Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-09-15
Tie Leisure Hour.
TIfR PE.1S.I.VT HERO.
BN u. KERR.


1t is pleasant place in the summer, the
village of Bogorodsko-to those, at least,
who are not above plain living, for neither
hotel nor refreshment-room has ever been
heard of there. The whole place is simply
one of those quaint little clusters of rough
hewn log-huts, clinging like limpets to
either side Of the high-road which are no.
where seen to such perfection as in Sweden
or Russia. Some few of the houses are ofa
grander sort-actually two stories hgh,
with brightly-painted roofs and white
washed balconies in front, that make them
look as if they had white ties on. These
are the 'swell mansions Of the place, and
look down upon the poor little shanties
around them as a footman looks at a beg
gar; but, for the most part, our village is
made up of little cabins of the regular Rus
sian type, built with no tool but the short
axc-one-storied, matched with straw, con-
tanning two or at most three rooms, and
topped by the cocked-hat "Tckerdak' or
garret, in which the Russian peasant stores
his hay, piles his wood, stores his provi-
sions, dries his clean linen (when he has
any, and, in a word, bestows everything
that he cannot cram into the little kennel
below stairs, where he, his wife, his chill
dren, and very often likewise his OK and
his ass, his pig and his poultry, and every
thing that is his, eat, drink, sleep and veg
etatc. The beams of Mr.. Ivans house fit
into each other at the ends like the corners
of a slate-irame, and his door is fastened
by strong wooden pegs; beside his big
stove hangs the rudely daubed picture of
| some Russian saint, with a candle burning
in front of it, and in the corner of the room
stands a huge ''soondook' or wooden chest,
| painted red, and clamped with iron bands.
This chest is the peasants greatest pride ;
he keeps his Sunday clothes in it-he and
his friends sit upon it like sofa and
whenever he changes from place to place
he always drags this great, heavy sentry
box of a thing along with him.
But l doubt whether any of you would
like to live in Russian cottage. The roof
is Just a mixture Of saplings and spiders
the walls mish-mash sf wood, earth and
earwigs; the floor paste of straw and clay,
dotted with black beetles, like the plums in
a Christmas pudding!
The hut | lived in had only just been
built, so that had nothing to dsturbe me
worse than regiment of black ants march
ing every now and then out of the cracks
in tn e window-sill, or a swarm of mosqui-
toes coming "png-p -pinging" through my
open window. And, what's more, had Q
little round table fixed in the gfound in
front Of the cottage, and a low bench put
beside it, and there | used to have my
breakfast and tea in the open air and can
tell you that when | was sitting there
about seven o'clock ON glorious summer
morning, fresh from my early walk, will
my cozy little tea-urn steaming in front o.
me, fresh roll on one side, couple of new
laid eggs on the other, and the soft, dreamy
sunny uplands stretching before me fol
miles, edged here and there with dark
patches Of forest-like fur trimmings upon
a velvet robe-I was as happy as could be
One may be comfol table in Russia as wei
as any where else and when you come tC
travel there, you soon find out that it's no
the cold, dark prison, full Of spies, wolves
and frost bites, that we used TO imagine ii
that there are other things to eat there be
sides soap and candles, and other things tC
do besides sitting all day close to a stove
with woolen comforter round your neck
While the heat of the day lasts you dom
see much of our villages. Here and there
you may fall in with a stray one creeping
along the highway, or struggling about the
fields but rs "A rule the bulk of the popu
lation don't show up till towards evening
Then. as if by magic, the whole place sud
denly becomes alive with all kinds of queel
figures bearded laborers with greasy rec
shirts, with baggy trowsers stuffed into
their high boots shouting children, shag
gy as bears, and brown as bazel-nuts, will
nothing ON but pancake-colored night
gown lined with dirt; short skirted wo
men, with scarlet handkerchieis round
their heads, and round, fiat, wide mouthed
faces that look like penny with hole in
il men with black hair, and an earthly
unwashed look about them, ogling and
brown checked, barefooted lasses, who