Evening star., 1869-08-07
Rns>inn Wiie Market.

SItlIIg mp ali right with q couple of Russian
ladies n gnt, or might not, suggest the idea Of
telling yen so5ErtnIng of the marriage customs
of this sfTdHE- country. A French writer,
whose name 1 forget, has truly said. stne Rus-
SLAMS are nation of polite savages,' q remark
than Is not very apt out II helps US toward a
proper understanding of the social condition OF
the people The rich are very rich; the Door
are very poor. The MOBILES are courtIy, polite
and as refined IN manners as those of the same
class IN Germany; but the SerfS, or those
who belonged 10 the mobiles with the soil
before ibc emancipation, are rude, and not
halt civilized.
Almost as soon as a girl is born in the better
ranks OF society, her parents begin to prepare
the do WY she must have when she goes to her
husb2Cti for this is indIspensa BILE in the eyes
Of any RIsssan young gentleman who propos es
20 h married. She must furnish everything
fur outfit IN life. even TO a dozen shirts for
Le- coming husband.
i have heard of lady of rank and wealth
who had prepared a costly dowry of silks
liner, ievels. plate. etc. for her beloved daugh
trr. " no died as she came 10 be twenty wears
Old. The mother resolved 10 endow SIX girls
with these riches, and actually advertised for
them. host of applicants came, and she Sc
lS,t-t SIX. None OF them had lovers. But now
that they had respectable dowry secured,
a . slrl y w2s speedily engaged, and, with the
husband, took tne dOwry- and paid the rIch
lady by prom sing 10 pray for the repose Of her
Gau gh -eT'~ soul
In 10 country is this arrangement Of terms
carried on with more caution and compile g.
y
the house OF his proposed bride, and counts
over the dresses and examines - furniture
and sees to the whole with his own eyes =
fore he commits himself 10 the IrreyOcAble bar
gam. In high hfe such things are conducted
with more apparent deliCacy, but the iacts are
aSCertained with accuracy, the business being
an the hands CT a broker or a no;ary The
ro1Ss'9,t Is exposed in public before the we'd
Ding dsy-
AT Whiisundsy there is q curious custom
which - gradually giving way with the ad =
vance OF civilization. The young people Of a
neighbOrhOOd come together. and the girls
stand III low, like so many statues, draped
indeed. and not only draped, but dressed In
sheu best, and palnte too for the young ladies,
and the Older ones also, of this country, use
cosmetics freely, and a box OF lady's paint is q
very common present for n young man to make
10 he girl be likes Behind the rew of girls
are their mothers; the young men Laying made
known their choice, the terms are settled be-
tween the parents OF the parties
The ladies in Russia are very anxious to
marry, because they have no liberty before
marriage They are kept constantly under the
1naternal eye until they are given mp TO the
husband, and then they take their own course
which is round of gayety and dissipation
only regulated by thtir means OF indulgence
The Greek Church, Ike the Roman, permits
10 divorce; but the Emperor, ike the Pope,
can grant special dIspensation. The Greek
priest must marry once, and If his wife dies he
cannot marry again. Ne one in Russia can be
married more than three times.