Pages for the young. OLGA. A STORY OF RUSSIAN COUNTRY AND SCHOOL LIFE. MALANA, the birthplace of little Olga, was a village much like other hamlets in Russia, The villages throughout the empire generally consist of one long street, with low houses on either side; the front of the house towards the street having one or two windows, and the other windows looking into the court-yard in which it stands. Through the court-yard alone access may be had to the dwelling, and each court-yard has two entries; one for the tenants of the house, and the other for the cattle, carts, and plough. In the centre of the village the street widens, thus forming an open space, round which the few shops are located, and where is the village well, the trough for the cattle to drink from, and the see-saw for the young folk to amuse themselves with. This is the market-place of the village, and here is thepastayali dvor" (court-yard for stopping at), or inn of the village; known by its signboard-a teapot painted over the door or between the windows. At either end of the village is a wooden gate, which is closed at night. Just such a place was Smalan, with its church overlooking the village of Dubova, half a mile distant, which village, like Smalana, was on the estate of the Poulkin family. The Smalana church is solidly built of stone, has a green-coloured roof, and a porch-like façade with four pillars. Over the door is a fresco of St. John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness. Adjoining the inclosure of the church is a court-yard, in which stands the residence of the "pope" or parish minister of Smalana. Here for many years lived Father Peter Bahalouboff, a man revered throughout the province of Kieff as a learned, pious priest. He was known as a true spiritual father, as the Russian word "pope" implies that a pastor should be; and as a saintly man, which the more polite designation for a minister of the church, "svieastchaynik," signifies. It were well if every ordained minister of the church were both a godly father and a saintly man. But Father Peter is not to be taken as a type of all the clergy of Russia, but of the superior Christian men who are found in the church in that country. And the Olga of our story, his little daughter, is not a type of Russian girls in general, though she shows their impulsive nature; but of the smaller number who, having enjoyed the benefits of a superior education, and the care of pious parents, have profited by these advantages. Father Peter had owed his education to the kindness of the Countess Vera Poulkin, of Dubova (the Oaks), an estate near Kieff. This lady was the mother of the Countess Marie Poulkin (called in our story, after Russian fashion,* Marie Pavlovna), who was quite a child when the young priest came from Kieff to enter upon his functions at Smalana. Marie Pavlovna, after her mother's death, had taken into her house Father Peter's two eldest children, whose godmother she was, and for whose temporal and spiritual welfare she cared as truly as if they had b en of her own family. The friendship of Marie Pavlovna, a truly pious woman, of a studious, intelligent mind, was very beneficial to the village priest, who was greatly stimulated by her in his pursuit after knowledge, and in his wish to ground his belief as a Christian on the result of prayerful investigation of the word of God. And Father Peter, and Marie Pavlovna, having themselves experienced that "God is the rewarder of those that seek Him," endeavoured to lead the peasantry of Smalana and Dubova to be something more than mere church-goers and formalists. The peasants were serfs when the young priest came to Smalana, but they were well provided for in temporal things. A few years later they were set free by the Imperial ukase, but their own condition was scarcely changed for the better, and they showed little appreciation of that freedom which was a Godgiven boon to thousands suffering from the ill-treatment of cruel, bad owners. Father Peter loved the members of his flock, to whom he was a conscientious pastor, and was aided in his care of them by the Countess Poulkin, who visited the sick and infirm, and consoled the widows and orphans by her generous charity. Katinka Nikiforovna, the priest's wife, was too busy a housekeeper (kasaika) to be able to find time for any work outside of her own home. She did much more work than the servant; baking the bread as a rule both for the family and for the church, mending the linen, cultivating the garden, and looking after the beehives. She was very regular in the performance of her church duties, but not anxious about higher things. In fact, Katinka Nikiforovna was by nature dull concerning matters of intellectual inquiry, and enthusiastic only as to what immediately concerned her household, above all, her children. The eldest of her family, Xenia Petrovna, had married a Baron Ticsen-Ducroff, of Nijni, who, meeting the girl at Dubova, had seen in her charms and accomplishments sufficient inducement to overlook her humble origin. The second child, Sergai Petrovitch, was sent by his godmother, Marie Pavlovna, to the Gymnasium or Grammar-school at Nijni, where he took all the highest honours. Afterwards he was an equally successful student