Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1862-02-13
Goan MisrelIainrll!J. Il
Wife Sbuw in ST. Petersburg.

Russia, in its rapid progres
toward a high cultivation, is grad
Iually laying aside the 7barbarou
customs that have been in vogu,
for many generations. Some Of
them still have a nominal exis
tence, but the life has gone from
them, and they must soon become
extinct. Among these is the GU
.rious one alluded to in a letter from
"a correspondent of the New York
Evening Post. The wife show is
held ON the day after Whitsunday
in the summer garden, one of the
pleasant parks in st. Petersburg.
This wife show is now the last
lingering relic of what was once a
popular national custom : Here
the sons and daughters of trades
men were wont to assemble, to
select them a partner for life. The
girls would come ,decked out in all
the ornaments the family could
raise, and sometimes carrying in
their hands a bunch of silver tea
or playing gracefully with
a huge silver latlle, as if it were a
fan; while the young men, also APP
pearing to, the, best advantage,
would stroll by them, and on see
ing any young lady who particu-
larly struck their fancy, would po-
litely inquire about her. dover
from the parents, who invariably
accompanied the b!ushing damsels.
The custom so far. exists to the
present day, that had l been mat
rimonially disposed, | might have
selected a wife without even the
trouble of advertising, to say moth
ing of saving the time which the
more conventional customs of my
native land deem requisite for a
courtship. L ?.
Here comes a group attracting
more than ordinary attention.-
They are candidates for matrimo-
young sisters, apparently
about eighteen years of age
They are rather pretty, and quite
dressed in light colors,
and wearing the little jaunty hat
and feathers. Behind them como
their parents and an old woman,
plainly attired, but. after all, one
Of the most important members of
the party. If a young man is ta-
ken with the appearance of the
he win give the old
lady's shawl a gentle pull, and
they will together step one side
Ind avoid the crowd by turning
INTO one of the sidewalks. A
conversation like the following
will ensue, it being, Of course, un-.
1erstood by the parties that the,
young bachelor is wife-hunting:
Old woman-Well, sir, what is
your name? ~ ssit7 -g2 ii
Young man-Iran Petrovitch,
;t@1o ,,,0+hnr
Old woman-Whercdo you live?'
Young man-In Gargaroyitch
street, No. 5. 'i r.
Old wGman-You ere well off.
Young inan-Yes; ] get so many
roubles from my little store in the
Gcstinue Divor; and have so much
aid up. Whati is the name of the
young lady-the one at the right,
little mother? q
Old woman-You are not the
first that has. asked me that, for a
4 finer young woman has not been
on the Summer Garden for many
4 day. Her name is Ekatarina,
md her dover is SO many roubles.
After some further cross ques-
tioning the parties separate. In
the evening the5old woman states,
to the parents the various PROPOSE
lions she has received, and to the
one who has the largest income a
note is sent. If all his statements
are found correct, the thing is con-
sidered settled, and Ekatarina is
married to Ivan with little more
ado. She never thinks of object
ing, and neither bride nor BRIDE
groom have any idea of wasting
time in courting. 80 -
u p Il =. =.