Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-04-01
RUSSIAN SKETCHES.
BY }. }. Won LITrRow.
From a notice in the Westminster Review
BEGGARS AND DRUNKARDS.

BEGGARS AND DRUNKARDS.
AN old blind beggar used to be led every
morning to certain spot, where he remain
ed all day, appealing to the charity of pas
sers by. An old hat suspended on his breast,
was the receptacle for their offerings, and
many of the lowest class cast their little do
nations into it, often dropping a piatak "a
five kopeck piece into the hat and taking
three or four kopecks out of it, telling the
beggar at the same time how much they had
added to the store. As my friends business
obliged him to pass frequently every day
through the street, he had many opportuni-
ties for remarking the hourly increase in the
contents of the hat; but he never saw that
the old man thought it necessary to convince
himself with his fingers that he was fairly
dealt with by those who took change from
him, or that it ever occurred to him to Sc
cure part of his gains in his pocket. To
me it seems that such an instance of integ-
rity and benevolence on the one hand, and
ofunbounded confidence on the other, speaks
more strongly than words can do for the
character of a nation and that in many an
other capital of civilized Europe a beggar
who should thus place himself at the mercy
of unknown thousands, would be very apt
to go home at night with an empty hat.
| was much struck by two phenomena,
which prevail, almost without exception, all
over Russia. The first of these is the pity,
| might almost say the respect evinced by
every individual of the populace towards all
drunken persons. Good-natured as the Rus
sian generally is, he requires some prompt
20, In a.,I
helping hand in casualties occurring in the
streets. If carriage breaks down, he will
perhaps stop moment to crafty his curios-
ity, and then walk off without offering any
assistance; but if drunken man tumbles
down in the street, every one who sees him
will hasten to afford him the most assiduous
care, regarding him almost as sacred be-
ing, from whom it would be most henious
crime to withhold sympathy and protection
Ii Is common thing to see even weakly
persons take up such drunken insensble
lout on their shoulders, and totter along with
him to the nearest house, where he is sure o.
being kindly received and allowed to sleep of
his debauch, after which he is permitted to
depart, with full stomach and something
in his pocket
Nv c'hNi poiit, NillSh 10 certainly ihOiN
difficult to explain, is the extraordinary good
temper and amiability which the Russian
displays in his cups. That which madden'
people u other nations, and often hurries
them into fatal brawls, has quite the contra
! ny effect on the Russians. Even the captious
and testy become mildness itself III then
drink and, common as intoxication is in
the country, the fact of its leading to brawls
and quarrels is almost unheard Of Even
enemies, who are full of mutual abuse when
sober, treat each other like the most afiec'
tionate friends when they are well soaked
with brandy. The progress of intoxicatior
in their drinking boats, runs generally
through the following scale First, they
are silent and reserved then, as their heads
warm, their tongues are loosened, and theil
language becomes more and more affection
ate, and Astounding in diminutives, which
the Russian always uses to express endear
ment. From the common forms of appella
ton, such as mashennik-(rogue), SukinSa
m-(son Of By, and so forth, which ne
one takes amiss, and which may all be verl
exactly translated good fellow they slid'
gradually into the more engaging terms bar
alphabetically, matushka-(mammy), ga
tOvushka-(ittle dove), dushinka-(littl
sou), &c. When their hearts have beef
| sufficiently Modified by these verbal endeaI