The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-02-13
'TrOuble-the-EEOuse.--A Legend OF
ESVORia.


Once upon a time there lived III the pro
vince of i.ivonia, certain peasant, named
Peter Lo,ski. Peter had no relation that he
knew of in this world, but his mother. She
and her husband had come from COurland
long ago. when they were married; but the
man died five and twenty years before the
time of our story; and old Roskin and her
son lived in cabin Of pine logs he had
built on the lands of the boyer NlckLeWltZ.
The bower took rank with the high and an
,.ient nobility of Russia. His ancestors
fought against the Mongols, and held office
under Ivan the Terrible. They were said to
have been rich. but little of their wealth had
descended, for there was not poorer estate
or more prudentIy supplied hot III ihe
province Theodore NickLewltz soWed MS
own hemp and rye, moved his meadows
and set good example to the reaperS III 'he
harvest time while hts wife ana TWO dauSh-
tiers brewed quass, baked rye-loaVeS, preserV-
ed everything, from cranbevnes to caVlare'
against the winter, and spun win lilelr
maids great packs of yarn ior sale to the
eastern merchants.
In short there was work for man and maid
ut the hof but the quass was always strong,
The holidays were we'll kept there, and most
of the peasants thought that a seat in the
treat hail worth having, when the snow was
deem at Livonia. Somehow, Peter and his
mother preferred the old cottage. 1t was
built. as we have said Of pine logs, out OF
which were cut the door, and window, the
latter glazed so to speak, with sheet OF
him mica: the roof was OF WattleS, over
laid ward deep with turf and clay, and as
green as meadow in summer. Their prop
rrty. besides a cow and a patch of rye
ground. consisted of loom. stove, spin
uinp-wheel. and a chest, wherein were laid
up the Sunday clothes which Peters father
lad left him, and those which old Roskin
had inherited from her mother. They were
free peasants of the old Germanic race, long
settled in Courland. No boyer owned OF
maintained them; but Roskin was noble
spinner. and Peter had few equals at the
shade, axe or fail. OF schools Peter LetslN
knew nothing; books he had never seen
except in church and the only education
his mother gave him was, My son be hon
cst, and trust in God.
Under that brief, but often repeated lesson
Peter grew up, one of the best sons III the
provincc. 1t was his fixed opinion, that nc
woman on earth could equal has mother IN
knowledge, prudence, and house keeping
besides she had been friends, relations and
all to him Though poor they had been
happy together in the log cabin, whose rent
as well as of the rye-tield, was paid IN hard
work to the thrifty boyar. In summer and
harvest time, Peter was bound to devote GER
tain davs to lis fields; Roskin spun at the
kof winter evenings; while her son made
baskets. nets and fishing tackle, always get
ting as near as he could to the wheel turned
by pretty Niga, whose soft blue eyes, and
light golden hair had turned the heads o1
hdlf the peasants in her neighborhood. Like
Peter. Niga was an only child, but death
had taken away her mother. Her father
honest Ivan, as the peasants called him, was
a stout old boor, who heWed wood in sum
mer, in the forest, and in winter at the hot,
he and his axe belonged to the boyar. Niga
of course, was born sef but Old Roskin
said she would make a good wife. Peter
thought so too and the wedding crowns Of
gilt paper, kept in the neishborn8 church,
would have been required but for the scheme
of their common master. His old nurse
had died some years before leaving an I'M
married daughter, for whom the boyar had
promised to provide and, to do him justice
he tried to find her husband; but Ratinka
had become so notable for tongue and tenn
per throughout the parish, that neither seri
nor freeman could be induced to take her tol