HASZAR.D’S GAZE'I“I‘E, JANUARY

26.

THE SNOW-STORM. A nu mun -rtts aussmi or rotiIIlKlNl-

Ahout the year 1811;-s period so. memorable in the history of Itussis—thsrs lived on his domain of Nenardof a tick proprietor named Gabriloviteh. lie was noted for his kind disposition and hospitable habits. His house was at all times open to his friends and neigh- bours, who resorted there in tho eveninga—tlic elder ones, in order to enjoy a quiet saint-, oi cards with their host and his wife l’etroo-nit ; the younger, in the hope of gaining the good graces of Mari. a fair girl of seventeen, the only child and heiress of Gnbrilovitch.

Mari used to read Fri-ncli ronizinree, and as the natural and necessary consequeiicc, was deeply in love. The object of her alfection was an alto ~st psuniles.-i young ensigti liel0lt:.'l"t! '0 the neiglibourhootl, and then at hi-uie on leave. who returned her love with equal artloun It is scarcely necessary in odd, that the young lady's parents had strictly forhi-ldeu her to think of such an allianc-e;and whenever they met the lover, they received him with about that amount of frieutlline.-s which they woulil have bestowed on an ex-collectoroftaxes. Our young lovers, however, iiiattar-_-ml to keep up a correspondence, and used to lllr-‘El in secret beneath the shadow of the pine-grove or the old chapel. Ur. these occasions, they of course, vowed eternal constan- c_v,accusetl fate of unjust rigour, and formetl various projects. At length they naturally came to the conclusion that, as the will of cruel parents opposed their niarriage. they might very well ncctituplisli it iti secret. It was the young gentleman who first propuuntletl this proposition, and it was most favourably received by the

young lady.

'l'he:tppro:reli of winter put a stop to their iiiterview.-, but their curresiondence “cut on with lllt2tt".tSt'tl frequency aid lervour. In one It ofliis l8llI'I'3 vl'IIIIlIIll' l\icolzivitch conjured he br«|ot-itlto IPZVB her home, and consent tua private tuarriagc. ‘ We will disappear,’ he said, ‘for it short time ; then, one day, we will go and throw ourselves at your parents’ feel, who, tout-lied by otir heroic constancy. will exel..iui; “ Children, come to our arms!" ’ Fora long time Mari li--.~‘tl:t’ed. At lN‘;_!llt it was agreed. that l\lt8l't-'|'la'll tlnv she slioultl Iltrl appear at Istippi-,r.bnt retire earlv to her room, on this

heaps of snow, sometimes falling into rav_ines. Every moment the slcdgc was in _irnminsnt. danger of being upset; and. in uddition._ll§8 leasant conviction forced itself on Vladiinir that ho had lost. his way. The wood of Jadrinn wits nowhere to be seen ;and after two hours of this sort of work, the poor horse was ready to drop from fatigue. _ _

At length it sort of dark line become visible in front; he urged his horse onwards, and found hiinselfon the borders of it forest. ‘Uh’ he exclaimed, ‘I am all right now; Ishnll easily find my we to Jsdrino.’ llo entered the threat of which the branches were so thickly interlaced that the snow had not penetrated through them, and the road was one to follow. The horse prickod up his ears. andywcnt on readily, whilo Vladimir felt his spirits revive.

However. as they say in the fair tales, he went on and on and on, and at cou d not find Jttdrino. Ilis poor tired stec with the utmost diliiculty drugged liiiti to the other side of tho forcst;and by the time he arrived there, the storm had ceased. and the moon shone out. No appearance, however, of Jttdrino: before him lay extendeda large plain. towards the centre ofwhich the poor traveller descricdn cluster of four or five houses. IIe hastened towards the nearest, and descending from tho sledge, knocked at the window. A small door in the shutter opened, and the white beard of an old man appeared.

‘What do you want I’

‘Is it far to Jadrino!’

