The Democratic advocate., 1879-10-25
Our Olio.
Russian Tea Houses.


A large hail. wainscotcd with oak,
painted in rich colors, where blue and red
predominant, and at the further end q
grand organ, which is playing chorus
from NJ. Leeocqs last operetta. But for
this tune, and for the fact that some Gus.
toners are seated at little wooden tables
drinking tea, you might fancy yourself 10
Ritualist Church. A statuette of the
Virgin, ironted by night light, always
Pickering in its bath of oil, stands in prox
unity to the yellow advertisement Of an
English firm that exports bitter beer, and
glaring illuminated portrait of St. Isaac,
who is perhaps patron saint of the land
lord, faces the p'ay-bill Of the Imperial
Theatre of French Comedians. We are
in a Moscow tea.hOuse. 1t differs from
the new-fangled cafes in having no look
ing-glasses or velvet settees. There is u
pile Of cushions in the corner, near the
counter, where the landlady sits with a
spangled diadem, neither reading nor
sewing, but just folding her arms aud
smiling vaguely till walters shall come and
ask her for small change, When an ha-
bitue Of the tea house enters he signs him.
self before the statuette, bows to ST, Isaac
perhaps, and makes for the pile Of cush-
ions, where he selects his own and carries
it to the wooden bench on which he is
going to sit. Regular customers keep
their private cushions at the tea house Just
as Germans keep their pipe and schoppes
at the brauereis. II stranger comes in
one Of the walters, in white linen tunics,
with red-topped knee boots, brings him a
folded red rug to sit down upon These
walters are not always Russians; in good
tea house there will be one or two Ger.
mans speaking French, but they all wear
the mujick costume aud have their hair
clipped short. They never ask Russian
customer what he wants; they bring him a
small brass samoyar containing about u
pint Of tea, half lemon and cruet Of
vodki. The charge for this refreshment
is five copecks. A Russian goes to the
tea house to drink ten only, with flavor
Of spirits in it; if he wants other beverages
he drinks them at home. la the summer
he takes cold tea instead Of hot, and
squeezes more lemon than vodki into it,
that is all the difference He seldom takes
sugar, and the waiter does not present il
unless asked for Cigarettes are the rule
in the tca-house, not pipes or cigars; aud
the Russian never twirls them himself,
Spanish fashion, but buys them ready.
made. On bis saying "PapyrOsn the
waiter brings him polished brass plate
holding dozen loose cigarettes Of diverse
dimensions and Of three eolors-white,
buffaud pink, The lastare the most delicate
in favor, and are reserved for the Joaae
bouehe. Tho Russian cpicure begins with
the white ones, and, as he sits Invested Of
his iurred touloupa aud wrapped in his
caftan, with his head leaning against the
wainscot and dreamily beating time to the
music Of the organ, he offers a perfect
picture Of Oriental repose. The wainscots
are marked with rows Of greasy black
circles made by the heads Of customers.
There is scarcely moro talking than in n
Turkish cafe; but officials in uniform. who
may have imbibed the tastes Of the West,
sometimes gets up games of cards and in.
tersperse their play with squcakiug inter
jeetions Oppressive Of their emotious al
winning or losing. Only second rate off
cials patronixe the tea-house; and IL haply
parsonage Of colonel rank strolls Ia with
his crosses on his bosom all the other Gus
toners stand up and s.laam. For this
reason 40 honorary Russian Colonel (per.
haps an upper telegraph clerk) when he
receives foreigner, will takc him of TO
the tea house in order to give him nm idea
of what dignities are 10 Russia.
The big organ groans and plays inces.
sanity, for il Is a tnechanical contrivance
like music box, and has about fifty tunes.
The lady with the spangled diadem dis.
penses music along with refreshments. for
If a customer wants 10 encore particular
tune she orders waiter to turn windlass.
which regulates tho barrel, When
stranger comes IN this lady rings bell 10
some agitation, aud all the walters hurry
up together to SEQ what Is wanted. Al
stranger is sure to ask for queer drinks
beer OF absin,he-which have to be diyed
for in cellars, and are brought up process.
sionally with a great deal Of fuss, Que man
carrying bottle, another the glass on a
tray, and a third fastening with napkin