Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-25

| "lVhOuI VlS hiOhcy Ill luelr nanuS, L Will sell
the place and leave you. will not struggle
and fight, to get my money. | wish to be
kind to you, but | must live, and it is shame
| to you that have to draw all my means from
other poor serts, who are perhaps as poor as
you"
There is nothing more certain than that if
| you gave Russian serf an inch, he will take
an ell. The next year came, and the five
roubles did not. The poverty trick was again
rehearsed, but this time her high-born lady.
! ship dismissed the people with pain and an
ger, advertised the estate for sale, and as she
threatened, sold it. All the horse dealing
''souls" on it, their wives and children, hor-
ses cattle, goods and chattels, became the
property of certain Gospodin Popotf, who
had spent the greater part of his life in Off
cial service on a salary of some forty-five or
sixty roubles per month, and who had man
aged to live up to three hundred roubles, and
to save money enough to buy the White Viii
lage at twenty thousand rOubles.
Herr Hausen-the steward whom Madame
Obrassof allowed to leave her-was appoint
ed by Gospodin Popnff; for this steward had
kept his eye on the estate ever since, knew
more by this time of its capabilities, and felt
chagrlned at having been outwitted and driven
away by the cunning old starost.
His first act indicated what was to be ex-
pected now. The venerable old starost, and
twenty of the principal peasants were seized
on their first repetition OF the poverty farce,
and receiveda very liberal supply of ''sticks."
The stanavoy's men kept the stick going for
half day, and were well paid to lay it on
hard; willie Herr Hansen smiled complacent-
ly This was the first turning of the tables,
and they went running round from bad to
worse Each serf was served with demand
for e
money and taxes, at a high rate. Failing to
pay on the instant, the secret studs of horses
and the more apparent goods of every kind,
were appropriated and sold without the least
conjunction. The peasants were not allowed
to leave the village, but were driven to work
on the fields. Having formerly attended to
nothing but horse dealing, they were now al
most destitute of the kind of produce neces-
sary to human life. The old and infirm had
to chop wood for the steward, the children
gathered oak nuts and cut grass in the woods,
for his cows and pigs; his barns, stables, and
store-hOuses filed, as those of the peasants
emptied. He became corpulent in substance
as they grew lean, gaunt and hungry.
A sum equivalent to the purchase money of
the estate had already been realized; but this
was not thought sufficient by Herr Hansen
and his principal. They had not yet found
any money! and money in hard cash there
must be somewhere. Domiciliary visits had
been made, the floors of the huts had been
dug up, and every place the searchers could
think of had been explored without success
At length jew-one of those prowling sharp
featured wiry little fellows, who carry trink-
cts, gaudy-colored prints, handkerchiefs, and
money, to exchange for corn, flax, feathers
and other peasant produce, at profit of eight
hundred per cent or so-gave hint to Herr
Hansen for per centage on the money found
Measures were taken accordingly, and one
day these peasants-already shorn to the bone
OF everything else-were deprived of their
neSt-egg. Where it was found, or how much
it was, | did not hear, but hard bullion to a
considerable amount was transferred to the
lion safe in strong room OF the stewards
house. The peasants were now thousand
times poorer than they had ever wished the
kind generalShe to believe them.
What follows Of the story had partly from
the old starost as he lay in his hut, diving from
a gun-shot wound and partly from Lucy Muir
One evening 'f0lif men s,vv,. ~ ...v 800
a hut shaking something in felt hat. One of
them put his hand in and drew-he told the
result, and the operation was repeated. Then
the four separated and took different paths
through the village, saying a few words quiz
city at every door. 1t was a cold, clear night,
soon after twilight, and the moon had risen in
an almost cIoudless sky. just as the old starost
passed the stewards gate he met Lucy Muir
ray going in.
elbow do you do, starost? | hope your
health is good. Good night l must run to
the house"
''Stay, maiden with the golden hair and the
laughing eyes, tell me who there is now in
yonder house besides the steward and his
"Madame Obrassoff and her daughter sleep
there tonight. You know we came for the
last enstalment of the purchase money of the
estate"
"When do you go|
"To-morrow morning. We should have
gone tonight, but it is too late to begin a
journey, and the horses want rest. Why do
you ask, starost"
''Listen, daughter of the English, and let
my words go into your heart and remain
there. Tell the generalshe from her old sta
rost, who loves her and hers, though he has
often deceived her, that she muSt-do you
hear me say must leave that house in less
than an hour. God dooms it, and all in it to
destruction. Now tell her soon and secretly,
but as you value your life and your own, tell
it to none other but her. Go, and remember
my words. Good by, English child, and may
God give you happiness" So the starost
passed on with the Russian fiery cross.
In about an hour after this, the groups OF
men in noiseless felt boots, went their way to
the church front. Each of these men was
armed with only one weapon, but it was
deadly one opposed to anything but firearms;
the tapore or Russian SHORTAGE. With this
the Russian peasant can hew down trees, cut
them into pieces and slabs, build houses,
make windows or picture frames, sharpen and
mend pens or pencils, kill wolf or a bear,
make tables and chairs, cleave his enemy's
head from the crown to the neck These men
met at the church, each with his taptore
stuck in his belt and resting on his hip. AS
each group approached the church every in
dividual turned his body so as to face the
holy emblems, images, and saints, the position
of which he well knew, and with more than
ordinary devotion bowed and crossed himself
The starost lifted up his voice. brothers,
many words, little deeds? Are you all ready
and willing?
Each man threw from his back the tapore,
fiourished it over his head, and answered.
Ready"
"That is well. We cast lots whether it
should be tonight, and the answer was 'All.'
Follow me, them"
The body moved on, and but for the slight
crisping under their felt boots, they moved
like noiseess phantoms. They were in
number about five hundred. Half way be-
tween the church and the stewards gate
carriage drove up; they opened to
let it pass, and looked in. Madame Obrasoff,
her daughter, and Lucy, pale as spec
/ 4 ouaI,;,r in ovarv limb at inside.