at the University of Kieff. When Olga was born, she was pronounced as beautiful a girl as her sister, and certainly, when she grew older, she lost nothing by comparison. But there was a great difference in the character of the two. Xenia had been gay, passionate, and excitable; Olga was reserved, calm, and collected. Early in life Olga showed that really charming solicitude of a child anxious to do right and to please, and that unmistakable sorrow which good children evince when they have done wrong. Some young and grown-up persons make rather a pretence of being grieved at sins of omission or commission. Olga, however, was very much in earnest in her repentance after a fault. She would come into the room where her parents were seated, and kneel down waiting to be noticed. If no attention were paid to Ler she would call out, "Olga is on her knees;" repeating this louder and louder until the question was asked, " Well, what is it?" when some confession of fancied neglect, of carelessness, or disobedience would be made. Olga was happiest when at church. She loved to see her father in his rich dress, to hear the choir sing, to kiss the sacred *People of good society (pupils at school excepted) are called in Russia by their baptismal name, to which is added the father's Christian name, with the affix "ovna" for the feminine, and "vitch " for the masculine gender. OLGA. pictures and to bow reverently before them, as she had seen others do from her childhood. It was a great delight to her when Lent came, and she was permitted to receive the holy bread and wine, for in Russia, children receive the sacrament in both elements at a very early age. She understood that it was in loving remembrance of the Saviour of whom her father told her such touching narratives. In the church there was a painting of Christ with outstretched arms extending his pierced hands, and pointing to the "prosphora " (consecrated bread) and cup; and when her father gave her the communion in both kinds, before the sacred doors, Olga looked at the picture, and, childlike, thought how she would like to take the holy bread and wine from that pierced hand.* When Olga was five years old, her brother Ivan was born, to the great joy of his parents. It had been a severe disappointment to them that their eldest son Sergai should have preferred to be professor at the University of Moscow to following in his father's footsteps, and now they hoped that God had given them a child who should some day succeed his father as priest at Smalana. At any rate, Otietz Peter would educate the boy as became one called to so responsible an office, and trust in God to make him worthy of it. The day after Ivan's baptism, the priest and Marie Pavlovna had a conversation about Ivan in the drawing-room at Dubova. "You know, Marie Pavlovna," said he, "that I have often regretted allowing Sergai to be sent to the Gymnasium at Nijni, and I blame myself for having exposed him, when so young, to the influence of the freethinking youths of this generation." "But, Batoushika, you do not pretend to say that at the Seminary, amongst our priests' sons, he might not have been subjected to influence quite as pernicious; there is evil enough at work even in the best schools to corrupt any mind that is not purified from above." "True; but in sending the lad to the Seminary I should have been following the usual course pursued by my colleagues with regard to their sons, and I am perhaps at fault for having gone out of the well-traced path of custom. Sergai's indifference about religion may be a punishment for my so doing." "No, Otietz Peter, you are not to blame. We both acted for the welfare of your son. I wished that the highest advantages of education that can be procured should be enjoyed by my godchild, and you desired your boy to become a priest with knowledge useful for his profession." "Yet, Marie Pavlovna, the end was not attained, and I sincerely trust that, if it please God to spare our Ivan, he may be sent to the Seminary, and consider himself as called to be my successor. It will be a great comfort to me to see his lot cast in this humble sphere of life in which so much blessing is to be reaped from a conscientious discharge of duty." 223 perhaps this evening; she, I doubt not, will have no objection: for she often says how much our children owe to their godmother: but the question is, whether Olga will like leaving her mamma." At this moment the drawing-room door opened, and Katinka Nikiforovna's servant entered with Olga. The little girl at once left the servant's side and advanced to kiss the hand of the Countess, who, taking her on her lap, said, "Will Olga come and live with me, and learn music with Louba* and Tania ? Fräulein Niepert will be very pleased to teach her." "And will Olga see her mamasha every day?" "Perhaps every day, for the children often pass the church on their walks, and then every Sunday Olga can spend at home." "And may Olga bring her hen and chickens?" 