Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-10-27
Ivan the Serf.

I 4
little stature, which was out of all proper
! ton with his years He was the veriest
mite of man, extremely nimble in his
movements, with pug nose, curly hair,
face perpetually on the grin, and eyes
like mouse He was rare buffoon and
lover of practical jokes; and his tricks
and drolleries were infinite. He under
stood how TO let off fire works, could fly
kites, and was good hand at any game;
could ride standing at full gallop, could
leap higher than anyone else at the
"giant's stride" and was quite a
master at making the queerest of shad-
ows on the wall. No one could
amuse children better than he, and Ivan
was perfectly happy if he was only al
lowed to spend an entire day playing
with them. When he laughed, the
whole house shook, and he was always
ready with joke and an answer. There
was no being angry with him, and you
were obliged to laugh even whilst scold-
ing him. 1t was treat TO see Ivan dance
particularly the ''fish-dance The
music would strike up, and then the fell
low darted out into the middle of the
group and began turning, twisting, leap
ing, stamping with his feet, crawling on
the floor, and going through all the
antics of afsh that had been caught and
thrown on the dry ground and perform
ing such contortions, clasping his neck
with his heels, jumping here, springing
there, that the ground seemed to tremble
under him. Many time Alexis Sergei
witch, though, as have already said, very
fond of the choral dances, has interrupted
the dancers, and cried out Come here
Ivan, my little coach-boy; give us the
fish-dance, and look sharp" And then
a minute latter you heard him exclaim-
ing "Ah, that's it; well done, well
done T.
1t was, then, during my last visit that
this same Ivan came one morning into
my room, and without saying word fell
down on his knees before me. Ivan,
what's the matter ?" ''Save me, sir p
"How? What has happened p And
thereupon Ivan related to me all his
troubles.
About twenty years before he had been
exchanged from the service of a certain
Suchinsi on the estate of the Teleguins;
but simply exchanged, without going
through any legal formality or being
supplied with the necessary papers. The
man III whose place he had been taken
died, and his old masters had quite for
gotten Ivan, so that he remained with
Alexis Sergeivitch, as if he had been
born a serf in the family. In the course
of time his former masters died also, and
the estate passed into fresh hands ; and
the new proprietor, who was generally
reported to be cruel and brutal, inform
ed the authorities that one of his serfs
had been taken into the service of Alexis
Sergeivitch without any legal sanction,
demanded his immediate surrender, and
in case of refusal threatened his detainer
with a heavy fine and imprisonment.
Nor was the threat by any means an idle
one, since Suchinsli was a very high
placed official, a privy counsellor by
rank, with great influence throughout
the district. Ivan in his fright appealed
to Alexis Sergeivitch. The old man took
pity on his favorite dancer, and made
an offer to the the privy counsellor to
buy Ivan of him for a good round sum,
but the proposal was contemptuously re-
iected and what made matters worse, he
was a Little Russian---as pigheaded as
the very devil There was nothing to
be done but to give up the poor serf. 81
have lived here, made my home here,
served here, eaten my daily bread here,
and it is here wish to die" Ivan cried
to me cam dog, to be dragged by
a chain from one kennel to another?
Save me, implore you; entreat your
uncle never to give me up do not for
get how often / have amused you. And
if do go, the worst for us all it can
only end in crime I" 'In crime what
do you mean, Ivan?" Why shall kill
him. will go, and the first day will
say to him. let me return to my old
master, sir do not refuse me, or, If you
do. take care I will murder you y
If chafinch or a gold finch had sud
denly spoken, and threatened to swal-
low large bird, 1 should not have been
more astonished than was to hear Ivan
speak thus. Ivan the dancer, buffoon,
and Jester, the beloved of children, him.
self child, this good-souled creature,
to become a murderer The idea was
ridiculous. Not for moment did [ be-
lieve him but what I could not under
stand was that he should even talk of
such thing. I had, however, a long
conversation with Alexis Sergeivitch,
and employed every form of entreaty that
he would somehow or other arrange the
affair. "My dear sir, the old man re-
piled, ST should indeed be glad to do so,
but it is impossible. | have already offer
ed the pig headed fellow good price,
300 roubles on my word of honor, and
he would not hear of it ; SO, what can l
do? Of course it is illegal. and the ex-
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