‘Jadrino! About ten versts.’

At this reply, Vladimir felt like it criminal condemned to execution.

‘Can you.’ said he, ‘furnish me with horses to go there?’

‘We have no horses.’

‘We-ll,thon, ii. guide: Iwill give him what-

ever he asks.’ ‘Wait, then,’ said the old man;‘l'll Bond y son. Tho window was carefully closed, and a con- siderable time elapsed. Vladimir, whose impatience became quite unocntrollnblc, knock- ed n;:tin loudly at the shutter.

The old man rcapperrad.

‘\\'li:tt do you want I’

‘Your sun.’

111

Are

pretext of a \'IUlt'ltl lieadaclie. ller waiting mttio was in the seen-t.ai.d they new both ltli slip out ihr-ugh it ll‘a(i\"ti|ItIl‘, tie-nr t‘Itli‘Il they would ft .ol sirdges waitiitg to t-oi.\'cv tho in to llttl chnptl oi JJIIIIIIU, about five versts di.-ti.i.i, who.-re Vlatliiuir and the priest wutilrl an-.x.it them.

llavin: Ill-Ill!‘ lter preparntitns. and writteurr long letter or excuse to her parents, Mari retired at an early hour to her room. During the day, she had ctiiriplnitietl of I lteadrtclie, which (retiniti- ly was more than a pretext, {or nervous excite- mt-utluidtnade hrr really ill. Her father and mother watcltod lier ltiItl'rly, :ll¢I,. auttllisntly asked her: ‘ How do you feel now, Mari ; are you still suffering! Their fond sollcltutle wenttn the young |zirl'a heart, and with the approach of evening her agitation increased. At dinner she ate nothing, and soon alterwsrds rose to take leave of her parents. They embraced her, and, according to their usual custom, gave her their blesaine. Marieould scarcely refrain from subbing. When she reached her chamber, she threw herself into an srwi-chair, and wept aloud. Her waiting-maid tried to console and cheer her, and at length succeed .

There was a snow-storm that ni ht: the wind howled outside the house, and s ook the windows. The young girl, however, as soon as the household had retired to rest, wrnpipcd herself up in thick mulllings, and follows by her maid carryinga vnlisc. gained the outer door. They founda sled , drawn by three horses, awaiting them.; nndehaviu got into it, they started at a rapid pace. Va will leave them to pursue their journey, while we return to Vladimir.

All that day he had been actively employ- ccl. In the morning, he had visited the priest of Jadrino, in order to arrange with him about performing the ceremony ; and then be set 0 to procure the necessary witnesses. The first acquaintance to whom he addressed himself vvasa half-pay olliosr, who willingly consented to what he wished. ‘Such an adventure,‘ he said, ‘reminded him vpleasantly of his youth.’ I.Ic prevailed on sdimir to remain with him, promising to procure for him the other two witnesses. ‘ Accordingly, there appeared at dinner the geometrician Schmidt, with his moustscliss and spurs; and the son of Captain IspceIvnik,a lad of seventeen, who had just entered the Uhlsn corps. Both romised Vlad- imir to stand by him to the act; and the hop lover, having cordially embraced his thrc Friends, returned to his dwelling, in order to complete his preparations. Ilaving dcspatcli- ed a servant on whom he could rely with the sledge for Mari, he himself gotinto a one-horse sludge, and started for Jsdrino. Scarce] had he set out. I the storm oommenc with violence ; and soon every trace of the road dis- appeared. he entire horizon was oovefgd

vv its fiiick allow cloud, vrhsnss fell mqgggg rather than akss of snow ; and soon all distinc-

*llo's coining: he is dressing himself. you cold 9 Come in and warm yourself.’

‘No, no ; send out your son.‘

.\t longtli at young Iitd, with a stout stick in his hand, made his appearance, and led the way across thcsnow-covered lain.

,Wha.t o'clock is it I‘ asked Vladimir.

