The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-08-17
CONSTANCE.

tO4'C Il lNOLs
IN The COURTYARD of Castle Ostroy n
gay company of guests were assem-
Oied Count HamOfSki, one of the mag.
mates Of Poland, had invited the
mobiles of The neighborhood TO a bear
hunt. The guests Were eagerly await
ing the signal TO set off. In the court.
yard Of the castle the carcass of an
OK revolved slowly before Il great pit
before huge fire of logs. and a colos-
sal cask of Hungarian wine had been
preached.
The most remarkable among the
whole company We're Count Mikron-
owski and his fair daughter, Con
stance. This young lady was to make
one of the party of hunters. Her cour.
age was, it seemed. as great as her
beauty. The son of the host, the
young Count Stanlslaus Zamofsk, at
tached himself TO her side, and when
the signal for the setting out of the
cortege was given, and the huntSmcn,
surrounded by their yelping, leapins
pack of hounds, had departed in the
direction of the forest, it was into the
young counts sleigh that Constance
was lifted by its owner, who, lcaping
In after her, took the reins .of the fiery
horses harnesed three abreast before
it, and drove swiftly off through the
snow and mist.
Arrived at the spot whore the hunts
men Were drawn up in expectation Of
their game they dismounted, and,
standing there side by side. silently
awaited the coming of the bear Fate
that day smiled upon Constance. A
large bear was driven by the beaters
directly across the path where she and
Stanislaus had taken their stand. At
sight of them the monster reared HIM
self up threateningly on his hind feet
but the girl, lifting her rife calmly
shot him through the heart.
Completely fascinated by her beauty
and couri re, StaniSlauS yielded him
self willing captive to her charms.
From that moment his passion grew
daily. The love which her courage
had inspired was deepened and
strengthened by the sight of her at
home, seated modestly before her
spinning wheel. AS the wheel re-
volved and the white hands of the
maiden drew the thread from il, Stan
islaus, sitting by her side, murmured
in her ear to the accompaniment Of
the whirTing music of the wheel, his
VOWS of love and plighted her his
troth.
The betrothal was publicly celebrat-
ed soon after at the house of Con-
father. The parents Of the
bridegroom, however, saw with deep
though secret dislike, his infatuation
for the daughter of their impoverish-
cd neighbor, MikrOnowski and they
persuaded their son, shortly after the
of the betrothal, TO take
journey to Dresden, where August the
Strong, King of Poland and Elector
of Saxony. held his court The Polish
Ambassador at Dresden was secretly
instructed by ZamofSkis parents to
lead the young nobleman into the gay
profligate society OF the Capital.
To the beautiful young widow, An
toinette, Countess of Oginska, the IA
vorlte alike of Augustus and his all
powerful minister, Bruhl, was given
the congenial task of rendering Stan
islaus faithless TO his absent love.
Mistress Of the arts of coquetry and
intrigue, the fair countess soon accom-
plished this
A letter, written to Constance only
n few months after his arrival in
Dresden from her lover, apprised her
Of his desertion of her, and, at the
same time begged forgiveness for his
Family interests, and
his duty TO the state and his king,
her recreant lover wrote. were the
causes of his breaking his plighted
word.
On receipt of this epistle, Constance
shed few angry tears, but she was
not the woman to weep over lovers
desertion. Plans of revenge for the
slight put upon her caused her soon to
forget her grief.
One night, while returning late from
/ ball at Prince Sapiehas, as he was
driving through the forest OF Grodna,
his sleigh was suddenly surrounded
by a band of armed men. At the
sight Of this band the coachmen ana
footman leaped quickly from the box
and fed away on foot. Zamofski de-
Tended himself bravely, but was over
come after short struggle. He was
bound and a sack was drawn over his
head and face, and he was lifted on
} horse which was led off at a gallop.
The young man, supposlng he had
been attacked by robbers, with which
ste forest was Infested. now gave
himself up for lost. After Wild ride
or an hoW or so, Stanislaus was
WARE by the sound of his horses
HcOfs that they were crossing bridge.
%ectiy after he was lifted from the
.ddie and hurried on foot for short
istance. The sack was then removed
nd he discovered himself to be In
nall, cell-like apartment, with q SIN
Ie grated window high up in one Of
- walls. At ope side OF the room