Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-08-07
4 s2RF' EEDoar.
And the Remarkable Way it wat
$4,000


And the Remarkable Way it wa
Purchased.
Russian Sketches
Count Schcremetieff, adcscen-
dant of orc OF The most ancicn'
Boyard families, possessed NOR,
lthan cne hundred Thousand nal,
souls, as scrfs were then calleC
iii RUSSIA the womti not being
counted either in the census d
the tax lists. Among these serfi
there werpsmany who had beer
|allowed to SO into business fol
themselves. Some Of these haC
made fortunes, others had ever
become millionaires. The con
ditions OF the counts inheri'
lance forbade his selling his free
dom. Among the number there
was one who had established
himself Mt Riga and was at tho
head of n great banking=housC
of that city--an ancient house
which had existed under German
control for a century, and was
well-lnown and highly respected
in all European cities.
The serf who was now tho
head Of the house, felt his hui
initiating position very lzcenly,
Ills sons were excluded from al
liances with families who were
their equals in fortune and cdu-
cation, for no daughter of these
falnilies wouldwed aslave, even
were he ten times n millionaire,
as the Russian law compels a
wife to accept the social position
of her husband.
The banker who had almost
despaired Of obtaining his own
freedom, journcyedcvery year to
sue for that of his own children.
The freedom of the daughters
was ch eerfully granted, foi'
Count Scheremctieff was one of
those chivalrous noblemen whose
motto is noblesse oblige. There
are many such in Russia, the de-
scendants of the old reigning
houses ofthc empire. Theseno-
blcS lent an almost unanimous
support to the project of Alex
ander II for the emancipation Of
seris, although the carrying ont
oi' the measure cost a large share
of their fortunes. er I'D
Upon the bankers last visit to
St. Petersburg he had offered
the Count half million lubles
for the freedom of his sons.
The count had refused as usual,
but he had showed the banker
great attention, inviting him to
dine, at his house, where he was
treatedlas q peer by the elite of
the Russian mobility. e
A few months after, carly in
the spring, he returned sad, and
despairing to St. Petersburg.
His eldesa son, having been sent
to England on business connect
ed with the house, had become
acquainted with the daughter of
a leading manufacturer. The
people were deeply in love, but,
underline existing circumstances,
they could hot marry. The
banker resolved, if necessary, to
sacrifice his whole fortune to pur-
chase the freedom of his eldest
son. Upon his arrival he found
the Gulf of Finland blockaded
with ice, thus shutting of all
communication with the interior.
Knowing the counts extreme
liking for oysters, the banker
purchased key On the route
and brought them along with
him. The count had some friends
to breakfast, but the deIicacy he
most cared for was lacking, and
loud walls arose from him and
his guests in consequence. In
the midst Of the general lamen-
tentation our banker entered, and
the count invited him to stay to
breakfast.
"You have come again with
that everlasting refrain" said
the count; laughing. II remem-
Der hearing you sing it in my fa-
theirs lifetime, when j was but a
child. You don't know what a
fine chance for gaining your free
dom has just been opened to you,
but you have missed it as 1 have
my oysters?" 3 a e.. ' =
"What chance?n asked the
banker with a sigh, and yet with
a CLEAN of hope in his eyes.
perhaps your honor is in some
monetary embarrassment. What
sum do You require?"
600 to the deuce with your
answered the count; sI
despise it. But if you had only
brought some oysters.
"SVhat would you do if I were
to bring you some?" asked the
banker, his heart throbbing vio-i
lently. .@.4 @s4s a4yI
SWhat would I d6?n returned
the count, sare@that there were
no oysters in st. Petersburg, and
feeling perfectly safe in making
any promise in this regard, no
matter how preposterous. "WhatI
wonld / do? / would give you'll