Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-03-03

| 1he luS5lan5 CaVc great kDack OF max Dp
| their winters pleasant. You feel nothing of the
! colu In thoso tightly built HOUSES where all the
DOORS and windows arc double; and whore The
rooma arc kept warm by Big stoves hidden in
tho walls. There Is no damp 10 a Russian
house. and the inmates may dress indoors 10
the lshtest Of galbs. which contrast oddly with
the mass of furs and wraps which tboy d)n
"hfn going out. A Russian can afford TO run
30 ilSks or exposure Thca no leaves his house
i"r u walk or drive. lie covers his head and
ta'5 with fur bonnet, hi7 feet and LEGS with
leit boots llded with wool or fur, which are
drawn on over tho ordinary boots and trouscre,
and reach up to the knees; ho next coaks him
sell IN 40 ample ton coat with fur liar, laog
aod emit; and he buries his hands in q pnir Of
noserIess gloves OF seal or bear skin. Thus
equipped. and With the collar of his coat raised
all around so that 1t muffl IS him up 10 the ewes
'nc huS$lan exposes only his lose to the eeld
ar, ana nc takes care frequently to give that
organ ilule rub to keep the circulation going,
y stranger. who Is apt to forget that prcclu-
ton. would often get his nose frczsn if il wcre
not tor the courtesy of tho Russian, who will
al9avs warn him il they zoe his nose "whiten-
ing' and will. unbiddep, help him to chale it
vigorously with snow.
In NussSlan cities walking is Just possible for
men during wlctor; but hardly 30 far ladies'
Inc WeInon OF tho lower order wear knee boots;
those OF tho shopkeeping classes seldom ven.
iuic cut ut all; thcso OF tho aristocraoy 20 out
III sIc'ghs. These sleighs arc by no mepns
rteasant vehicles TOR DEVIOUS people, i6r tho
kslmuck coschmen drive thcm at such a Tor.
Ilhc psc, that they frequently capsize; but per.
nj Esl L..
most CT )yab!e. 1t must bo added that to bo
spilled out of Russian sleigh is tantamount
only to getting rough tumble on soft mat
tress. Tor tho very thick furs in which tho via.
tim IS sure to bo wrapped will be enough to
break the fall.
lho houses aud novels Of the Russian work
log classes arc as we'll warmed as those Of the
a!lstec crecY. a stove is always tho principal
Item OF iuTnlotute 10 them; ond thess contri-
'atcos are used to sioep on as we'll as to cook
IN. Tho mDjick. having no bed, our!s bimseIf
up on the stove ct his tune for going to rest;
sometimes he may be found creeping right into
the stove and eujOyiug the delights Of good
vspor bath. The amount of heat which Rus
ssan Will stand Is amszlpg, aud bis carelessness
in facing the cold altcSard not less SO. % o
Saturday. which is washing day oil over Russia,
sou may see III village muiicS who has been
cooking himself 10 his stove until no is of o
co'ov like boiled lobster. rush naked into the
snow and roll him.cIt in it like a dog. till hc
goWs oil over to bis satisfaction. 1t seems
moDstrous that ono Of tho Russians principal
prott ctlons against tho ood-bis beurd-was
lald under penalty by Peter tho Great and sub
sfquently by Elizabeth aud Catherine H. when
they werc tying to civili2, their subjects 40.
c6rdlog to tho custom OF the West These
three suvcrtgns all laid tax on boards; and
peasants cnttrlug cities on market days were
required TO exhibit in procf that they had paid
their tax. brass COLO stamped with bearded
face and tho words ''boroda lignsia tiagota"
(ihe beard tax has been seitIed). This absurd
lmpcst was abolished by Paul; but tho effects
Of 1t still suvlso 10 manner for the beard is
still oopsl lered bad form" 10 aristccratic cir
ces. Military ofic,rs wear only mustacho and
whiskcrs; diplomatst5 snd other civil servants
eschew the whiskcrs and generally reap thoir
| faces altogether. A Russian with beard il
pretty suro to bo eiIhor 'pope' or a member
Of one of the cnsscs below tho upper middle
HaH Mall Gu=che