The Little Russian Servant

Neely's Booklet Series. No. 24, June 12, 1899. Issued weekly. $5.00 a year. Entered as second-class matter at New York Post Office.

Who's that? said the countess, stopping in front of a young girl of fifteen or sixteen, bent over an embroidery frame. The young girl rose, prostrated herself thrice before her mistress, then, getting up, remained standing, her hands hanging by her side, her head slightly bent forward under the investigating gaze of the countess, who through her eyeglass closely scrutinized her.
It is the new girl, your highness, answered the head lady's maid, coming forward with the air of importance that thirty years' employment gives to no matter what functionary. She is the daughter of Foma, of the village of Ikonine. She is come in her turn to pay her father's obrok —he is in Moscow.
These peasant girls can do nothing, said the countess, with a wearied air: what do you expect to get out of this one?
She doesn't embroider badly, your highness; pray look yourself. She can be put to the embroideries—not to the ground, but to the trimmings. This is for the toilet table of Madame la Comtesse.
The noble lady, who could hardly see, being short-sighted from her birth, examined the embroidery frame so closely that the tip of her nose grazed the cloth.
That's not bad, she said. Come here, little girl.
The little girl advanced, and the countess inspected her as minutely as she had done the embroidery.
How pretty she is! What's your name?
Mavra.
The word came like a breath from the rosy lips.