Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-24

for eating us out OF house and home!
Now we will be sold up for taxes. May
you suffer in purgatory hundred
years for every kopeck we have to
pay!
"But Peter-ah, he is such an angel
| of a fellow!-can't hurt fly. 'Franka,'
he said, stop your abuse. God may
punish you for it. Think how you may
fare some day when you are old Then
we talked it over and Peter gave the
janitor SO kopecks to hold in hand,
for he argued, death might come at
any minute now
"Fifty-three kopecks for miserable
bag of bones like me! 1t nearly broke
my heart, and Franlla went around the
house like she bear bereft Of her
young. She was SO mad she smashed
the soup pot in setting it down-anoth-
er kopeck gone! And all for me. L
wouldn't mind 1t SO much said my
daughter after a day or two, If we had
all got drunk for the money!"
Ekatrina breathed hard once Or twice
aud continued musingly: Il can't say
that they begrudge me the soup l eat.
May God punish me if ever had such
a thought! But at the same time do
not shorten their rations by unseeming
appetite. A few spoonfuls left in the
tureen is enough for me. A fine thing
it would be, indeed, If q dried up whisp
of straw, such as am, allowed herself
fo no fa tioDod NV uo,,pr N, a rriad foil. 81
Every age, as take it, has it's peculiar
rights and privileges. Old people. good
for nothings, can better afford to starve
than youth, with it's thousand duties to
fulfill. No, my lord, they never stinted
me in the way of food. But the loss
of ready money they suffered. Fifty
three kopecks! Oh, it was cruel"
The old woman paused to dry her
tears. "And what happened thenY' 1
asked.
"a second winter season had begun.
The janitor became even more trouble
some. Peter had to give him tobacco,
beer, money even. / was exceedingly
unhappy. Everythingw going against
me; all my calculations went for
naught. All. learned the truth of the
proverb Man proposes, God disposes!
While the feather bed was still unfin-
ished there was perhaps some excuse
for my living, but when that was done
felt like cursing my fate.
'But the winter was extraordinarily
cold, and took heart again, for my
rheumatism became almost unbearable
and my cough increased to such in
tensity that told Franka: BE cheer
full, daughter; there Is no deception
about this! The new pains will GER
tainly kill me-
"'Pshaw,' replied she contemptuous-
ly, talk is cheap. Don't make noun
tain out Of that molehill Of cough, If
you please. It's no real cough at all;
just bit of irritation in the throat
she added with scorn. 1T won't hurt
you more than kick will dog"
l wanted to say something, but Eka-
trina, fearing criticism Of her unnatural
daughter, quickly continued: at was
this way, your lordship: Franka had to
keep that internal janitor in liquor all
the time to prevent his tattling. He
was forever in her kitchen, smoking
Peters tobacco and sending her for
vodka. Then resolved upon another
plan. Ibegan fasting, even two days be-
fore the feast Of Christ's holy trans
figuration. Peter objected. DO not
attempt to correct God,' he said. What
must come will come. Death catches
good many flies in winter. He will
catch you, too, little mother. You don't
need to invite him by starving your
self But tasted just the same"
"And did 1t do any good?"
eyes, yes! After 20 days I was so
weak that couldn't scrub the floor
any more. l could hardly swallow a
drop of water. POUNDS, l thought, this
is death for surety. And my heart
ieaped with joy.
'Franka heated a big pot Of water
and gave it to me with handful of
soft soap; also rough piece Of
linen, and l washed from head to
foot to save them the trouble after
ward, donned my fresh Numbered
clothes and sat down on the threshold,
. praying and-waiting. The weather
was most beautiful. On the blue heav-
ems rows OF white lambs chased each
other. l had never seen such finely
formed clouds in all my life. The sun
laughed, larks were singing and spring
was in the air. From the tower, near
by. church bells sounded. And cross
ed myself and said aloud: Give me
thy eternal peace, o Lord, and may
thy light show me the road to heaven.
| Amen And with that l closed my
eyes, feeling like one rid Of all earthly
misery. I was going to my father. l
was convinced Of it.
"Suddenly-loud steps. creaking boots
beside mel opened my eyes. 1t was
the Janitor who came to fetch me to the
master Of police on account of the resi-
dence permit. / prayed that the earth
might open and swallow me, but my