66 Then, if mamasha likes, Olga will come." This decided the matter, and on the morrow the Countess's carriage was sent to bring Olga to Dubova, where she arrived with a hencoop containing her treasures. II. Ten years of youth are to the old a period of life of which they can remember but few events. Christmas and Easter festivals, and incidents relating to them, are fresh to the memory fifty years after their occurrence, and impressions received from confirmation, or from interviews with some venerable person, may be called to mind long afterwards, but the general course of daily life—what happened and when-this is forgotten. In the ten years of Olga's stay at Dubova interruptions to the quiet routine of her existence were rare. The children took their lessons, went for their walks, romped in the park and grounds in the summer, and in the winter in the conservatory and playroom, and occasionally accompanied Marie Pavlovna on her drives. Visitors came from Nijni, Moscow, Kieff, and St. Petersburg, often remaining for weeks or months; but the girls only saw these visitors at table, and they went away again and were soon forgotten.t One person must be excepted. This was Miss Fenn, an English governess, who had lived at Dubova with Marie PavIovna's mother. This old-fashioned Englishwoman was a pensioner of the family, the late Countess having left her an annuity; and her visits to "the Oaks" were her best times in the year. Every summer she came to pass the long vacation with Marie Pavlovna. Olga was at first somewhat afraid of this queer old body. Her appearance was not prepossessing. Moreover, though she spoke English with Marie Pavlovna and the "I quite concur with you, Batoushka, that it is a pity Sergal children, she persisted in speaking her atrociously bad French should not devote his talents to the cause his father serves, but he may yet be called to do so, either as professor or as priest. And now, how about Olga? Can you not obtain Katinka Nikiforovna's consent to her coming to live with me as Xenia did? I should like her to profit by Miss Niepert's lessons to Tania and Louba. You know very well how much value I attach to the ties between parents and their children, and how grieved I should be if your own influence over Olga were weakened by her leaving you; but I think that, as during her stay with me she would go home so often, just as Xenia did, on all holidays, and from every Saturday to Monday, and on your own and her birthdays, that she will not lose her attachment to her parents and home. You know it was after Xenia married that she became worldly, and it was not from want of having had home influence." "Jena (wife) will come and speak with you herself, I think, Our young English, and still more our Scotch readers may be reminded that in the Greek Church pictures are allowed, though images are forbidden. to any visitors that chanced to be staying at Dubova. But the It was in 1869, on the 10th of June, Olga's birthday, that the news of Miss Fenn's death arrived at Smalana, and on the same day Annoushka,* the starosta's † daughter, died. It was a sad anniversary to Olga, who had been sincerely attached to her English friend, and had often played with Annoushka in the park. For the first time the thought of what it is to die seriously occupied her mind. Being, as usual, at home to spend her birthday with her parents, and free to give way to her reflections, she sat alone in her room thinking about Miss Fenn and Annoushka; and when her papa came back from the starosta's house, where he had been to read the prayers appointed for the dead, she stole up to his side to speak about her lost companion. "And where do you think Annoushka is now, dear papasha? Is she in heaven ?" "Annoushka's body is lying cold and motionless in her room; where her soul has fled to it is not for us to decide; but this we know, that a faithful God, whose word is truth, has promised to show mercy unto those that love Him and keep his commandments; and we may believe that Annoushka loved God and sought to obey Him." "But we are disobedient sometimes, papasha; and can we be certain of pardon and of admittance into heaven when we die? I should like to be sure of going there." 'Well, dear, you may rely upon our being forgiven, for God's word is full of promises of mercy to those who repent of their sins; and you know what our Saviour has said of his sheep, "They shall never perish." " "But how am I to know whether I am one of his sheep?" "In the same way as that little lamb which we took in last winter knows that it belongs to us. It strayed to Smalana, and we took it in and gave it shelter, and it knows that it is at home here. If you have gone to Jesus to be his lamb you may trust in the promises He has made to his sheep, for as He shed his blood for them, so He shed his blood for you. dear child, the Good Shepherd giving his sheep." Never forget, life for the I have some "Thank you, papa, I shall feel happier now. times wondered whether I should go to heaven when I die. I never knew that I could be certain of going there." Father Peter, on reflecting upon this conversation, discovered that he had actually expressed to his daughter an opinion which he had never formed for himself. It had not occurred to him to consider whether a Christian has a right to be assured of heaven, although he had read of a "full assurance of faith," and of believers being "joint heirs with Christ." But as it is with so many, he had neglected applying to himself what he took for granted