The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-12-09

Still, sometimes her eyes would harden as
she looked at them.
Then the little girls would ask: s:Why do
you look at us SO wickedly have we
done?-we haye been good"
Then she took them on her knee. and
kissed them and said: ooh! you have done
nothing-never mind me! Kiss and love
your poor nurse"
Eight years passed thus. Madame Cert
zoff one day called Marpha into her bed
room, and gave her paper.
''The general sends you this act. He
gives you your iberty-you are free. You
can either leave, or remain with my daugh-
ters, as you please"
Marpha kissed her mistress's hand, took
the paper, and left the room.
Her heart was beating loudly. These
words, "you are Free rang in her ears and
gave her delicious feeling. But when the
first Joy had passed, bitter feeling took
possession Of her.
What is the good of being free now?"
she said to herself. ''Sidoroff is married.
Where shall go-to the village where my
father and mother are still slaves? I could
not even provide for them as do now by
staying with my masters.
She knelt and prayed for a long while be-
fore the images in her alcove: She present
~, after receiving the congratulations of all
her friends on her happiness, came to her
mistress's room, gave her the paper, and
said:
keep this paper, sondarimo, it is useless
to me now-it is too late! I ask your per-
mission to be allowed to remain all my life
with the young ladies'"
Il will keep it, if you like" answered the
generals wife. "Stay with us but consider
yourself free. The day you wish it will
give it back to you,'
In 1874, Marpha was living as nurse with
the generals eldest daughter, who had been
married some years, and had three children.
Marpha is, therefore, a freed woman twice
over: by the act given to her by the general
She lives just as she did in former days,
and is always the children's favorite nurse.
She is fifty years old. Her features, though
aged, are still very beautiful. The general
and his wife are dead. Sidorotf, the mer-
chant, is one Of the richest men of Siberia
From time to time he comes to st. Peters
burg, where his family are estab-
lished. His sons are officers in the cuirasser
guards; his daug hters have married bril-
liantly. One day, as I was attending the
funeral of some great person at the Newsky
Convent, the ceremony being over, I took a
walk in the cemetery and examined the
tombstones. I soon came to one erected to
General Gertzof A priest and beadle
were chanting the prayers for the dead, with
thin, nasal voices. One woman alone was
present. When the prayers were over, she
placed the three obligatory roubles in the
priests hand, knelt reverently down, and
put crown of flowers on the grave. She
then crossed herself several times, arose,
and turned round. recognized Marpha.
Iknew her story, as didalso several others,
intimate friends of the Gertzoffs.
''How is that?" said to her. "Are you
praying for the general?"
''Oh," said she, Il have long since for
gotten the harm he did to me. I suppose
bered among the humble ones on earth. It
ing. Two nights ago, saw my b0rine in
dream. He said to me: 'Marpha! Mar
pha! I cannot bear the weight of my sins
they are SO heavy-so heavy!' I saw him
three times in the same night, and told our
pope about it. He advised me to have
prayers said for the repose of his soul. The
bdrine is asking for them, suppose, in the
other world. He must be suffering, for he
made others suffer so. His slaves, when he
was alive, wept tears of blood. My own
story is not worth mentioning I was the
happiest of all. I hope God will forgive
him, and give him the kingdom of heaven,
for have forgiven him from the bottom of
my heart" Her face wore an expression of
sublime grandeur and abnegation.
Marpha goes very often to the cemetery
of the Newsky Convent-oftener even than
do the generals own children. She has the
right to do it. Her prayers are blessed
twice over. LYDIA PAsCHKOFF.