Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-05-05
THE sERFs OF RUSSIA.
THE STATE OF THINGS BE-
FORE THE ABOLITION.
People Lived Like Wolves and Devoured
Each Other-Their Daughters Sold
Because They Could Not Pay
the Taxes

| 1861 passed his celebrated dccree abol-
ishing serfdom. there was considerable
diversity of opinion as to tho effect
| which emancipation would have on
the material interests of Russian land.
owners and on the country in general.
| The peasants using their liberty and
their new privileges to their own det-
riment dran6 more, worked less and
INDUCED in politics to IN extent which
fomentcd a steady and fast increasing
| dissatisfaction with the existing form
OF government
! shall never forget a story told me
by Russian noble, writes the ST.
Petersburg correspondent OF the New
York Tribune. 1t occurred A. few
years before liberty had been
granted to Car AleXanders subjects
by that most just and generous OF
monarchs. and found its cause in the
unlimited power which the ..Barines :"
or sGrf owners, welded over their
peasants The scene OF the tragedy
was IN Il village not many miles dis
tant from Moscow. and owned by a
noblcman whom VIC will call here
the family being still in existence and
we'll known all over Europc-Andre
l.oukitch. He was Il cruel. unjust
hard hearted man. and his peasants
stood in mortal terror of him. His
immortality had become "A by-word in
| the whole province and his house was
Stunned by all decent people The
consequence of all this was that the
inhabitants of the village of Loukitchu
had become some of the widest and
most embittered creatures in the
cars domlnions Tho masters
exactions had reduced his scrfs
to the dircst of poverty the
''isbas' were bare OF all but absolute
accessories, the fields were neglected.
the cattle lean. and the wretchcd
peasants leaner yet They lived like
wolves and devourcd each other like
wise One winter when tho harvest
had been even worse than in the pre-
ceding years. the serfs decided to 90
in a body ;lnd'implore Andre Loukitch,
their master TO grant them time for
the payment of their ground rent.
They had but little hope OF success.
stlll they plucked up courage and pre-
sented themselves like Il pack of
frightened sheep before the tyrant
With a sarcastic smile the "Barinen
listened to their imprisoned supplica.
tons, then turning TO them he said
coldly: You cannot pay what YOU
Justly owe me, say you. Well, | will
give you week to find the money
need. If at the end OF that time you
have not acquitted your debt | shall,
il necessary sell every one OF your
daughters, in order TO obtain my due. "
Rroken-hearted and despairing the
unfortunate moujiks filed out OF the
luxurious apartment and with re-
vengc in their souls sought their own
cherries iiresidcs A, the end OF the
week most of the girls who had been
the only remaining sun.rays OF their
miserable homes were sold by the
'.lfarine' and sent away to the gov.
eminent of OlonelZ fay up in the
north. at the bittercst season of II mer.
CHESS winter. This arbitrary act came
near causing Il revolt among the
moujiks but this was rapidly qucnchcd
by Andre Loukitch who caused the
rlnslclders TO receive publicly 200
lnshcs OF tho knont us II warnin. to all
who tried to oppose his authority.
In the meanwhile the .3nriuc's'
eldest son, ~ handsome boy OF -. re.
turned from Il college in Moscow.
whore he had boon educated. and took
up his abode on his fathers estate.
Nicholas Andrcitch in no way rcScm-
blcd his father and us soon rs he
realized tho prevailing state of affairs
his every effort was directed toward
softcning and tightening the burden OF
his future vnssnls.
His interference however far from
helping them only increased their
sorry plight and brought down on his
own head the malice of Andre Lon
kitch. 10 cap matters the young
man fell violently in love with the
beautiful daughter of one of his
fathers peasants. and too honest to
take advantage OF the love she had
given him in return, secretly married
her. For three months the youn.
couple managed to conceal this fact
from tho '.Bnrine but one day they
wero betrayed by Andre Loukitch's
private secretary. who was his anne
damnee. On the following Sunday
the "Barine. during an absence OF
his sou. summoned the entire popu-
lation OF the village, and. before the
eyes of all present. he had the beauti-
full wife OF his only son whipped to
death. When he came back the young
man almost went insane with grief
and horror and leaving his fathers
house. took refuge in the forest which
lay to the north of Loukitcha.
Twenty -four hours later party of
men headed by Nicholas Andreitch
himself entered the ..Barine's" house
at the dead of night and murdered
him in his sleep. setting the house on
fire afterward to obliterate all traces
OF their crime. The governor OF the
province, who was just man, when
acquainted with this terrible affair."
flushed it up and purposely closed his