Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-02-13

HOW TIE TEoPLE KEEP wARM-THE ''BEARD
T.y-

HOW TIE TEoPIE KEEP wARM-rHE ''BEARD
TAX.
The Russians have a great knack for
making tkoi- winters pleasant. You feel
nothing cf cold in those tightly built
houses. whore all the doors and windows
are double, and where the rooms are kept
warm by big stoves hidden in the walls.
There is no damp in a Russian house
and the inmates may dress indoors in the
li@h:est Of earbs, which contrast oddly
with the mass Of furs and wraps which
they don e.hen going ont A Russian
can afford to run no risks of exposure
when he leaves his house for q walk or
drive He covers his head and cars with
a fur bonnet. his feet and legs with felt
boots lined with wool or fur, which are
drawn on over the ordinary boots and
trousers, and reach up to the knees he
next cloaks himself in an ample top-coat
with fur collar, lining, and cuffs and he
burics lis hands in Il pair Of fingerlcsa
gloves Of seal or bear-skin. Thus equip
ped, and with the collar Of lis coat raised
az round SO that it mufiles him up to the
eyes the Russian exposes only his nose to
the cold cir ; aud hc takes care frequent
lv to give that organ little rub 10 keep
to forget that precaution, would often get
his nose frozen II it were not for the cour
tcsv Of the Russians. who will always
warn him if they sec his nose whitening,
ami viii, unbidden, help him to chnfe 1t
~. lsously with snow.
ia Rlssian cities walking Is Just possi-
be for men dIring winter; but hardly so
for ladies The women Of the lower or
der wear kngc-boots those Of the shop
k-.sipg classes seldom venture out at all :;
those of the arfstocracy go out in slcighs.
Those sieiohs are by no means pleasant
vriici . f.r nervous people, for the kal-
m;,ck c,ac.imou drive them at sucil & te:
rife paca iha; tiiev frequently capsize ;
but Ilcisyns not destitute Of pluck will
find their motion most enjoyable II must
h- added ;ia' to he spilled ont of Rus
sila a!.i@h Sc tauiamount only to gettino
rough tuIiblo cn z soft mattress. for the
very thick furs ia which the victim is sure
to be wrapped will be enough To break
the fall.
The houses and novels Of the Russian
working classes are ~ well warmed ms
those Of the arisiocracy. A stove is al
ways the principal item Of furniture in
them and these contnvances are used to
sleep on ss well as to cook in. The mu-
iici, having 40 bed, curls hims, II up on
his stove at his time for going TO rest ;
sometimes he may be found creeping right
into the stove and enjoying the delights
good yapor bath. The amount Of
heat which a Russian Will stand is amaz-
ing, and his oarelessncss in facing the
cold afterwar1 not less so. On Satur-
day, which is washing-dny all over Rus
sia, you may see in village a muiick
who has beuI cooking himself in his stove
till he is @. a color like boiled lobster,
rush naked into the snow and roll himself
in it like . dog, till he glows all over To
his satisfaction. II seems mOnstrous that
- one Of the Russian principal protection:
against the cold-his beard-was laid un
der penalty 10y Peter the Great and sI'h
seqnently by EGzabeth and Catherine II,
when thcr were trying 10 ciSilize thei
subjects rcrordiI.g 10 the custom Of tn,
West. Ih'sn three sovcreigns all laid I
taT On boards and peasants entering
ciic5 On market days were required 10 ex
libit in proof tiI. they had paid thei
tax, brass coin stamped with II bearded
face ard thc W.Ids ''Bnroda ligllaa tiago
tn, tiiIe beard TAX mas been settlei) TIN
absurd inpost was abolished by Paul
but the eflects Of it survive in a measure
for the beard is s;iil considered ''ba'
form IN aTisfocra:ic circles. Milltar,
officers wear only mouatuche and wbls
kers dipio4atIats and other civil ser
wants esrlew the whiskera, and general,
reap their faces altogether. A Russial
with a beard i pretty sure to he eIthe
n pope or member OF one Of tn
classes below the upper middle.