The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-01
THE LITTLE RUSSIAN SERVANT.


girl rose, Frustrated herself thrice before her
mistress, then, getting up, remained stand
ing her hands hanging by her side, her head
slightly bent forward under the investigat-
ing gaze of the Countess, who, through her
eye-glass, closely scrutinized her,
at is the new girl, your Highness," an
swered the head lady's maid coming forward
with the air of importance that thirty years
employment gives to no matter what func-
tionary. "She is the daughter Of Fomn, of
the village of Ikonine. She is come in her
turn to pay her fathers obrok--he is in
Moscow"
"These peasant girls can do nothing" said
the Countess, with wearied air; "what do
you expect to get out of this one?''
"She doesn't embroider badly, your High
ness; pray look yourself She can be put to
the embroideries-not to the ground, but to
the trimmings. This is for the toilet table
of Madame la Comtesse."
The noble lady, who could hardly see be-
ing short-sighted from her birth, examined
the embroidery frame so closely that the tip
of her nose grazed the cloth.
THAT'S not bad," she said. "Come here,
little girl"
The little girl advanced, and the Countess
inspected her as infinitely as she had done
the embroidery.
How pretty she is! What's your name?'
'Mavra."
The word came like a breath from the rosy
lips:
you must speak louder if you want us to
| hear you" said the head lady's maid angrily.
| Mavra turned her large blue startled eyes
| toward her, let them drop, and said nothing.
"Sit down to your work." said the Count
ess, amused at her new toy. With a quick
graceful movement the young girl resumed
her seat on the wooden chair, and the needle
! firmly held between her agile fingers went
| in and out of the stuff with that short. sharp
noise that stimulates the action of the hand.
That's right, you may go on" said the
| Countess her nerves irritated by the regu-
| larity of the movement
Then turning her back upon theyoung girl,
and trailing the heavy sumptuous folds of
| her dressing gown along the CAREFUL ywashed
| pine-wood floor, she disappeared through the
door, which was respectfully closed after
| her by the head lady's maid The Countess,
| an accomplished mistress of a house. made a
practice of paying daily visit to this room
which was reserved for the women of her
service. Mavra was left alone in the
workroom, a large, well-lighted chamber
furnished simply with tables and chairs
for the use of the innumerable women
and girls invariably attached to the service
of those noble ladies who knew so well how
to maintain their rank in that blessed time
of serfdom. At this hour the work-room
was empty Some of the women were wash
ing, others ironing, some cleaning and turn
ing upside down everything in the private
apartment the Countess had Just left. The
young peasant girl, with her needle uplifted
| rested her ruddy hand upon the edge of the
frame and looked around her
What multitudes of embroidered gowns
with their rich lace trimmings hung there
on the wall, waiting some slight repairs
What endless petticoats with their orna-
mented flounces all freshly ironed on cords
along the huge room! What countless lace
cushion as large as pillow, used only for
this purpose! and there, in a basket
or the corner of the table, what
piles of cambria chemises, deli
cately piped and pleated, trimmed
with Valenciennes lace and ornamented with
bright ribbens And all this for one person,
without counting the silk stockings in that
other basket, and the rings by dozens worn
by the Countess on her thin fingers In this
world OF living beings under Gods heaven,
what Importance given to one person, that
needed so many other persons to serve her,
and how the nothingness of these was made
more emphatic by the dominance of that!
Mavra sat wonder-stricken. The head lady's
maid coming into the room found her sitting
in a state of stupefaction, stupefied above all
at having made these reflections.
"Well, you are lucky" she said to her,
with a boastful look. Our Countess took
fancy to Won at the first glance You are
now on the list of embroiderers. You may
thank God for it. 1t is not often the Count
ess takes fancy like that at first sight"
as she, then, unkind?' innocently liz
quired the girl.
"Unkind Oh, no; capricious like all mis-
tresses, but the kindest lady in the world,
and generous Besides, this is a rich house;
nothing is counted-nothing at all. This is
better than your village" continued Dacka,
proud of belonging to such noble masters,
and DESTROYS to impress on the mind of the
simple peasant girl the importance and dig
nifty of the functions she was promoted to.
at is more beautiful" replied Mavra,
bending intently over her work.
sit was lucky they taught you to en-
broider, else you would have been sent to
the poultry-yard to feed the cocks and hens
and look after the calves. How did you
learn?"
my mother taught me- she was formerly
in the service she was advoroyaia in the time
of the late Countess. She married peas
ant"
All" said Dacka 81 thought your man
ners were not quite those OF peasant girl if
your mother was in service that's another
thing. Come, take a cup of coffee with me.
Prepare the coffee-pot and make haste before
the others come; l can't ask every one, you
understand"
To Mavra there was but little difference be-
tween the isba of her father and the work
room of the segnorial mansion. Here, as
there, her life was spent in assiduous work
from sunrise to sunset. There, her mother,
an austere, sombre woman, like most village
matrons to whom life had proved no
light natter here, the lady's maid, often
grumbling but at times kind and even con-
descending. The chief difference between
the two modes of life consisted in the daily
visits of the Countess, who generally said
nothing, but passed with a solemn air
through this roomful of silent, awestricken
women. But one thing was lack
ing to Mavra and this moth