Year: 1863

An article on Russian travel. in Al the
Year Round" makes the following amusing
sketch Of z cook calling herself starrie vera;
starrie, old, vera, fai,h-old faith. Her
recommeuda.iou was that she would not
steal"


The woman came. She was of staid. stern,
even gloomy expression, about thirty-fve years
old, was clean, and had a covl on her head
which hid every hair. All the time she re-
mained with Us I Lad no evidence that she
was not entirely bald. From this maids arm
pits to her heels were two straight lines, so
that her waist was quite as mysterious as her
hair. Except for the gloomy expression on
her face, her features were good, and her eye
or l was much m;staken-showed z kind
heart, spite of her habitual grimuess. She
never smiled, jested or laughed, bat We soon
found that she was valuable Her work was
always done to the minute, and well done
We became rather attached to Anastasia, and
while keeping her grim gravity unrelaxed, she
evidently softened to the younger members of
the family. They, again took amazingly to
the stern old lass Give me q child for finding
ou. character covered up, whether in smiles or
gloom The children fad it out ay, and they
bring it out. \ terrific breaking Of pots in
the kitchen had taken place FIVE minutes after
Anastasia's first Installation Mugs, jugs.
cans brown pots, plates and dishes of various
dimensions she smashed into atoms at once,
saying Unclean unclean.' As this was
very likely fact, and the things were Of little
value, she was rather encouraged than other
wise in this new work of reformation. d" \
new broom sweeps clean, seemed true enough
to her Every article in the kitchen, iron,
wood, and earthenware, he'd been horribly de
fled, was pooganc (unclean), was smashed and
thrown ont. She asked nobody's leave, nor
did she stand on the manner of doing it, but
did it. \ new outfit was obtained from the
econom," and as her religion suffered her to
eat with none Of US, complete set OF dishes
was got for her own individual use. No one
burst lay fugeg upon these on any pretense
whatever. Ii touched, they were smashed the
next moment. Nor would she for the world
touch food out Of any dish or vessel which had
been used by another II "A dog got into the
kitchen, and put his nose las dogs generally
do) into half dozen pots and dishes, whether
these were her own particular dishes or not,
they were smashed.


The following conversation ensued one even
ing upon bearing one of these dreadful smash
bouts in the kitchen


"What noise is that my dear ?"


"Oh, it is Anastasia breaking a few dishes
Never mind her


Never mind her l wonder you allow
that old fanatic TO go on 50 she will ruin Us
in pots alone (Aul assuming a fierce look,
" shall go aud turn her out this moment"


No you woa't Listen this woman is a
jewel. She breaks few dishes, it is true, but
her religion seems to demand it. l suppose it
also tells her to be honest, for she is 50. You
told me not to examine her box, but for all
that have done it many time. She always
leaves the key in it. 1t contains nothing but
an old Bible, in the old church characters,
which I could not read, and a few clothes
Not vestige of my property could l ever ind.
That is not all: the other servants either don't
Or cannot steal BY hunlreith part as much
as formerly. Her breakage does not amount
to tithe of the old ro5beres. Now, say,
shall she be turned out p


Certainly I prefer the smasher to the
thief"


Now come to the kitchen; I hear she has
gone out. wish to show you something"


We went to the Kitchen and there my wife
pointed out to me that all the utensils in which
any food was left or kept had a cross made of
chips laid across the top. Bread was in course
Of making, and the sponge was set On the
top of the doagh cross was also drawn with
a blunt edge.


Now said madam, all that is to keep
witches out Of the food"


Yesterday she told me that during the pre-
vious night the cat had been very uneasy, and
had gone mewing about for long time She
got out of bed. and drew the edge Of knife
three times around the cats head, after which
it was quiet and went to sleep directly She
had cut the throats of the witches which were
tormeuting the cat, and had fastened them
selves about the cats head"


\ great sacrifice had yet to be made to tie
starrie verra- Cooking pots might be made Of
the coarsest earthenware, or porcelain-it mat
tered not If they were de6led, either they
must 60, or the cook would go; that was the
fixed alternative,


We had given a party. sande7son was
there, Defoar was there. Pins was there. the
count and many others. Each gentleman had
bTough; bis iayorite four-foo;ed companion and
r-o+ae+,- Sa-1a had two These dor- vvere