‘Day will soon break.‘ ’

The sun's rttys, indeed, oust, und the villa c cocks were crowing when they arrived at Jn rino The church door was closed Vladimir. having paid and dismissed Iris guide, hastened towards the priest's dwell- ing. What was be about to hear?

Let us first inquire what was goin on in the mansion of the master of Nensrado . Just nothing at all. In the morning, the husband got u as usual and went into t e eating-room —Gabriel Gabrilovitch in his woollen vest and night-cap, and, Pstrowus in her dressing- gown.

Tea. was served. and Gabriel sent a maid to inquire for Mari. The girl returned with a message, that her young mistress had passed it restless night, but that she now felt better, and was coming down. In a few minutes Mari cu- tcrcd and embraced her parent_s.

‘ How do you feel, my poor little one " asked her father.

‘Better,’ was the answer.

The do passed on as usual; but towards evening. ari became very ill and feverish. The family physician was summon from the nearest town, and when he arrived he found his patient in a high fever. Darin fourteen days she continued on the brink oft s grave.

Nothing was known of nocturnal flight. as the waiting-rnnid, for her own sake, was prud- ently silent on the subject ; nor did any of the other accomplices, even after having drunk vvinc.breaths ti. word on the suh'ect, so much did all parties dread the wrat of Gabriel. Mari, however, during her delirium, raved so incessantly about Vladimir, that her mother could not doubt that her illness was caused by love. their friends on the subject; and, as the result of the conference, it was unanimously decided that Mari was destined to marry the snsiign— that one cannot avoid one‘: fats—thnt r ches do not insure happiness-and other line max- ims of the same in . _

The invalid recovered. Vladimir, during her illnes,s had never appeared at the house; and it was determined, tha his unexpected good for- tunc should be announced to Iiim—that he should be told he was now free to marry his beloved. What was the astonishment of the

road owners of Nenaradof, when they rpoeivcd in rcpl a letter from the young ensign, in which he declared that he would never ontor their dwelling a ain, and prayed them to for- get an unhappy sing, for whom death was the

had begun to gild the

tiom between land and sky was lost. In min dld Vladimir tryct-o find his way: Ills horse went on at no _ ‘I, sometimes climbing our ,

' I ,, ,1 tn‘:/\‘~ 2'

only refuge!

A few days afterwards, they learned that Vladimir had rejoined the army. It was i 1812 . No one ever mentioned his name to

B *0 "0

She and her husband consulted some of

Mari, nor did she herself allude to him in any way. Two or three montlts eln sod, and one day she saw his name mentions umon st the ollicors who had distinguished themso vsa at tho lntttle of Borodino, and who were mortally tvotunled. She litiuted, and had it relapse of fever. from which she slowly recovered.

Not long afterwards, her father died, leaving her the reversion ofhiswholo property. Wealth, however, brought her no consolation: she wept with her mother; ttnd vowed never to leave her. 'l‘he_v left their residence at Ncnitritdof, and took tip their nbodo on another estate. I\'tituo~ rous suitors tlirongcdnround the rich and love- ly heiress. but to none of them did she vouch- safe the smallest encouragetncnt. Her mother 3 often implored her to choose a husband; but she silontly shook hcr head. Vladimir was no , more : ho expired at Moscow on the eve of the l day the French entered that city. To Mari, his ‘ mcmor seemed sacred: she treasured up the‘ books they had read together, his drawings, and l the notes he had written to lier—everything that l could perpetuate hcr remembrance of the un- hap y young man.

A out that time a war, glorious for our coun- try. ended. The triumphant regiments returned frotn the frontiers, and the people rushed in crowds to greet them. 'l‘hc otliccrs who had set out as more striplings, came back with stem martial countcnanecs. their brave breasts co- vered with orders. Tints of inctfaecablo glory! flow the heitrt ofa Russian then hotindcd at the name of his countr !

