Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-11-27
RUSSIAN SUPERSTITION.
Moscow Letter to London Standard. !

Moscow Letter TO London Standard
Many are the fantastical beliefs and
curious the remnants OF paganisr, still
deeply rooted in the Russian pSlsants
daily life. They have their nymphs OF
the forest and of the river the spirits OF
their dead ancestors haunt the dwellings
Of the living and every country bahia
with whom | ever copvcrsed has seen
the "deyil" at least once in her lifetime,
and is able to give minute description
of his appearance. Rich and poor ut
time of baptism receive small cross,
which they wear for the rest OF their
days round their necks, underneath their
clothing not merely as q badge OF
christianity, but as an amulet to weaken
the power OF the evil one. When sick
ness or misfortune comes, the peasant
has recourse to witch doctor, aud goes
through variety of pagan rites and III
carnations to ward of the evil; his re-
ligion itself, his orthodox church pray
crs, the glazed look he bends on thes
painted ikon, the countless genuhexions
and knockinys on the church pavement
with his brown and wrinklcd forehead,
I'LL remind one rather of % negro adj
dressing his fetch than Of q Christian in
house Of prayer. Last March the
cattle disease made it's appearance IN
the village Of Ozersk, government of
Kalooga, and spread with alarming
rapidity from byre to byre. The Gem
styo veterinary surgeon lived some miles
away, and, instead Of seeking his ad-
vice, the peasants hung amuicts, in the
shape of httle bags. Of garlic, round
their cows nccks, aud jumpctl over
their PROSTATE forms with one foot,
holding censor with lighted incense III
the opposite hand. These MEASURES
proving of no avail they were seized By
panic, and called together a village
assembly, arguing long and loudly as to
the best means Of frightening away the
cattle plague, 1t was decided that ac-
cording to the traditions OF their fore
fathers, their women should march
round the village at dead Of night,
pillow i'urrow in the sand, aud and 80
chase away the plague At Ii o'clock
the men were shut up By order OF The
Starost, the women and girls remain
ing out on the village green. At the
first stroke OF midnight girl, chosen
fl ON the band, placed u horse collar
over her shoulders, and allowed herself
to be yokcd to u wooden pillow two
girls behind her laid u hand under
either hands, two more took up the
place of the plowman and guided the
pillow, while another marched in front
holding aloft q miracle working ikon
TIE pillow was also preceded by {
, widow with a basket full Of sand
which she streyed quickly as she gwcn,
along to mark the, line where. the pillow
should make the furrow. No light o
any kind was to accompany them, and
yet should the furrow deviate 10 right o.
left Of the sandy line the charm woult
be broken Happily for the success %
the undertaking the soil in Kalooglth
black, the sand white, and the night
lot us hope, wasa moonlight one. An
immense female crowd followed in tn,
rear, beating turiously on kettles, stove
lids etc., and trying to make theiI
Voices sound Ike the bowling of til,
wind III u storm a. possible. The pro
ccSsion marched first to the church door
sang II weird, heathenish refrain, wen
through the quickstep and wafting
of an old national dance, and then wen
on it's way three times round the villag,
from west to east The ceremony over
another widow, with a pot of tar, mad,
o. black cross within u circle on every
doorpost--a sacred sign which bars til,
entrance OF evil spirits.