Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-03
EASTER EVE.
A1AlE OF PEASANT LIFE IN RUSSIA.
Translated from the French of Augustus Anthony
de GogarZa for the n. Y, World

AQthODV
de Gogarza for the n. 7. World.l
II was about 10 o'clock at night when the first
sound OF the be Il was heard, coming In sOnorous
waves athwart the silence of the night. and
penetrating the cabins. to the great 10y or the
Old people who had long been awaiting 1t with
Impotence. Not one but heard it with Joy; for
five yersts around In the most distant huts, all
We're thrilled-each made the sign of the cross:
Andrew, the peasant OF Vuyssielok. stretched
upon his stove In sort OF stupor, shared In tne
bOrs without. he threw of his sheepskin and
leapiDg down seated himself on bench ana
began making ready for his departure.
The trembling light OF dying loutchina-a
splinter OF pine used for a cande-hah nt up
the walls and benches OF the hut All was udIk
and cold-the black earth-floor. the pare Wn, .t
walls the rafters here and there damp Win
midew, the absence of the warmth so dear 10
the peasant the lack OF Dishes doTnesIlc aTticieS
and all that bespeaks the presenee Oh an h,. i've
housckeeper or careful wife, Indicated Out 100
clearly that Andrew did Dot belong TO the class
Of well TODD peasants. Ills own appearance,
ss. tell lean. wrapped IN an old peliSSe, he bent
toward the light. gave eloquent confirmation.
But the painful impression impaired by the sur
IOunGiIg misery vanished when the peasant
ia sd li!, head. His pale. oval face was 50 full
or gcrdHeeS and placid calm that one invOlun-
tariIy ir'T relieved. Ills movements and the
granqIi! look he east around him showed a
I'acefLi AID patient humOr, and the serene eX-
iIession Win which lie listened to the Ginning
ef the belts good and gently soul.
The Stiffness within the cottage. only broken
~ tie voices OfthOse without talking as they
set out for church, gradually fell upon the ham
let and became so profound that one could hear
the wind whistling In the thatch. Now the
sound OF the bells seemed to be lost in the dis
taRee; anon their silver chime flOated clear
above the hut. Andrew arose. drew his hand
across his forehead and went softly towards the
stove The light and measured breathing which
ne heard there brought smile to his lips, he
took the light and shading it with his hand
climbed gently upon the wooden steps around
the stove The light fell upon little girl of
four curled up In ball near the pipe leading to
the chimney. with her two little hands under
her family tinged cheek; She was pretty In
thinner for the fair curlS OF hair fine as down
that framed IT, had striking resemblance to
that OF Andrew.
Seeing that the light annoyed the child ne
withdrew the hand that held 1t and touching
her on the shoulder said, Wake up. Lastotchka.
Listen, The bells are ringing for mathis" She
stretched out her little feet, sighed. and, With
out opening her eyes, turned over, put her
hands under her head, sighed again and Went
himself more closely In his pelisse, wrapped the
little one in an old blouse and drew her beneath
his sheepskin, blew out the light and left the
cottage, closing the door behind him.
The hamlet, dependency of the village five
verstS away, consisted of some hen novels
heaped together In the midst OF fenceless fields
and marshes without trace OF a tree or
Ihicket. To the left, upon the road leading to
the village, was a hill tufted with thick copses
and broken with ravineS, which only the more
completely Isolated the plain stretching to the
hamlet. Ii was lonely and gloomy at all times,
except possibly In the summer, when the cho-
rlsing OF frogs and the cries of water-hens, wild
ducks and lean gray herOnS here and there lenL
II some sort OF animation.
The night was clear; the moon had not yet
risen, but myriads OF stars were twinklng in the
dark. blue, clOudleSs sky. The hoiiOws and the
ruts of the roads, which by day were little rivu-
lets babbling gayly. were covered with films OF
Ice that cracked beneath the foot. so intense
was the silence that Andrews footsteps could
be heard mile OFF.
