Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-08-15
TIE LAKE-BABY.

The lake Of Karka Is large; a gray
sheet OF slow, scarcely ripping water
bOrdeTed all around with seedy marshes
and back of these waste lands, the
vivid green Of the silver boiled birches
and the sOmbre verdure of the aromatic
pines.
IL Is a country of great space all
about the Lake OF Karka, a lonely
livid land that looks rs If il were silent
ly pulsating with the hope and expec-
ta;iOn of humanity tn crowd, and till,
and sow, and reap its meagre soil.
To be sure. there Is the small village
Of OlOi on the eastern shore of the
lake, a handful of pink and green
houses, surrounded by deep soft
meadows and rough rail fences; the oat
G5lds slOp!ng down to the sluggish
waters edge, and, wind blown, lying
over with flesh kisses for the little lap
ping waves. On "A sandy hlllock stands
the church, too, the Church OF ST.
Isaac with Its i've gilded. pear shaped
cupOlas that sparkle in the Sunshine,
and within its two splendid pillars OF
malachIte on either side the icOnostasis
these, green and cleaning like dead
emeralds, are the gift of Prince Okanin,
whose palace stands ut the southern
end OF the Lake of karka-
What u grand, beautiful thing the
palace of Prince Okanin was. At least
SO thought all tie peasants roundabout,
and especially all those who lived in the
little village of Oloi, because they saw
II always.
II was made OF warm looking,
creamy terra Gotta bricks, and had a
long front full of wide windows and
l..
the west and the highest in the center.
II always looked as though heaven
loved IL, and as II the sun ever shone
upon IL by day, and the moon and stars
by night, because of Its glowing yellow
ish tint.
lriuce Okanin dbl not live there,
however, beautiful as his place was,
he spent most OF hts time, people said,
IN Petersburg and Moscow. Last
summer he came home, and also the
princess, hlS wife. frail, fair. sweet
lady, whom the peasants saw some
times standing on the balconies In
charming white gown, holding her
daughter In her arms-a baby still in
wooden long coat and furred sleeves,
and hardly abe TO speak.
'Well, welll' Marianka, the vile of
Ivan IvanOvitch, the carpenter, said as
she famed her smoking fire. 1T is
indeed the luck for some and the little
for others. There IS the princess with
riches, and palaces, and gems, and,
greatest of ali, babyl whilst 1 and
Ivan lvanovitch, we have nothing. We
do nothing but fight the cold and the
hunger in winter, and the floods in
spIng, and the drought in summer.
And SO il goes, so II gOesl"
"Tush, tush, Marlankal' the good
priest answered her, as he stopped for
draught OF water, ON his way, its
accounted curse to him that muir
murs; and il all hear be true. the
Princess Ok1nin is none TOO happy
lady, after ALL"
And at this Marianka and Ivan, her
husband, both pricked up their ears
aud stopped their work, with uplifted
eyes.
''Yes, yes" murmured the priest.
''Stay, now. and tell us how that
can bep" they cried In a breath.
"Oh, never mind, never mind, +" and
the priest turned away.
well, yes, but we do mind. Come,
tell US, you are wise. Now tell us how
it Is possible for 4 lady with a good
husband, and riches, and 4 warm pal
ace here, and another there, and so on,
and large fires, and many furs, and
servants, and the child we saw last
summer-why, it must be good two
years or three years old now-how can
such a happy, God loved lady be IN
happy, sayr''
The priest turned back again into
the little sOdden yard where Ivan and
Mariauka stood before the door OF their
hut. He looked around feaTfully for |
an instant, and then, laying his finger !
across his lips, lie whispered quite low !
and very swiftly:
Prince OkanIn, have heard, is
Sihulst.'
Ivan Ivauovith and Marianka, his !
wife, shrank back to their threshold. |
pale and dismayed.
And, y continued the priest, follow
ing them and knocking on the damp /
ground with his cane, lit i'll belts
couple OF honest, loyal peasants like you /
20 De enyyIng an unfortunate lady /
whose lord may before long be on his
weary way TO Slberial''
ivan and Marianka shuddered as
Ihey croucEed back still further into
their cabin.
And the chIldIi murmured Marian
ga, with a sigh.
Yes, yes, the child; the miserable
que whose parents it may never see
AiteI us hrst year of lifer'
What woe, what a woelr Ma
Ilanka falls upon her knees before the
tSOn IN the corner, and murmurs a
short prayer.
That IS better-much better" the
so0d priest says as he goes on his way.
z OF some days after Marianka prayed
tot tue princess and for her child, and
5eC' aiter all, she could not help, down
q ner lnm0st soul, thinking how much
more agreeable and full OF wisdom it
WOULD have been had the good Provl-
uence sent her child and left the
Pi,acess without one.
however, after little Marianka had
Wany other things TO think of; to help
tutesh out the oats, to dry the seeds,
~ MAKE her own sacques and aprons,
visit her neighbors and to gossip
10" lhem In low, mysterious whispers
am,
"hsrs ras hep Well no one knew