled from
him ike hail. in spite Of the fact that every
moment his legs were disappearing in the snow.
At last Vladimir found that he was going in tic
wrong direction. He stopped began 10 reflect
recollect, and consider; till at last he became
convinced that he ought TO 'have turned 10 thc
right lie did now. His horse could scarcely
drag along. But he had been more than an hour