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

At the close of 1911, in the estate of
Nenaradovo, lived Gavrilo Gavrilo-
witch, Russian proprietor. His un-
bounded hospitality and frankness won
him many friends among the neighbor-
ing proprietors. While many would visit
him to partake of his hospitality or to
play game of cards with his wife,
'Paraskovia Pietrorna, an a1niable and
prepossessing lady of 40, the thoughts
and aspirations of the majority were
centered upon his 17-year-old daughter
Masha.
But, like many other girls of her age
and station in the Russian provinces,
Masha had been brought up on the
French novel and was passionately in
love with poor army officer who lived
a few versts away from her fathers es-
tate, and who reciprocated her love-
But Masha's parents positively objected
to the match, and the young mans well
come became cooler every day. This,
however, did not hinder the lovers from
corresponding or from meeting quite
frequently in the forest. Amid romantic
surroundings, with no human being to
detect Or overhear them, they would
pledge to each other eternal love, would
bewail their fate and devise all sorts of
schemes. Elopement was of course pro-
posed in due season by the young man,
and as Masha was an ardent admirer of
all sorts Of adventures pertaining to
heroism it more than pleased her roman
tic imagination.
The cold winter put an end to their
secret interviews. The more voluminous,
however, became their correspondence
Vladimir would entreat his beloved in
every letter to intrust her destiny to
him, to elope, to keep out Of sight until
the excitement should be over, then to
appear before her parents, who would
undoubtedly become resigned to the in
evitable, to lneel down before them and
beg their forgiveness and blessing. And
this, according to his calculation, would
surely end in, "Come, children, to our
embrace and be happy" All this SEEM
ed very fascinating to Masha, and with
out much meditation she consented to
follow the course suggested by her lover.
And the course was this:
On the day of her departure she was
to decline taking her meals with her
parents at the table, pretending to suffer
with severe headache. Thus she would
be enabled to make the necessary prepa-
rations for the journey in her room. Her
servant, who was in the secret, was to
accompany her to the garden gate, where
troika, or span Of three horses, sent by
Vladimir would be in waiting They
were then to drive as fast as the horses
could carry them to the church in the
village Of Dshadrino, where Vladimir
would be sure to meet them.
Now if any one spent most miser-
able and sleepless night in Gavrilovitch S
house it was his daughter Masha. After
packing her things she wrote two very
long letters-one to her intimate friend,
young girl of her own age, and the
other to her parents. She took leave OF
them in the most touching and pathetic
words, ascribing her rash action to a
providential will, expressing her hope
that her step toward perfect happiness
might not incur their anger, and con-
cluding that the happiest moment i'll her
life will be that when their paternal
blessing will be bestowed on their
daughter and her most noble husband.
1t was nearly midnight when Masha
and her maid left the house. Tereshka,
Vladimir's driver, was already awaiting
them at the garden gate. He helped
them into the sleigh, and after arrang-
ing the bundles and packages and seeing
that his masters ''jewel'' was comfort
ably seated, took up the reins, and in five
minutes they were beyond the limits of
Gavrilo Gavrilovitch S estate
While Tereshka is taking care of Masha
we shall turn our attention to our gal
liant officer. Vladimir had his hands full
all day. In the morning he visited the
Dshadrino minister, who, after consider
able difficulty and upon receiving a
handsome deposit consented to marry
him. Then he set out in search Of the
necessary three witnesses. The first one
he meta retired colonel, Dravin-con-
sented to accommodate him. This ad-
venture, he assured him, recalled to him
his past associations and his own adven-
lures He insisted upon Vladimir S stay
ing for dinner, assuring him that there
would be no difficulty in finding two
more witnesses.
And so it happened that no sooner was
dinner over than two local proprietors
were announced Both were in favor of
the marriage as we'll as Of the means of
effecting it, and Of course were ready at
a moments notice to offer their serv-
ices, and, should circumstances require
it, to sacrifice their lives for the noble
cause. Vladimir was overjoyed. He en-
braced his friends, and after bidding
them an affectionate goodby hurried off
to make the necessary preparations
The day drew to its close. Night set
in. A strong northern wind filed the air
with burning cold GA miatel!'' (storm)
Vladimir thought to himself as he sat in
the sleigh driving as rapidly as his horse
could carry him to Dshadrino, where
he intended to arrive before Masha. The
road to Dshadrino was familiar to him,
and he expected to traverse the short
distance in an hour at most. The reverse
of his expectations, however, was the
result. The wind grew stronger and
stronger, eliminating soon in raging
and binding snowstorm. The road was
swept out of sight, the familiar sur
roundings vanished. Vladimir's efforts
to keep the right track were fruitless.
The horses went on at haphazard, now
ascending snowdrift and now falling
and upsetting the sleigh in aravine. An
hour, two hours passed, but not the
slightest sign Of Dshadrino.
At last it occurred to him that he was
travelling the wrong way. He stopped,
reflected a moment and turned to the
right. He consulted his watch. It was
past 2 in the morning. Oh, horror But
toward Dshadrino he went, in spite o1
the boundless snowfeld and the innum
cradle snowdrifts and ravines that Lay
before him. Now and then his sleigf
would upset, throwing him into the
snow. But his own bodily comfort wa
the least to be thought of.
At last welcome object presented 1t
self to his sight 1t was small forest
blessed be the Lord he thought t.
himself. ss.Dshadrino must be near.