The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-05

ceives. but she believes that it has sufficient
value to the woman for whom she tolls 10 ius-
tfy her In turning hay In the fields for twelve
ioiiR hours. day In and day out, A natural
fought. and one that came TO me one day
when working with her. was whether IL would
not be better for her to use her energies In
some occupation that would pay her more
money. which could likewise he handed TO the
woman hhe was interested In. Her reply 10
my question on this matter was typical.
AS n matter Of fact, l know OF nothing tina,
L can do that will bring me IN more money
than my work In thu folds docs. 1 have not
been trained to make a living equal TO that
which l now enjoy at home. aud II [; were
forced to shift for myself l don't know that I
could do any better than By working as a peas
ant woman. As matters now stand. | have my
living At homo. and there 10 also this oppor-
tunity to help tho peasants. Besides earning
q little money for them. ] think that l am do
Ing them some good by aBsocia.inR with
them. lttook them q long while to get ac-
oustomed to my companionship. and 1 don't
feel that even now they accent me as l should
like to have them do. but a few.sat any rate.
have learned to realize that l AIN not playing
with them or the work. and that I really want
to be OF service to them. What shall sue
coed In accom- plishing by way OF exam ple
and suggestion Is but an infnitesimal part Of
what Is necessary to be done before the peas
ants learn what 1t ia that my father believes
the Bible teaches that men ought to be and do,
but 1t is a satisfaction to me to try to achieve
even this slight result. and / am sure that al
ready some Of the women have vie We and ideas
that they did not have when they saw me
playing tennis or sitting in the music room the
day long,
l can testify In ali seriousness to the sever
iy Of the work which Maria does and to the
inspiring influence which she has over some
OF her companions. for l worked with her In
the hay field and saw to my full satisfaction
what kind Of labor It was that she did and
how valuable 20 copecks seem to those who
receive them At the end of the days work. We
went to the field at Z o'clock In the morning.
and. excepting an hours intermission at noon,
when We lnnched on black bread. melons and
water. we worked hard until 9 o'clock IN
the evening. when 1 frankly confess 1 was
used up and had blister ed hands to boot.
Maria was also tired. but the following morn
ing she was in the field again at the same hour.
and 1 did not show UP. even on the tennis
grounds. until noon. Even had 1 been able to
20 to the field again. however, It would mot
have been advisable. for 1t had been obvious
the day.before that the peasants looked upon
me as a Observation-Disclosures. For Maria, on
the othor. hand. all had the profoundest re-
spect. and there were q number. including
some OF tho uncouth men. who had q great
affection for her. From an economic point Of
view. as stated above. It might be better for her
to earn money in a more profitable employ
ment. but che is certainly doing the peasants
good merely in being with them. and. as she
herself would argue. this is moro valuable
than copecks. II bright faces. grateful glances
and affectionate manners are. indicative OF her
Z - N,,a ~ n,-nr Iar ., Nthnr'a nAaaanta che In ~
least teaching them that although God is
high and the Gar far away" nevertheless
they are not 30 forgotten and helpless as their
lot would lead them to believe.
1t is this that Maria IL anxious shall be the
outcome Of her efforts. She believes. with her
father, that the world would be a n much pleas
anter place to live in and that we should all be
a great deal happier II We gave up less OF our
time to money getting and securing social po-
sition and took more interest In lending a hand
in Frightening tho lives OF our neighbors.
There is nothing Roody-goody about her in
holding to this opinion or when she states 1t.
Besides working with the peasants in the |
fields she Is also their medical adviser. With
a view to becomin the doctor at Yasnaya
she studied two years in the hospitals
at Moscow. and her fame as a healer among |
the peasants is now 80 great that they come to
ioFshospitai III the 'iiuse niiioS aiounu.
1t Is the women with whom che mainly has to
do,.and she has already succeeded in teaching
them a great deal In regard to the care OF their
W health az well as that OF their children.
The mortality Of babies is something friRhtful
in Russia. and largely because their mothers
do not know how to care for them when sick.
Tho Government will have to take this matter |
II nuuu u = " ~ .na' Lnoie Eeherul lh-
s'ruet'on 10 tIseh II pes'er-eaniEars arrange
~. 49, Tn,..s s0n " 20 ae-
oonu y - o n"D maue "
81 oe Iak = no ~
y" - 0o'NS 'o'o"eu III
neiKhoof4nk eoNni'e''
She has also tried TO secure for the school
children more rational teachlnR than they Eow
in the.stereotyped clerical schools. but
the local priest with the help OF governmental
stopped her work In this direction.
she does not believe In the Russian Church.
indeed. 'she,has but llttle.iaith In any church
as now conducted and shs was fearless enough
10 lncOTpOTAto III ieT ecHOol Work among the