Marie of this Northern story are as pure as their native snows, and
whilst listening to the recital, we inhale the odor of the steppe, and
catch glimpses of the semi-barbarous Kalmouk and the Cossack of the Don.

A duel with his brother-in-law terminated the life of Pushkin in the
splendor of his talent. The emperor munificently endowed the poet's
family, and ordered a superb edition of all his works to be published at
the expense of the crown. His death was mourned by his countrymen as a
national calamity. M. H. de Z.

Chicago, Nov. 1, 1876.

MARIE.

I. THE SERGEANT OF THE GUARDS.

My father, Andrew Peter Grineff, having served in his youth under Count
Munich, left the army in 17--, with the grade of First Major. From that
time he lived on his estate in the Principality of Simbirsk, where he
married Avoditia, daughter of a poor noble in the neighborhood. Of
nine children, the issue of this marriage, I was the only survivor. My
brothers and sisters died in childhood.

Through the favor of a near relative of ours, Prince B---, himself
a Major in the Guards, I was enrolled Sergeant of the Guards in the
regiment of Semenofski. It was understood that I was on furlough till my
education should be finished. From my fifth year I was confided to the
care of an old servant Saveliitch, whose steadiness promoted him to the
rank of my personal attendant. Thanks to his care, when I was twelve
years of age I knew how to read and write, and could make a correct
estimate of the points of a hunting dog.

At this time, to complete my education, my father engaged upon a salary
a Frenchman, M. Beaupre, who was brought from Moscow with one year's
provision of wine and oil from Provence. His arrival of course
displeased Saveliitch.

Beaupre had been in his own country a valet, in Prussia a soldier, then
he came to Russia to be a tutor, not knowing very well what the word
meant in our language. He was a good fellow, astonishingly gay and
absent-minded. His chief foible was a passion for the fair sex. Nor was
he, to use his own expression, an enemy to the bottle--that is to say,
_a la Russe_, he loved drink. But as at home wine was offered only at
table, and then in small glasses, and as, moreover, on these occasions,
the servants passed by the pedagogue, Beaupre soon accustomed himself
to Russian brandy, and, in time, preferred it, as a better tonic, to
the wines of his native country. We became great friends, and a