The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1883-09-29
later the news arrived that the young
cnuuf WaS martial

later the news arrived that the young
Count was married.
This announcement was the signal for
great rejoicing. According to ancient
usage, barrels of sweet beer and HYDRO
mel were brewed; white bread and meat
were distributed to the whole village.
The poor had abundant aims, and the
whole retinue Of servants had new dresses.
Mavra had handsome blue wooden
dress and silk handkerchief. No one
was forgotten; debts in arrear we're re-
mitted, and the young girl was suddenly
told she might return for the winter to
her IA -nily till her father could make new
arrangements for the payment in kind OF
what he owed.
This was no joyful news for the young
peasant girl, but resignation is an in
herient Russian virtue; she packed up
her clothes in basket, and one fine
morning courageousiy set oft on foo, for
her native village. She was received
cody by her mother. One mouth more
to feed. besides which. peasants are
sparing Of their demonstrations of affec-
ton. After few days Marva selasped
into her old habits, bent all day over her
embroidery frame by the narrow window,
in the evening standing leaning against
the door, gazing, as was her wont, at the
stars. More than ever she loved them ::
behind these marvellous lights. that she
likened TO tears-for she was often sad
now she saw the black eyes and hand
some, indifferent face that had taken
possession of her soul. AS long as she
was staying in the grand seignonal man.
sion, where the image of her idol met
her at every step in familiar attitude,
where she had only to clos. her eyes to
see Serge before her, Mavra was happy :;
she was one of those for whom the inno-
cent and daily presence Of the beloved
makes the whole happiness of life.
Here, where nothing spoke Of him, she
felt for the first time the pain of separa-
ton. Uneasy. she asked herself what il
was that was torturing her to this degree,
and the truth nearly dawned upon her
But she stopped the thought, not daring
to sound it further, saying to herself that
there must be at the root of all this suffer
ing some great sin she herself was ignor-
ant OF. Morning and evening she knelt
long before the sacred images, imploring
God TO deliver her from her pain and
feeling herself soothed by this effusion Of
mystic tenderness. she kept her sadness
to herself, still refusing to fathom it. But
she was visibly wasting away; the smoky
atmosphere of her home had now the
same influence upon her that the want OF
fresh air had formerly when she first left
her village. She passed the winter suffer-
ing. uneomplaining, unrelaxing in her
work. Gradually she gave up looking
at the stars. Not only did they more
than ever look like tears, but no sooner
did she turn her eyes towards the night
sky than they filled with tears. so tina,
she hardly knew whether it was the fires
OF heaven or her own tears that sparkled
beneath her eyelids.
Spring came, though more tardily
than usual; then summer with its field
labors. The countess seemed to have
forgotten Mara, who thought with even
more and more resigned sadness Of this
much-loved mistress.
Her indulgence concerning the service
dues OF her family appeared to the young
girl not favor. but punishment. a,
haymaking as at harvest young lads
seek out the girl. Had Mava wished il
she might have found ten husbands. She
was no longer quite young according to
the notion Of peasants, who marry their
daughters at sixteen and their boys at
twenty. She was getting on to twenty,
and her mother at times reproached her,
treating her as useless mouth. although
Marva's embroidery was readily bought
by the traders from the large towns, who
came to the village twice a year.
In the beginning of September. Serge
said to his young wife, who was about to
make him father:
II you follow my advice, you will
yourself nurse our child"
| should like to do so, but then must
have a trained, devoted servant-one en-
lowed with all the virtues" answered the
young wife, and mamma says this is
more difficult to find than a suitable
nurse"
1t is quite true" said the countess,
present at this family council, which had
taken place on an average thrice a week
for the last four or FIVE months: but
Serge, now that | think of it. we have
Mavra. the sweetest. quie.es,, most de-
voted of nurse-,enders.
"Mavra. the very thing. How is it we
never thought other before? Not trained
seeing she is unmarried-but SO active
and intelligent"
The manager was written to, ordering
him to send on Mavra by the convey which
every year. about this period, brought to
ST. Petersburg fruits. preserves salt provi-
sions, linen, and. in short. all the products
OF the earth. The young girl once more
packed her clothes up in her little basket
and took her seat on one of the long file
of heavy wagons that slowly rolled along
the roads for eight or nine days, she
sleeping a, night under the linen awning
drawn over the chests OF preserves. while
the horses were in the stables and the
wagoners by their sides Sometimes on
awaking she saw the stars. but they no
longer brought tears to her eyes.
When the convey Of provisions arrived.
and Mavra, still dizzy, had made the nee
essary change in her dress, she was led
into the room Of the young countess,