A colonel of hussnrs, named Vourmin, wear- ing in his button-hole tho (‘ross of St. George, and on his face an interesting paleucss, came to spend it few months’ leave of absence on his estate, which joined tluit wliero Mari was re- siding. The young girl received him with far more show ol' fttvor than she had hitherto be- stowed on any of her visitors. They resembled each other in runny tirticulnrs: both were handsome, pleasing, intellectual, .-‘il~ut, and reserved. There was it species of niystory in the dcineanor of Vourmin, which pltlllctl the curiosity and excited the interest ofthc heiress. Ilc evidently admired her, paid her every possi- hlc nttention—\vhy «lid he never speak of love .1 He had acquired it linbit of fixing his bright dark eyes on hers. half in reverie. and half with an expression that seemed to declare the approach of it decisive explanation. Already the neigliltnrs spoke of the marriage as it decid- ed busirtoss ; and Potrowna rejoiced ut the thought, that her daughter would utlcngth have I it. husband worthy of her.

One morning, when the good lady was scittcd in her dritrving-room, Vourmin entered and en- quired for Mari.

‘ She is in the garden,’ replied Petrowntt. ; ' You will find her there, if you wish to seal

I

or.

The colonel went out hastily; and I’otrownit,l making the sign of the cross murmured to her-. self: ‘ God be praised! I hope everything will, be arran ed to-da .’

Vourmin found his lady-love dressed in white[ seated beneath it tree, close by it lake, with ti. book on her knee, like an heroine of romance. After the interchange o a. few common-place sentences, Vourmin, with considerable a ttati- on, told her that fora long time ha ha been desirous ofopening his mind to her, and now prayed her to listen to him for a few moments. She closed her book, and cast down her eyes in token of assent.

‘I love you!’ exclaimed Vourmin—‘I love you ardent y !’

Mari bent down her head a little more.

‘ I have committed the imprudenco of seeing you, of listening to you, every day.‘ (Mari re- collected the first letter of St. Preux.) ‘ Now it is too late to resist my destiny. The memo- ry of your sweet face and gentle voice will form hencsforward the joy and the torture of my ex- istence ; but I have a duty to fulfil towards on. I must reveal to you a strange secret, w ich places between us an unsurmountablc barrier.‘

“Thathnrrier,’ murmured Mari, ‘ has always existed. I could never have become your wife.’

‘I know, replied Vourmin in it low voice, ‘that you linve loved ; but death and three years of mournin eurest Mari, do not take from me my last consolation; do not de- privs me of the happiness of thinking that you might have been mine, if lot

‘ Ilush ! cried Mari. ‘ Osasc, I conjure you ; icrce me to the heart.’ es, I have the consoling thought that you would have been mine. But I am the most un- fortunate of mcu—l am married !’

Mari raised her syss with clock of amazo- merit.

‘ I am married,‘ resumed the colonel-‘ mar- ried these four years, and [neither know who my wife is,nor where she is, nor whether I shall ever meet her.’

‘ What can on mean! What is the mystery! But go on, I g of you—I will tell you after- wards’

‘ Here, then,‘ said the colonel, ‘ arc the facts. In the car 1812, I was going to ilno, to join in re mcnt. Iarrlvsd late one evening a a station. and had ‘just given orders to have t s horses Immediate y harnessed, when suddenly those a so a violent snow-atom. The master the cries and the tllion both ‘strongly

