Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-02-12
RUSSIA'S COLD CLINE.

A writer in the London Pail Mall
CARTE says The Russians have a
great knack for making their winters
pleasant. You feel nothing of the
cold in those tightly built houses
where 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 Il Russian house !;
and the inmates may dress indoors
in the lightest of garbs, which
contrast oddly with the mass of furs
and wraps which they don when going
out. A Russian can afford to run no
risks of exposure when he leaves his
house for n walk or a drive. He
covers his head and ears with 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 buries his hands in
pair of fngerless gloves of seal or
bear skin. Thus equipped, and with
the collar of his coat raised all around
so that it muflles him up to the eyes,
the Russian exposes only his nose to
the cold air, and he takes care fire.
quently to give that organ little rub
to keep the circulation going. A
stranger, who is apt to forget that
precaution, would often get his nose
frozen if it were not for the courtesy
of the Russians, who will always warn
him if they see his nose whitening" ,"
and will unbidden, help him to chafe it
vigorously with snow.
In Russian cities walking is just pos
sible for men during winter, but hard
ly so for ladies. The women of the
lower order wear knee boots those of
the shopkeeping classes seldom venture
out at all those of the aristocracy 60
out in sleighs. These sleighs are by
no means pleasant vehicles for nervous
people, for the Kalmuck coachmen
drive them at such terrific pace that
they frequently capsize, but persons
not destitute OF pluck find their mo-
ton most enjoyable. 1t must be add
ed, that TO be spilled out of Russian
sleigh is tantamount only to getting a
rough tumble on a soft mattress, for
the very thick furs in which the vic
tim is sure TO be wrapped will be
enough to break the fall.
The houses and novels of the Rus
sian working classes are as we'll warm
ed as those of the aristocracy. A
stove is always the principal item Of
furniture in them and these contri-
vances are used to sleep on as well as
to cook in. The mujik, having no
bed, curls himself 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 of
a good vapor bath. The amount of
heat which Russian will stand is
amazing, and his carelessness in facing
the cold afterward not less so. On a
Saturday, which is washing day all
over Russia, you may see in village
a muik, who has been cooking him
self in his stove till he is of color
like a boiled lobster, rush naked into
the snow and roll himself in it like
dog till he glistens all over to his sat
isfaction. 1t seems monstrous that
one of the Russians principal protec-
tions against the cold-his beard--was
laid under penalty by Peter the Great,
and subsequently by Elizabeth and
Catharine H., when they were trying
to civilize their subjects according to
the custom of the west. These three
sovereigns all laid a tax on boards !;
and peasants entering cities on market
days we're required TO exhibit in proof
that they had paid their tax a brass
coin stamped with bearded face and
the words "boroda lignaia tiagota"
(the beard tax has been settled). This
absurd impost was abolished by Paul
but the effect of it still survives in a
manner; for the beard is still consid.