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

from him any declaration whatcver? And where
fore did she not encourage him with more a. ,tb
ton anu according TO circumstances even %ieh
tenderness? Had she secret Of her own WHICH
would account for her behavior? s,,.-.;o,
At last Boumin fell into such deep medltalion,
and his black eyes rested with such fre upon
Maria that the decisive moment seemed very
near The neighbors spoke Of the marriage az o an
accomplished fact, and kind PraskoVla reJolcJISs
that her daughter had at last found for heiseh
a worthy mate , a..
The lady was sitting alone once in the draw
ing-roOm, laying out grande-patience, When P0 S
min entered the room, and at once inquneu Iva
Maria. =, ,.s-
She is in the garden replied the Old l96
" 60 to her, and will wait for you here DouI
min went, and the old lady made the sign OF 'he
cross and thought, Perhaps the affair VIII DC
settled to-day" - h,.,ao
the pond, with book in her hands, ana wearing
a white dress-a veritable heroine of romance.
After the first inquiries, Maria pnrpcseY IeC Cne
the mutual embarrassment, from when 10 wnS
only possible TO escape by means OF suuueh anu
positive declaration ,,-
n happened thus: Bourmin, feeling the awK-
wardness Of his position, informed Maria that ne
had long sought an opportunity OF opening n,S
heart to her. and that he begged for mome tars5
attention. Maria closed the book ana loWeieu
her eyes, as q sign that she was listening
al love you" said BOutmin, " love you t pas
sionatelyi" Maria blushed, and bent her heau
still lower ,,, 49,
Il have behaved imprudently, Welding, as i
have done, to the seductive pleasure OF seeing
and hearing you daily Maria rec0llec IH; tns
:" It is too late now to resist my fate The re-
membrane of you, your dear incompetence llnagei
must from to-day be Of once the torment anu
the consolation Of my existence, l nave an how Ss /"
grave duty TO perform, O terrible secret 10 us-
close which will place between us an insurmoun'-
able barrier" -, ,,,-io
at has always existed" interrupted Marla'
IL could never have been your wife; a..
81 know" he replied quickly; II know tnat
you once loved but death and three years years
Change %onf Bsal Ea9 h asTf So's%
to deprive me Of my last cons o. uro Z.
the idea that you might have consented to MAKE
me happy, if. Don't speak Tor , GOa SS fcel
that you could have been mine, butt am tne lnosV
miserable of bqings-I am already married"
Maria looked al him in ast9n , at h,,,e
been married more than three years, ana 90 hoU
know who my wife is. or where She Is, OF whetler
shall ever see her again. .,.,.o, ,,oro ..bo,r
What are you saying ?? exclaimed Maru' ho"
strange! Pray continue or
I'm the beginning of 1s12,7 said Bourmin, u"
was hurryng on 10 wilma, where my regllDet' was
stationed Arriving one evening late at a statioh'
ordered the horses to be got ready quickly, Whel
suddenly fearful snowstorm broke out bo oiIl
station master and drivers advised me 10 walt VIZ
il was over listened to their advice, but an url-
accountable restlessness took possession. oil me-
Just as though some was pushing me on. Mean
while the snOwstorm did not abate couIu Dv nd
started in the midst Of the storm: Inc driver
took it into his head to drive along tne IlxeI'
which would shorten the distance by thiee nlSs
he banks were covered with snowdrlitS; the
driver missed the turning which would nave
brought us out OH TO the road, ana we turned up
in unknown place me storm t o never &c oc
for il. We entered village, and found that INC
light proceeded from a wooden church. - In, Ine
church was open. Outside the ratings STOOD sew
eral sedges and people passing in and out through
the porch; -, .o,,or,, ,oi,oo 7 told the
Where have YOU dawdled? said some one to
me. THE bride has tainted; the priest does not
know what TO do; we were on the point oil going
back Make haste and get out I'D s.onod
Il rot out of the sledge in silence, and stopper
into the church, which was dimly lighted with
two or three tapers girl was sitting IN a dark
corner on bench; another gIrl was rubbing ner
come at last! You have nearly been the death
The old priest approached me, saying;
~'Beein-begin, reverend father replied. alb
sently 1.,.,. 10.
rather pretty Oh, wild. unpardonable frivolity !!
| placed myself by her side at the altar The
Three men and the maid supported the bride,
and occupied themselves with her alone. We
~ ks us Your ' WIFE said the priest
My wife turned her pale face toward me-
was gong 10 KISS her, "Heh Silc va :
it is not he-nOt he and fell back insensible
The witnesses stared at me. | turned round
and left the church without any attempt being
made to stop me- threw myself into the sledge, and
cried AWAY"
What" exclaimed Maria "And you don't
know what became of your unhappy wife ?"
II do not replied Bourmin; neither do !
know the name of the village where was married,
nor that of the station from which started At
that time | thought 50 little of my wicked joke
that. on driving away from the church, | fell
osleen and never woke till early the next morn
INC after reaching tie third station. The servant
WHO was with me died during the campaign, SO
that have now no hope of ever discovering the
unhappy woman on whom | played such a cruel
tricki and who is now so cruelty avenged"
Great heavens!" cried Maria, seizng his hand.
Then it was you. and you do moi recognize me p
frct-iFrom the Russian Of Alexander Pushkin.