The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-01-02

Ihe young Ilati eyes. ilc uioNC "h '''
random and now the weather abated, the
clouds dispersed, and before him was a
wide stretch of plain, covered with white
bilowy carpet The night was compara-
lively clear, and he could see small village
short distance off, which consisted of
four or five cottages. Vladimir drove to-
ward it. At the first door he jumped out
of the sledge, ran up to the window, and
tapped.
After few minutes wooden shutter
was raised, and an old man stuck ont his
gray beard.
"What do you want ?
'How far is Jadrino?'
GLOW far is JadrinO?"
ayes, yes. Is it far ~
;'Not far; about ten miles"
At this answer Vladimir clutched hold
of his hair and stood motionless, like man
condemned to death.
'Where do you come from ?" added the
man. Vladimir had not the courage to
reply.
'My man" he said, "can you procure
me horses to Jadrino p
'We have no horses" answered the
peasant.
"Could I find a guide | will pay him
any sum he likes.
"Stop," said the old man dropping the
shutter; II will send my son out to you;
he will conduct you.
Vladimir waited Scarcely minute
had passed when he again knocked. The
shutter was lifted and beard was seen.
"What do you want ?"
"What about your son p
"He'll come out directly; he is putting
on his boots. Are you cold? Come in
and warm yourself"
'tThanks; send out your son quickly.
The gate creaked, youth came out
with a cudgel, and walked on in front, at
one time pointing out the road, at another
looking for it in a mass of drifted snow.
"What o'clock is it }" Vladimir asked
him.
at will soon be daylight" replied the
young peasant Vladimir spoke not another
word.
The cocks were growing, and it was
light when they reached Jadrino. The
church was closed. Vladimir paid the
guide. and drove into the yard OF the
priests house. In the yard his two horse
sledge was not to be seen. What news
awaited him
But let us return to the kind proprietors
of Nenaradova, and see what is going on
there
Nothing.
The old people awoke and went into
the sitting room, Gavril in a nightcap and
flannel jacket, Praskovia in wadded
dressing gown. The samovar was brought
in, and Gavril sent the little maid to. ask
Maria how she was and how she had slept.
The little maid returned, saying that her
young lady had slept badly, but that she
was better now, and that she would come
into the sitting room in moment. And,
indeed, the door opened and Maria came
in, and wished her papa and mamma good
morning.
"How is your headache, Masha ?"
familiar for Nary inquired Gavril.
aBetter, papa answered Masha.
''The fumes from the stove must have
given you your headache, " remarked Pras-
kovia.
"Perhaps so, mamma, replied Masha.
The day passed well enough, but in the
night Masha was taken i'll. A doctor was
sent for from town. He came toward
evening and found the patient deliriOus.
Soon she was in severe fever, and in a
fortnight the poor patient was on the brink
of the grave.
No member of the family knew any
thing of the flight from home. The let
tiers written by Masha the evening before
had been burnt, and the maid, fearing the
wrath of the master and mistress, had not
breathed a word. The priest, the ex-
cornet, the big-mustached surveyor, and
the little lancer were equally discreet; and
with good reason Tereshka, the coach
man, never said too much, not even in his
drink. Thus, the secret was kept better
than it might have been by half a dozen
conspirators.
But Maria herself in the course of her
long fever, let out her secret. Neverthe
less, her words were so disconnected that
her mother, who never left her bedside,
could only make out from them that her
daughter was desperately in love with Via
dimir, and that probably love was the cause
Oh nef Illness. one consulted nef HuSDanu
and some of her neighborS, and at
last it was decided unanimously that the
fate of Maria ought not TO be interiered
with, that woman must not ride away
from the man she is destined to marry,
that poverty is no crime, that woman has
to live not with money but with a man,
and so on Moral proverbs are wonder
fully useful on such occasions, when We
can invent little or nothing in our own
justification.
Meanwhile the young lady began to re
cover. Vladimir had not been seen for a
long time in the house of Gavril, so fright
ened had he been by his previous recep-
ton. 1t was now resolved to send and
announce to him the good news which he
could scarcely expect; the consent of her