The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1877-05-25

SsAANs ~ t'AAG15 IL g VIZ 3lliIed manner
> "Ahem will refer you, sir, to the A
9 torney-General p
; Marriages OF The Russian Peasantry
IA all respects the Russian peasantr
are, as class, extremely practical ans
matter-of-fact in their conceptions ant
habits, and are not at all prone to indulg,
N sublime, ethereal sentiments of an,
kind They have little or nothing ofwha
may be roughly termed the Hermannand
Dorothea element in their composition
; and consequently they know very little
about those sentimental, romantic ideas
which We habltually associate with the
preliminary steps to matrimony This
fact is 50 patent to all who have studied
the Russian peasantry, that even those
who have endeayored to ideaIize peasant
life have rarel Y yentared to make their
story turn on a sentimental love affair.
.I These general remarks I insert here pa,
renthetically, in order that the reader may
more clearly understand what I have to
say regarding peasant marriages.
In the primitive system Of agriculture
usually practiced in Russia, the natural
labor-unit-if it be allowed to use such a
term-comprises a man, woman, and a
horse. As soon, therefore, as a boy be-
comes an able-bodied laborer he ought to
be provided with the two accessories ne
cessary for the completion Of the labor
unit. 10 procure horse, either by pur.
chase or by rearing a foal, is the duty of
the head Of the house to procure a wife
for the youth is the duty Of "the female
Big One" (bolshukha). And the chief
consideration in determining the choice is
in both cases the same. Prudent dones-
tic administrators are not to be tempted
by snowy horses or beautiful brides what
they seek is not beauty, but physical
strength and capacity f9ff of of when
II lr----,=~t-=-l eighteen
once, and as soon as he gives his consent
negotiations are opened with the parents
Of some eligible young person. In the
larger villages the negotiations are some
times facilitated by certain old women
called svakbi, Who occupy themselves
specially with this kind Of mediation; but
very often the affair is arranged directly
by or through the agency OF, some. com
mon friend Of the two houses. Care must
Of course be taken that there Is no legal
obstacle to the marriage, aud these obsta
oles are not always easily avoided in a
small village, the inhabitants of which
have been long in the habit Of intermar-
-ying. According to Russian ecclesiasti
sal law, not only is marriage between first
cousins Illegal but affinity is considered
IS equivalent to consanguinity-tbat is to
say, mother-in-law and sister-in-laW are
as a mother and sister-and
'ven the fictitious relationship created by
together at the baptismal font as
5oolathef ana godnother IS legally recog-
lized
# all the preliminary negotiations are
the marriage takes place, and
he bridegroom brings bis bride home to
he house Of which he is member. She t
rings nothing with her as dovry except i
ler trousseau, but she hrings a par Of {
,ood strong arms, and thereby enriches 4
.er adopted family. Of course it hap 6
ems oceasionalIy-for human nature is q
very where essentially the same-that a 8
oung peasant falls in love with one ofhis i
ormer playmates, aud brings his little
to a happy conclusion at the altar; !.
" such cases are very raee, and, as rule, {
may be said that the marriages Of the :
-usslan peasantry are arranged under the
1faence Of economic rather than senti-
lental eonsiderations.-From Russia, 6g :
}, NachelsSie Watzoce II. H