The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-02-13

the voice.
''It is an odd name friend,' said Peter.
Where did you come from ?"
Never mind where | came from" said
the voice in a still sharper tone. I" I'm going
home to the hof with you and the rest of
this fine legacy
Peter was frightened into silence by this
statement, he would have jumped out, but
the old horse had suddenly quickened his
pace to full gallop, and the sledge flew
over the snow SO fast that the lights of the
hof were in sight; and in minute more
Peter was through the timber-gate and In the
yard, where the rest of the company were
rapidly unloading.
Every man from the boyar downward in
qured what had frightened his horse, for the
creature stood trembling, Peter didn't care to
tell them, but there was no sledge in the yard
more quickly emptiedthan his own. Nothing
but the rags and crockery could Peter
see, though he thought there was kind of
rustic in the rye straw as the last old pot
came out, and queer sound OF stumplng
steps going in before them all to the great
kitchen, where a supper, which satisfied
even the serf's expectations, awaited them.
There was no want of Drawn, sour cab
bage, and hard cheese, on that long table, at
which, after old Livonian fashion, master
and servant sat according to rank; yet the
feast did not 90 off as joyously as might
have been expected. The Youngest daughter
broke china bowl which had been in the
family for fifty years-that upset the boyar-
deem; the bovar became so critical before
the bottle of corn brandy on his right was
quite empty, that he found fault with every
thing said or done and all agreed that Peter
Letski did no Justice TO himself or supper.
Peter lost no time in relating the cause
of that unwonted neglect to his mother when
safe in their own cottage; and after minute
inquiries touching what he had to drink on
the road, old Roskin said she never heard Of
such a traveller in all the tales of Courland-
one didn't know what come with a corn
merchants legacy; but her advice was to
keep the story between themselves until
Father Michael, their priest, should return
from visiting his brother in Upper Lithur-
MIA, which would certainly take place before
Christmas. His mothers advice was Peters
law
He went on threshing, basket-making, and
sleeping, as in other winters old Roskin,
too, spun as usual at the hof, but the hof
was not the place it had been. Its industrl-
Gus quiet had been broken to bring home
that legacy, and could not be restored. The
servants grumbled for stronger quass; the
daughters repined for new dresses; the boy
ardeen grew more careful than ever; and the
boyar thought every man was stealing
Then there were grand visitors, counts and
barons, who came from leagues away, and
had to be entertained in the great parlor,
never before opened except for wedding
feastS. Among them was certain Count
Ratschotf, who would have married Theo-
dore's eldest daughter, but the boyar and he
could never come to an understanding on
the subject of her dowry.F However the
Count had been in st. Petersburgh seven
years, looking after legacy he did not get,
and having some knowledge of the great
world there, he undertook to instruct the
whole house Of Nicklewitz, touching their
dignity and interest.
Under his direction, the peasants were not
allowed to speak in the old familiar forms
to their betters; the kitchen was obliged to
wait till the parlor had finished, and got only
broken victuals; the rye-bread was weighed;
the Quass was measured, and the boyar re-
solved to have Ratinka married without de-
lay His determination was signifed the
week before Christmas, when, one evening
after dinner, Peter was summoned to the
parlor door, to see his master seated in great
state, with his pipe, tobacco box, and a
quart cup in the form of an eagle, filled to