generally in an indefinite way. Christians often believe for others, or for the Church as a body, what they fail to appropriate to themselves individually. On mentioning to Marie Pavlovna his conversation with Olga, Father Peter gathered from the replies of the Countess to some of his questions that she also had been living a life of faith in Christ without being able to rejoice in the certitude that, as one of his redeemed, she was entitled to all the privileges of his people. From this day, Maria Pavlovna and Father Peter were better able to understand the joy of St. Paul amidst his sufferings; and the words of the Saviour, "Where I am, there shall also My servant be," in their true import. Olga now became quite a different girl, never undertaking a task or fulfilling a duty without prayer. She began also to enjoy for the first time communion with God, having learnt to understand that prayer is not merely a preferring of requests, but a converse with God which the soul by faith has access to, and which is a source of continual delight to the people of God. She had been often very dejected, and prone to shun others and shut herself up in a room, or hide in a corner of the garden, and cry without knowing why; and yet at times she could be wild and boisterous. The tenor of her life was now rendered more even, and she was able when sad to pray, and when merry to sing hymns. This state of a peaceful soul might have lasted, but circumstances were to take her away from the influence of her father and Marie Pavlovna. It was in the month of August 1869, that Olga's eldest sister, Xenia, came to Dubova with her daughter Nina, on a visit to Marie Pavlovna. Xenia was a woman of the world, one who respected the convictions of others, but who, however, avoided speaking about religion. Her little Nina made very large eyes at Olga for being so good and quiet, and for loving such serious books, and tried to tease her, but could not succeed. The other girls, Louba and Tania, were not so staid as Olga, and so Nina consoled herself by playing with them and disregarding Olga altogether. During Xenia's stay at Dubova, Marie Pavlovna, who for the last two years had been failing in health, was advised by Doctor Viragus, of St. Petersburg, to go to a warmer climate, and it was arranged that Fräulein Niepert should accompany the Countess as companion, and that the girls should be sent to school at St. Petersburg to the Oldenburg Institution, of which Nina had been a pupil for two years. With regard to the holidays, Xenia's husband had proposed that Tania, Louba, and Olga should spend their Christmas and Easter vacations at his house in St. Petersburg, and the long vacation at his country-seat near Kieff, if Marie Pavlovna should not return by the summer. BIBLE QUESTIONS. NO. II.-ON ANGELS. 1. What part did angels take in the giving of the law at Mount Sinai? 2. Where do we find angels employed (1) To bring food to an exhausted servant of God? (3) To carry messages in answer to prayer? (4) To bring out God's servant from imminent danger? (5) To release his servants from prison? (6) To convey the assurance of safety in time of peril? (7) To carry the departing saint to his heavenly home? 3. Do we ever find them opposed, and having to maintain a severe conflict when engaged in the execution of the Divine commands? SUNDAY AT HOME: A Family Magazine for Sabbath Reading. THE TWO SONS. HERE had been a dinner-party at Foxholme. The guests had departed; and the host, with his two sons, remained by the fire in the drawingroom talking over the events of the day and of the evening, and criticising the manners and conversation of their visitors. There were no ladies present. No. 1250.-APRIL 13, 1878. Squire Ascham had lost his wife some years before; and his whole family consisted of the two young men who were with him at that moment. The Squire was getting into years and beginning to feel his infirmities, though yet hale and hearty, thanks to a good constitution and an active life which had been passed almost entirely in his own country home. He farmed his own land, attended markets, sat on the bench as a county magistrate, went to church on Sundays, took the chair occasionally at public meetings, PRICE ONE PENKY. and hunted regularly with the Holmeside fox-hounds. "And what more," he used to ask his sons, "could be expected or required of any country gentleman?" He only hoped they would grow up with the same healthy and useful habits, and discharge their duty to the country and to society in general with equal zeal and credit. On this latter question Squire Ascham was not free from some distressing doubts. His eldest son, Walter, to whom he naturally looked to succeed him in his position, public and private, in the county, had not turned out exactly as he could have wished. He did not appear to take much interest in the farm; was not enthusiastic about short-horns, nor even a good judge of horse-flesh. He was practical and even dreamy in his habits; given to study, and fond of going about among the poor and sick in the neighbouring village, reading and talking to them. He liked riding; but only because it favoured his quiet and meditative habits or afforded healthy exercise and recreation after close reading. He seldom followed the hounds, and had no pleasure in the society of sporting men, of whom the company at Foxholme almost exclusively consisted; and when the best stories were being told, after dinner, and the liveliest discussions carried on as to the merits of a "whip" or a horse, or a glass of wine, he was silent, indifferent, or absent. 