The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-09-14
From Household Words.
The Serf of Pobereze.

fe.slon, and Anelka WAS siezcd with an eagel
longing TO gaze once more in peace and freedom
on the beautiful blue sky and green trees, as she
used to do when the first rays Of the rising SUI
streamed in at the window of the little forest cab
IN. She ran into the garden enchanted by the
sight ofso many beautiful flowers, she went far
thor and farther along the smoth and winding
walks till she entered the forest She who had
been So long away from her beloved trees, roam.
cd where they were thickest. Here she gaze,
boldly around. She sees 10 one She is alone
little farther on she meets with ryulet whicl
flows through the forest Here she remember,
that she has not yet prayed. She kneels down
aud with hands casped and eyes uptmned sh,
begins TO sing IN II sweet voice the Hymn to the
Virgin
As she went on she sang louder and with in
creased iervOur Her breast hcaved with emo
ton, but her eyes shone with unusual brilliancy
but when the hymn WAS finished she lowered hel
head tears began to fall over her cheeks until al
last she sobbed aloud She might have remained
long in this condition, had not some one come be
hind her, saying, "Do not cry my poor girl; it /.
better to sing than to weep The intruder rails
cd her head wiped her eyes with his handker
chief and kissed her on the forehead.
1t was the Counts SON. Leon,
You must rot cry, !,a continued, be calm, and
when the filpony (pedsrs) come, buy yourself 4
pretty handkerchief" He then gave hera rou
ble and walked away Anielka, after conceane
the coin in her corset ran quickly back to the pal
ace.
Fortunately, Mdlle. Dufour had not vet return
ed, and Anielka seated herself i'll her accustomed
corner. She often took out the roublc to gaze
iUndiy upon it, and set to work to make q little
purse, which, having fastened to n ribbon, she
hung round her neck She did not dream Of spen.
ding it, for it would have deeply grieved her tc
part with the gift of the only person in the whole
house who had looked kindly upon her.
From this time Anielka remained always in her
young mistress room; she was better dressed
and Mdlle. Dufour ceased to persecute. To what
did she owe this sudden changei Perhaps to a
remonstrance from Leon. Constantia ordered A.
nlelka to sit beside her whilst taking her lessons
from her music teachers, and on her going to her
drawing room, she was left in her apartments a
lone, Being thus more kindly treated, Anielka
lost by degrees her tmdty and when her
young mistress. whilst occupied over some EN-.
broidery, wcIld tell her to sing, she did so bold
ly and With a steady voice. A greater favor Il.
waited her Constanta, when unoccupied, began
teaching Anielka to read in Polish; and Mdlc
Dufour thought it polite to follow the example
Of her mistress, and began to teach her French
Meanwhile, n new kind of torment commenced
Having easily learnt the two languages, Anielka
acquired IN irresistible passion for reading
Books had for her the charm of the forbidden
fruit for she could only read by stealth at night
or when her mistress went visiting in the neigh
borhood The kindness hitherto shown her for
u time began TO relax. Leon had set oil on u
tour, accompanied by his old tutor. aud bosom
friend asyoung, rs gay and as thoughtlcss as him.
self
So passed tho two years of Icons absence
When he returned, Aniclka was seventeen, and
had become tall and handsome. No one who had
not seen her during that time, would have rccug.
ui1td her. OF this number was Leon In the
midst Of perpetual gaiety ard change, it was not
possible he could have remembered poor peas
ant girl but in Aniclka's memory he had renal.
ned as superior being, as her benciactor, as the
only one who hadspoken kiny to her, when poor,
neglected, forlurn When in some French 70.
nance she met with young man VI twenty Of
a noble character and handsome appearance, she
bestowed on him the name Of Leon. The recol-
lection Of the kiss he had given her ever brought
a blush TO her cheek, and made her sigh deeply.
One day Leon came to lis sisters room. An.
ielka was there, seated in corner at work Le.
on himself had considerably changed: from a boy
.
tia he said YOU have been told what n good boy
| am and with what docility shall submit myself
to the matrimonial yoke, which the Count and
Countess have provided for me I and he began
and danced some steps Of the Mazur
ka
Perhaps you will be refused said Ooustantia,
coldy
Refused oh, no. The old Prince hns alrca.
dy given his consent, and as for his daughter, she
Is desperately in love with me. Look at these
nlousnchiour, could anything be more rrosistiblct
and he glanced in the glass and twirlcd them
round his fingers; then continuing in n graver
tone, he said TO tell the sober truth, cannot
say that reciprocatc. My intended is not at all
to my taste. She is nearly thirty, and So thin
that whencver look at her, am reminded of
my old tutors anatomical sketches But thanks
TO her Partisan dress. maker she makes up atole
rably good figure, nnd looks well in Cashmere.
or all things YOU know, wished for wife with
mn imposing appearance, and don't care about
love. find lis not fashionable, and only exists
IN the exalted imagination Of poets
Surely people are in lnvo with one another
sometimes said the sister.
Sometimes repeated Anelk,, inaudibly. The
dialogue had painfully affected her and she knew
rot why. Her heart beat quickly, and her face
was flushed, and made her look more lovely than
ever
Perhaps. Of course We profess 10 n,lorc eve
Y pretty woman Leon added abruptly. But,
my dear sister what charming ladies maid you
mvcN He approached he corner where Anicl-
sa sat and bent on her a coarse familiar snile,--
Anlelka, although serf, was dsplcasod, aud re.
urned it with glance full Of dignity But when
,cr eyes rested on the youths handsome face, n
liz - II. =