Morris tribune., 1880-12-16

OIucI duu ulohhOA Va enO SOncIdlS eEtaD-
lishment:
From the Moscow House-Report of the 18th
October, 1R4S:
Art. 1.2Received from the village of Davi-
dono: Ten chariots of hay, twelve sacks of
-four, fifteen boxes fruit preserves, on barrel of
honey.
Art 2-Received in money from the Office of
Ivanono, four thousand roubles.
Art 3.-According to your excellency's orders.
yesterday, 18th October, the footman, Andre,
was given to the soldier.
Art. 4.-The mare, Etoile, has just foaled,
Art. 5.-Sidoroff, the merchant, offers two
thousand roubles for the purchase of Marpha.
He begs she will be given him, to marry her
Art 6.-Marinoff, the merchant, offers ten
thousand roubles for the timber of Davidono
wood.
Art This is the eighth day Ignate the
coachman, has been drunk
Art S.-The kitchen-boy, Vanka, was drunk
yesterday, and made disturbance in the house
Art 9.-The girl, Glachka, laundress, was
confined of boy last night She was taken to
a midwife, whom we shall have to pay.
PRoHoR, Head Clerk.
A week after the reception of this epistle
the general gave orders to the clerk Of his
st. Petersburg counting house to write off
the following orders:
From the Counting house at St Petersburg:
Art His excellency orders that the ten
thousand roubles offered by Martinof for the
timber shall be accepted.
Art 2-The coachman, Ignate, is to be pun
ished by fifty strokes of the knout, and sent on
foot from Moscow to St Petersburg, money be-
ing given him to buy bread on the road.
Art. 3.-The kitchen boy, Vanka, is to be
sent back to his village, with orders to the
staraste to employ him at wood-cutting in the
forest
Art 4.-The girl, Glachka, in punishment for
her misconduct, is to be sent back to her village,
and to have her hair cut short to her head.
Art. 5.-His excellency's orders are that the
offer made by Sidorof shall be refused, and
that a reprimand be given to Marpha for hav-
ing dared to disturb Madame Gertzoff with this
affair. His excellency's will is that Marpha
shall not leave the young ladies till they are
twelve years of age. On that day his eXcellency
will be pleased to give Marpha her liberty as q
reward for her trouble.
Written by his excellency's orders.
ARTEMI, Head Clerk.
Both Sidoroff and AIalpha were in de.
spair at this harsh answer, and threw them.
selves at Madame Gertzoff's feet, who was
herself much troubled at heart at the non
success of her attempt.
81 have saved twenty-five thousand rou.
bles since have been in business. If YOU
excellency deigned to write to the genera
that would willingly give them for Marpha
I can soon make it up by work, and l cal
not live without Marpha."
Madame Gertzoff ordered that this new
proposal should be inserted in the report.
Prohor, the clerk, obeyed, and wrote:
By order of her excellency Madame Gertzoff
have dared to insert in this report the ney
proposal of Sidoroff, the merchant He offer
twenty five thousand roubles ready money, TO
Mopnha hnoS hia hI1TonIn nffa1. will mt HI
refused
The orders from the st. Petersburg hous'
were not long in coming. They were ex
pected with painful anxiety.
The st. Petersburg clerk answered:
His excellency was pleased to get into VIC
lent passion on receipt of the report of the 16tl
Of November. He will hear nothing furthe
about Sidoroff's offer. HIS excellency order
that if Sidoroff dares to present himself agail
at the house, he shall be turned out, and,
necessary, the four-hall porters are to driv
him out with broomsticks His excellenc
likewise desires that Marpha shall not open he
lips any more to Madame Gertzoff about this at
fair, under pain of great punishment.
Marpha cried bitterly, and had a sever
illness, from which she arose as pale as
lily Her mistress was kindness itself t
her, and had her attended by the most eel
ebrated doctors.
Sidoroff, disguised with life at Moscow
sold his silk business. He took to drink
drown his sorrow, and travelled all owe
Russia from one fair to another. He after
ward went to Siberia, where, according
the wishes of his family, he soon married
Marpha continued to look after the childre
as usual, with patience and gentleness
Still, sometimes her eyes would harden a
| she looked at them
Then the little girls would ask: "Why d
you look at us so wickedly?-what have W
done?-we haye been good"
Then she took them on her knee, an
kissed them and said: ooh! you have don
nothing-never mind me! Kiss and Low
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. Il
gives you your ibeTty-you are free. 70
can either leave, or remain with my daugE
ters, as you please."
Marpha kissed her mistress's hand, too
the paper, and left the room.
Her heart was beating loudly. Thes
words, "you are free" rang in her ears an
gave her delicious feeling. But when tt
first joy had passed, bitter feeling toe
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 N
father and mother are still slavesp I cou]
not even provide for them as I do now /
staying with my masters"
She knelt and prayed for long while b.
fore the images in her alcove. She presen
~, after receiving the congratulations of q
her friends on her happiness, came to b
mistress's room, gave her the paper, ar
said:
Keep this paper, sondarina, it is usele
} to me now-it is too late! ask your pc
mission to be allowed to remain all my Ii
with the young ladies"
Il will keep it, if you like" answered Il
generals wife. Stay with US but consid
yourself free. The day you wish it I w
give it back to you,"
} In 1874, Marpha was living as nurse Wi
} the generals eldest daughter, who had bee
: married some years, and had three childre
and sold things to her cheaper than to mo
} people.
} He was a handsome, light bearded fello1
of the highest type of Russian beauty. f
begged permission, one day, to carry
Madame GertZof himself very fine pie,
| VI FoIfcG1 buy1uS uO WlouSu w uhOA ulluoS
of the opportunity of begging her to listt
to something he had very much at heart.
Marpha told her mistress, who said s.
would receive him.
7 He came accordingly with the velvet, al
basket of choice sweetmeats, that he be
7 ged the generals wife to accept.
Then he boldly said:
7 II love Marpha. know she is q slav
} If your excellency is willing, and Marpl
herself is SO disposed, am ready to pu
. chase her at whatever price you may see
' to name."
"Ah, my brother" replied the genera
wife, ''there you are mistaken. Marpl
belongs to none of my villages. She is n
husbands property. He it is whom "
r must ask. Show yourself at the countin
/ Marpha is, therefore, freed woman twi
over: by the act given to her by the genel
. and also by the abolition of slavery in 186
She lives just as she did in former day
} and is always the children's favorite nurs
r She is fifty years old. Her features, thouy
. aged, are still very beautiful. The genei
3 and his wife are dead. Sidoroff, the me
chant, is one of the richest men of Siberi
, From time to time he comes to st. Peter
+ burg, where his family are esta
! lished. His sons are officers in the cuirass