66 "It is time for you to come forward," said the old Squire to his son on the occasion above mentioned. He had often said the same before; but he was more serious and urgent in his manner now. "To-day," he continued, was the first meet of the season, and all the county was there; a splendid field and good sport; in short, everybody present except you. I can't ride quite so fast or so far as I used; and you ought to take my place, or rather your own place, with the hounds. Everybody was asking where you were. It's the same with the farm. Last week, when there was a ploughing match (or competition, as they call it now), and some new steam machinery exhibited, and all the young farmers (I beg their pardon) agriculturists' of the neighbourhood were collected together, you were not to be seen. am getting to be an old man, and look to you to take some of the labour off my shoulders: but what influence will you ever have in the county if you don't show yourself? All you seem to think of is to shut yourself up with your books, or go dawdling about the country, building castles in the air-you'll throw that mare down some of these days and ruin her, I expect and when I have a few friends to dinner you can't even take the trouble to talk to them." I "I should be very glad to relieve you on the land," said Walter, "or in any other way. I will try to be of use, if you will only give me a hint where to go and what to do. I am afraid I don't think enough of these things, and have no natural talent for country occupations. I will endeavour to improve. As for the agricultural meeting, I went there early, and saw everything before the greater part of the company arrived: I was there afterwards also, and picked up a good deal of information." Walter Ascham was silent. He had arrived at the same conclusion himself. The latter character he had no wish to assume; but he knew his father's feelings on the subject, and was careful not to say anything that might offend or hurt him; and presently, after renewed assurances of his desire to be of use to him and to obey his wishes, he wished him good-night and retired. Geoffrey, the younger son, remained; and the Squire continued to dilate upon the subject which was uppermost in his thoughts. "I wish your brother was more of your way of thinking," he said; "it's unfortunate that he should take a studious turn which doesn't suit his prospects; and that you, who will have to get your living by your brains, should-have none, I was going to say; but you know what I mean." 66 All right, father; my brains are in my fingers if anywhere, I do think," Geoffrey answered, laughing, and working with his hands as if he were grasping a bridle and feeling a horse's mouth; "at all events, they don't take kindly to Greek and Latin; and if Walter will never make a fox-hunter, I fear I shall never make a scholar." Geoffrey was then "reading" with a neighbouring clergyman, with a view to one of the learned professions, and rode to and fro to his tutor's every day, except when there was hunting, or anything else of equal importance to keep him at home. 66 'You know how to manage a horse, at all events," said his father; "you rode well to-day, and I was pleased to see it. Walter won't give his mind to it. I don't know what will become of the land if anything happens to me." "Never fear," said Geoffrey; "I can look after it, mornings and evenings. I'll be your steward and bailiff and all the rest, if you'll let me. It's quite my hobby, farming is. Walter is too clever for it; it would be a shame for him to have nothing else to think about. He's a serious-minded fellow too, Walter is. He ought to go to the University. fact, he wants, as I suppose you know, to be a clergyman." In The old man uttered an exclamation of impatience. "What!" he cried; "is he still harping upon that? Where did he get such fancies, I wonder?" "He goes over to Barton every Sunday evening you know; he likes the church there and the preaching, and he is mixed up a good deal with the religious meetings and societies, and with Mr. Bond." "What! Bond the lawyer?" "Yes, he's a very good man, Bond. His office is the best in Barton, of course; but he's a religious man as well; an honest lawyer, as everybody admits. Walter goes to his house a good deal. And Bond, you know, has a daughter." "You don't mean that? "Oh no! nothing particular about her; only they are all great people for charities and district-visiting, and that sort of thing; and Miss Bond is quite a leader among them; so they meet pretty often; but I dare say it's only in the way of business. I thought you knew all about it." "I know that your brother comes to me for subscriptions now and then, and I let him have what he wants, though it's not in my way at all, and I haven't a great deal to spare. I wonder he takes up with such things; it is quite unnecessary: there are plenty of people in Barton who have not much else |