Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-05-08


TALLY, however, he passed the forest.
The plain, snowy field, stretching in the
distance as far as his eye could reach,
presented itself once more to his sight.
| Although the storm subsidized and the
| bright moon hung once again over his
cherries and monotonous surroundings,
| it was bitterly cold. AS he drove along,
| contemplating all sorts Of means to ex-
tricate himself from his perilous posi-
tion, he beheld a village, consisting of
| four or five little huts. He directed his
first hut began to rattle at the window
| with all the might Of a man for whom
there is nothing left but despair. A few
moments later the window was raised,
and a long gray beard, apparently be-
longing to the master Of the house, be-
came visible.
"What is it you want?'
"Can you tell me how far it is to
Dshadrino?''
| ''Dshadrinol Dshadrino! Let me see.
I reckon it will be about ten versts. -
:. A thunderbolt or an electrical shock
could not have had more effect upon
Vladimir than these words. He remain
ed upon the spot motionless, like man
doomed to death.
''And where do you come from?" re-
sumed the old man.
Vladimir had no patience to answer
his question. "Can hire your horse to
take me there?" he uttered at last.
"Hire my horse? Why, man, wait till
buy one!'
''Then give me guide I will pay
him all he wants for his services. :"
| ''This I'll do. Just wait second. I'll
send my son, and he will take you there, "
| said the old man, disappearing in the
| darkness
| The young fellow, armed with a du-
bina, soon appeared, and without losing
| any time they started on their way to
Dshadrino Morning dawned when they
reached their destination. The church
was locked After paying his guide he
| directed his steps toward the minister's
house. Alas, his team was not to be seen
| there! How sad the news that awaited
| him!
But let us return to Nenaradovo and
see what is going on in Gayrilo Gavrilo-
| vitch's house.
Nothing in particular.
As usual, the old folks rose early in
the morning-Gavrilo Gavrilovitch ap-
pearing in his ancient "kolpak'' and felt
| Jacket, and Paraskovia Petrovna in her
| warm morning gown. Tho samovar was
| brought in, the table was set, and as
Masha failed to appear in the gostinnui,
| or dining room, a servant maid was dis
| patched to her apartment to inquire how
she slept during the night and how she
felt in general The maid soon returned,
announcing that the baruishnia (miss)
had had a restless night, but that she
| felt much better now and would soon
| join them at the table. The maid had no
sooner made her report than Masha ap-
peared, approaching her papenka and
mamenka with an affectionate good
morning
''How is your health, dear?" inquired
Gavrilo Gavrilovitch.
''I feel much better, papa" :" replied
/ Masha.
''You must have caught cold, Masha, -
interposed Paraskovia Petrovna
"That may be, mamenka. -
The day passed quietly, but toward
evening Masha fell sick. A doctor was
Immediately sent for, and when he ar
rived two hours later he found the pa
tient in state of delirium. It soon de-
veloped into high fever, and for two
weeks the poor girl hovered between life
and death.
| No one in the house had the slightest
idea about the intended elopement The
letter which she addressed to her parents
the night previous she destroyed as soon
as she returned home, and the maid,
| fearing to incur the anger and punish
ment of her master, kept the secret to
| herself. The minister and the witnesses
were alike reticent about the matter they
had good cause for it). And as to Te-
reshka, Vladimir's driver, he knew well
how to keep secret, even when drunk,
the more so when sober. Thus the secret
was kept sacred by over half dozen
conspirators But Masha herself in her
| delirium began to unravel the mystery.
| Yet her mother, who never left her
daughters room, paid no attention to
her words She merely ascribed them to
the fact Of Masha being in love with
Vladimir, thinking that in all probabil-
ity her unsuccessful love was the chief
cause of her sickness. Something had to
be done, and one fine morning she con-
suited her husband and some of their
neighbors as to the advisability of graft
| flying Masha's wish. All came to the
conclusion that such was Masha's lot;
that the inevitable must happen; that
poverty is no crime; that it is not riches
that make the man, but vice versa, and
SO forth. When our conscience is pricked
and we find no justification for our des-
potic deeds, we generally cling to high
| ly moral texts, which upon other occa-
sions may not convey the slightest mean
ing to u.s.
In the meantime Masha became con-
valescent. Vladimir was no longer to be
seen in Gavrilo Gavrilovitch's house.
The rude reception offered him during
his last visit kept him a1oof from their
house. One more council was held, and
it was decided to write and ask him to
pay visit. But their surprise may be
| imagined when, in answer to their invl-
tation, he wrote very indignant letter,
declaring his determination never to
cross their Threshold asking them to
forget him, the unhappiest of mortals,
and concluding that death was his only
hope and consolation. A few days later
they heard that Vladimir had entered
| the army. This occurred in 1912.
Weeks and months passed by, and none
! dared to speak of Vladimir in Masha's
! presence She, in her turn, never men
toned his name. At the end of four
/ months, while glancing over q daily pa
per, she happened to see his name men
toned among those mortally wounded
in the battle Of Borodino. She became
! almost Frustrated with grief, and grave
fears were once more entertained as to
tie possible consequences.
Nothing serious, however, was the re-
suit. Five weeks later Gavrilo Gavrilo-
witch died Poor Paraskovia Petrovna
was almost overcome with grief, and
Masha's attention was now wholly de-
voted to her mother. Nenaradovo, with
its sorrowful recollections, was no lon