The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-10-02
The story of Russian Priest.

During an excursion near St. Peters
burgh, Mr.. Jerrmann made the acquaint-
ance of Russian priest, in whose story the
cruel complications of serfdom, and the
heartlessness of serf-owners, are exen,pli-
fed. We give it as follows:
The priests father was q serf on an es-
tate near Kasan, and was permitted by the
count, his master, TO take service in the
town, he paying yearly abrOk or fue, in
lieu Of The labor he was bound 10 perform.
He obtained employment in the household
Of rich goldsmith, and there occupied his
leisure in drawing, for which he had nat
ural taste. One day he surprised his en-
pIoyer by the exhibition Of beautiful ara
besque design. The goldsmith, struck by
his ability, released him from his mental
duties, and took him AS a pupil into his
workshop, where his talent, backed by un-
wearying assiduity, soon converted the duh
peasant into highly skilled artist. Thus
he continued until he reached his five-aud-
twentieth year, when he fell in love with
the goldsmth's daughter beautiful girl of
eighteen. She ardenliy returned his love,
and her father consented to their union on
one condition, that the serf should become
freeman. This condition could not be
complied with. The count obstinately re-
fused to l,berate his vassal. All that en-
treaty could wiring Fl otn him was the prom
ise that, without absolute necessity, he
would not withdraw him from the town.
This did not satisfy the old goldsmith; but
he could not resist his daughters tears, and
the lovers were united. A year of perfect
happiness few rapidly by; then came the
H.. a.
brother was taken for military service, his
father died, and he himself was summoned
by his owner TO manage the now deserted
farm. On his brorher's return from the
army, he was to he al liberty to 60 back to
and the poor artist, the cunning worker in
gold and silver, was condemned to follow
the plough, whilst his free-born wife sal
beneath IL serf's roof, nursing her infan,
son. This child was her only consolation
in her sadly altered circumstances. She
passed her time in dressing and adorning it,
aud the fame of its heau,y spread through
the hamlet, ill it reached the ears of the
counes-, who demanded to see the child
The proud mother decked it out like a laml
for the sacrifice, and took it to the castle
The countess was delighted with its beauty
as she might have been with that Of q
poodle or parrot, and declared her intention
to do its parents the honor Of adopting it
In vain the mother wept, inplored, anc
raved in despair at the prospect Of losing
her son. The infant remained upon the
countess's lap the mother was forcibl,
turned out Of the castle.
Brought up in luxury the boy though
not of the parents he had scarcely known
The count died soon after his adoption
leaving his widow with two sons and ;
daughter, besides the adopted son and twt
adopted daughters. The six children grew
up together in perfect equality, receiving
the same eduratiou, sharing the same sports
until the serf's son reached his fifteenth
year. AT that period the young count fel
dangerously i'll. The physicians abandon
ed him, and his despairing mother made
VOW that if he recovered she would devot,
all her ado pied children to the church. H,
t did recover. She sent her two adopte,
daughters to convent; one took the veil
the other so obstinateIy refused it, that ,h
) superior of the convent sent her back agai'
to the countess, who, furious Mt her refusal
gave her in marriage to a gamekeeper,
dissOlute fellow, who took her away Il
Moscow. Then came the turn Of the gold
) smiths son. He had no taste for the priest
hood; but what could he do? A serf ant
t the son of serf, obedience was his onl,
passpor, to freedom; refusal would condemn
him 10 lite of toll and misery. By con
, senting, he at least secured his emancipa
ton, for no serf can be a priest in Russia
He yielded, and was received into th
church.