The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-01-06
The Russian EmiR rants In Kansas.
Topeka Commonwealth

Topeka Commonwealth
The most prominent objects in Topeka
just now are the newly arrived Russians.
They are somewhat different in their an.
pearance and character from their Men
monte fellow-citizens in other matters
besides their religion. They are German
in blood anc in language, being German
c1lonists in Russia or their descendants.
but they hail from the Government of
Samara, on the Vo]ga, long distance
from the district, in extreme Southern
Russia, which has furnished the Mcnnon.
ite immigration.
We judge that in the Vclga country
dogs are not as sedulously cultivated as
they are in Kansas, but that the dog in
dustry is neglected in favor of sheep
raising. At any rate these Russians 20
heavy en- sheep.skin as wearing materi.
al. The aristocracy wear long sheep.skin
coats with skirts like a woman's dress;
which reach nearly to their heels: on the
top of this coat is erected sheep.skin
collar, which reaches to the upper edge of
his cars. A round cloth cap shaped like
a sausage in the form known as the
"dabs," covers the heads Of the Russian
gentleman. All the persons not covered
with sheep.skin and cloth caps covered
with high.]egged boots of the most sub.
stantial character. Arrayed in this cos.
tune our Russian friends might move
unharmed through the midst Of an Irish
row the flying brickbats rebounding
without effect from their shcepskin ar
NOR.
The army of Russia is encamped at the
Topeka House, and 4 large number
them seem to have no occupation except
going somewhere and coming back with
iron tea.kettles in their hands. The
amount Of iron transported around in the
form of tea.kettlcs is enormous.
AS laborers, the Russians, so far do
not appear to have 'tstruck their gait
Some OF them were sent down to work in
the arbondale mines but failed on &C.
count of the antipathy felt for them by
their co.laborers, the mules. Those
coats got away with the long cars. The
frightened mules stampcded whenever one
of the long.tailed sheepskin envelopes,
with Russian inside it, approached, or
if driven into corner, the mules stood
on their defense, and kicked the matton
tallow out Of the Russian who came with.
in range.
But tie Russians can sing. Every
night they gather ia front of the Topeka
House, or around the big paving rock at
tho corner, and sing and sing. The
women and girls never join the melodies:
all the singing is done by the men and
boys, the shrill voices of the latter chin.
ing in strangely with the heavier notes Of
men. Nearly all their melodies have
= strangely plaintive character, The
words are German, but the music is un:
like anything else we have heard, re:
sembling most Of the airs sung by the
Russian Imperial singers, troupe which
visited Kansas some years ago.
We suppose the Russians will soon be
absorbed in the mass Of our population,
and first the sausage shaped hats viii
disappear then those charming zephvrs
which come across the prairies like the
balmy breath Of burning brick kiln, viii
cause : shedding Of those Bricn O'Linu
coats; then in the course Of four or five
years these massive boots will disappear
and the Russian will have nothing to dis
tiuguish him from the rest Of mankind
except possibly his habit Of travelling
around armed and equipped with an iron
! tea.kettle, :"