you I

advissdtne to defer mypgirney; bat, tempest l ‘ ‘ l

or no tempest, I was resolved to push on, T5, postilion took it into his head that he could shorten the way by crossings river whose banks he knew very well. However, he missed um right ford, and brought me to it place which was totally strange to him. The storm couti. nued to rage, but at length vrc doscried it dis. taut light. I hastened towards it, and found myscll outside it church, whence the light pro- cccded. 1‘lio oor was 0 en. Sledwcs were yrnitingotitsidc, and scverii crsons wgrc stand. mg it: the porch. One of t icm called to me: “ This way! This way !" I rot our of my sled e, and entered the church. One of the people i: the porch said: “ nt onaiuo of Heaven, who. l on? The bride has fainted. and Vl'a0sWde°rl:y:II on the pointofrcturning home." llttlf bewildered and half uinirsed, I resolved to follow up the adventure. Indeed, I was 01. lowod no time to deliberate, for my impatient friends hurried me into the interior of the church, which wits faintly lit u by two or threo torches. A girl was seated on a bench in the sliadow, while another standing beside her was rubbing her tem Ics. “ At length,” srtid t c lzttter: “ God be pr-aig.

ed tlutt you nro conic! My mistress was near . .,

Q- '-4

ing. An old we begin

“Oh, he/in It all nicitns m rev - ther 2 " replica Iygitldily. ’ ‘V mud f“

'I‘licy assisted the young girl to pigs; 5]“, scented very pretty. Tlirotigli ii. lcvity quits tiupiirdoniible, and, us it now seems to me, in- conceivable, I advanced beside her to the altar. IIer servant and the three men who were pre- sent worc so much occupied about her, that they scarcely |_'l:tIl(!t.‘(I at run; besides, the light as I have s-tid, was very dim, and my head rm; ‘enveloped in the fur hood of my Il'llVeIlII]g-pg.

isse.

In a few moments we were married.

“ Eiubriicc each other," said one of the wit- ncssc-s My wife turned her pale fncc towards me, For an instant shc gazed. as if petrified then, falling l):t0I{Wtl.l'dS she exclaimed : '

" It is not lie! It is not he ! "

Out of the church I rushed. hcloro the us- I0tllItlt‘tl priest iiml the hritlul-party had time to ihinl; of arresting my llight. I jam ed into the slctlgc, and soon left it“ pursuit ehind_' ‘ And,’ said Mari, ‘did you never ascertain

1p,r.icst nppronclicd, and said : “ Shall

. tvlint became of that poor ivomiin .7 ’

‘ Never. 1 do not know the name of tho vil- I11 e whcrcl was married, nor can I recollect that of the station where I last stopped. At that time, so little importance did I attach to my criiuinnl levity, that when all danger of pursuit was over, I fell asleep in tho sledge, and did not awitko until I found iuyself at ano- ther station. 'I‘ho servant whom I had with me was killed in battle, so that every clue scams lost, by which I might discover the scene of that folly which I now ox into so dearly.’

Mari turned her pale face fully towards him,

an seized his hands. ‘ What! ’ cried Vourmin : ‘ was it you t ' ‘ Don’t you recognise me? ’ A long and close embrace was the reply.

Tits Hr:st.1-ti or Cs-r-rr.s.—The Ame- rican Veterinarian contains the following good advice towards promoting the health in cattle. There isa good deal in the following paragraphs expressed in it few words.

Mix, occasionally, one part of salt in four, five, or six parts of wood ashes, and give the mixture to different kinds of stock, summer and winter. It promotes their appetites, and tends to keep them in healthy condition. It is said to be good against bots in horses, murrain in cattle, and rot in sheep.

Horse-radish root is valuable for cattle. It creates an appetite, and is good for various diseases. Some give it to any animal that is unwell. It is good for oxen troubled with the heat. If animals will not eat it voluntarily. cut it up fine and mix it with potatoes and meal.

Feed all animals regularly. They not only look for their food at the usual time, but the stomach indicates the wuntat the stated period. Therefore feed morning, noon and evening, as near the same time each day as possible.

Guard against the wide and injurious extremes of satisting with excess and starving with want. Food should be of a suitable quality, and pro ortioned to the growth and fattening 0 animals, to their production in young and milk, and to their labor and exercise. Animals that labour need for tnore food, and tha‘

that are idle.

which is far more nutritious than those-