AS Andrew neared the hill his footsteps be-
came slower, and the serene expression OF his
countenance saddened. Alas, that night
brought with it gloomy memories.
only the year before he had trodden the same
path towards the same destination, when every
thing smiled upon him. True he was as poor
no one thereabOuts was poorer-but he bore his
poverty without repining or murmuring. He
and his wife were alone, but neither was fond
oil lettering or sleeping the day away on the
stove; they both worked hard all day long, and
were contented with little-some dark rye
flour, a couple OF loads OF hay, and they could
be thankful to God. When he came back from
the field and caught I'D the little Lastotchka,
who was strong and plump, and sat down to
table with her before a smoking tchi-cabbage
sOup-then he was happy. He was quiet man
and preferred being stripped Of few sticks of
wood or handfulS OF straw rather than to quar-
rel or lament about them. 1.-The blessing of
God go with them-no one will grow fat with
it, he would say. Everybody lived on good
footing with Andrew, and but few were In his
debt. He fixed weathePOck on the house OF
Ole, ornamented the window OF another's COT
tage with carvings cured the horse OF a third.
Clever at all callings, he would have gotten
on as well as the others had he had more useful
arms To his family.
He was living thus happily when suddenly
and at the time he least expected IL, terribl
bow fell on him His wife died. The loss mad
him feel the full weight of his poverty. Happi
ly he had little time wherein TO mourn her:
was SUMMERTIME time OF toll Bearing thei
little girl In his arms he followed the corpse to
the graveyard, and then caught up the scythe.
When he returned 70 his Cot at night he hung
his head. He no longer heard the familiar
sound OF the shuttle; the caTessing word or
Joyous sound greeted him no more: the littl
column OF blueiSh smoke no longer rose from
the chimney, nor did The hospitabie light shine
Tor him when he returned OF cold winters
night. covered with snow and sleet. What life
is the peaSantS-alonei When one Is warmly
clad and we'll fed and the house is attended TO-
the mind is tranquil and one can work we'll
otherwise courage Is lack1ng-the man Is like
vine that has lost its strength.
The summer passed and the autumn. Andrew
had not ceased to mourn mis- loss Now thu
winter was here. The north winds howled
bringing with them ice and snow, whlrled away
the fallen dead leaves, and flying across TIT
withered fields burst in at the door or shook th
cabin pelted with rain as IL they would oVerturI
IL. The villagers gathered together under th
same roof. and around the cheerful light begal
their long stories. Andrew, alone hid himSel
on corner OF hi chilly stove and gaZed at tn,
wall. Apart nom his sorrow his poverty presses
him. His shirt was worn out; he had but Ont
caftan-a poor one: he had nothing In which t.
hand when ne must give up and beg their brea.
nom door TO door.
one good creature there was In the hamle
who enuedyO red TO cheer the poor peasant, ans
some times succeeded. Daria was an orphau
girl. servant OF one OF the well-tO-dO peasants
Their common lot OF suffering, their near neigh
boThOOd-their dwellings, Were only separated
by lane-drew her near 10 him inSenSiby, ant
as both were quiet and Industrious they pleased
each other. Without having spoken 10 her o!
the subject, Andrew knew she was willing u
marry him; he had often thought OF il. but hOp
were they 10 wed, with, as the prOverO has II
daylight Tor clothing and the wind in the cup
board?
He was thinking OF this as ne approached tn
Hill, and the thoughts only made him the sad
der. II was becoming colder; a keen blast o
wind SInOte his face. He stopped moment u
settle his fur cap, and felt Lastotchka, who wa
sleeping soundly. TO see that she was not cold
then was about 10 go on when, In the silence O
the night he heard a fOOtStep at a distance
and turning saw white form come round tn
corner OF the hill which ne had Just turned
was a woman, ana thinking IL was one OF til
Villagers who had been delayed, Andres
stopped 10 await her. The woman, apparent.
pleased 10 meet q companion on so lonely
road and at so late an hour, quickened her pac
10 join him.
Andrew was not little surprised when sh
came up TO recognize DaT1a. Il little cxpecte
10 see you" he said showing his pleasure in hi
voice; Il was wondering who tt could be. and
Was you Good morning, Good morning"
GOOD morning. Andrew" answered til
young girl gayly, stopping for a moment quit
- a a.. laa n IL,