The daily Alaskan., 1914-08-31
The Price Paid
 For a Wife
By EUNICE BLAKE

will you not buy Tatiana for me? w love each other. Tatiana is a serf while l am free. 1 cannot marry hel unless her master will sell her"
 "l fear, my son." replied the father that the count will not sell Tatiana have never been on friendly terms with him, he being a rich landowner and l small farmer. Besides, there was that trouble about the woodcut ting. No, do not believe he will grant any request of mine But will go tC him and offer him d good price for tho girl"
 That was a time when a large pro portion of the Russian people were serfs. Paul and Tatiana had played together as children when the little ones of other nations were at school for education of the lower classes has never been permitted in Russia, and after they were old enough to work they continued the intimacy. And now that they had reached a marriage able age the fact of Tauana's slavery loomed up a great barrier between them
 Alexander, Paurs father, counted up the money thut he might spare to buy Tutiaua and found by stmining point be could gather 1000 rubles He went 10 Count KurlUT and very humbly told him of the affection between the boy and the girl and asking him If he would not make them happy by selling the latter so thnt they could be mar ried "I will give them a slice of my farm. he added. and. as for the price, will pay you 1000 rubIes."
 "I cannot spare Tutiana." replied the count The countess needs her to dress her hair"
 The refusal came so Curtly that the farmer dared not pursue the matter. He went away and told his son the re suit of his mission Paul was crushed by the news, for in Russia the auto cratic system has prevailed for so many centuries that the weak-unul the recent revolution-did not think of resisting the strong Paul told Tatiana of the reason given for refusing to sell her. and she said that she had never dressed the countess hair.
 Paul had a great many friends, and Tatiana was also much beloved. All the world loves a lover, and their case excited a good deal of sympathy. A few of those who heard of the case c.ubbcd together to add to the price that Alexander could raise to buy Ia tlana. and one of them went to the count and asked him If he would not Gx price on the girl. He was a very avaricious man, and. thinking thls might be an opportunity to get good deal of money for what was not worth very much to him, he replied that If 5.UOO rubles were offered he would ac- cept them.
 An effort was made to raise 4,OOO rubles. which was the amount re uuired ln addition to what Alexander could give. But there is no great wealth in Russia except among those connected with the government and the subscriptions came in such small sums that the amount finally sub scvlbed was far below what was re quired.
 The matter looked hopeless when Paul went one day to do some work for one MouriensieGf, a well to do man of the middle class. In talking with Paul he learned about his love affair and how be and Tatiana were made miserable by Count Eorlof's mean ness. Mouricnsleff asked Paul how much was lacking altogether of the fund to buy FutIana, and Paul said that it was I,GOO rubles (SSOO) Then MOu- ricnsicff told Paul that he would lend him the money at the legal interest and he could pay off the loan in eight years, or 200 rubIes a year.
 Paul accepted the proposition grate- fully and sent word to the count that he was ready to buy Tatana, paying 1000 rubles for her. Count korlOn was ustonlshed that so much money could have been raised for such pur- pose. and it occurred to him that, aft CT so much had been got together, little more might be added. He re- piled that he had found a new use for Tatlana that made her much more val uubIc. but. since be did not wish to stand between her and Paul Alexan- drovitch he would complete the bar gain for $500 rubles
 Paurs disappointment was all he could bear. He went to Mouriensief with tears in his eyes to tell him of the failure.
 Ut would be of no avail" said the latter. ito continue to follow such man up the scale of his prices. Let the matter rest for awhile"
 Paul took this to mean that he would never possess the girl he loved and went away soTTOwful.
 A few weeks after this when Paul was working in a field a messenger from Count EorlOff came to him and said that the count had decided to ac- cept 5000 rubles for Tatiana. Paul replied that he did not know if the money would now be forthcoming, but Ia v,0r,I1 mako In0Iirips He did so