Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-11-23
RUssIAI SUPERSTITION.
Moscow Letter TO London Standard.

M0SC0W LetteI W iVD'"u
Many are the fantastical beliefs aud
curious the remnants ol pagaAlsn' sun
deeply rooted in the Russian PEASANTS
daily life. They have their h,mphs 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 cOnvcrsed has seen
the "deviln ut least once in her lifetime,
and il able 10 giyea minute description
of his appearance. Rich aud poor at
time of baptism receive 4 small cross,
which they wear for the rest Of their
DAYS round their necks, underneath their
clothing, not merely as 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 a witch doctor, aud YOes
through variety Of pagan rites and in
carnations TO ward oil the evil; his re-
liyion itself, his orthodox church pray
ers, the glazed look he bends ON Gle
paiuted ikon, che countless Senutlexicns
and kuockings on the church pavement
with his brown and wrnkled forehead,
alI remind one rather of u negro nd.
dressing his fetch than of a Christian in
house of prayer. Last March the
cattle disease made It's appearance IN
the village Of Ozcrsk, government Of
Kalooya, and spread with alarming
rapidity from byre to byrc. The Zcm.
stvo veterinary surgeon lived some miles
away, and, instead Of seeking his adj
vice, the peasants hung anulcts, in the
shape Of little bags Of garlic, round
their csw's nccks, and jumped over
their PROSTATE forms With one foot,
holding i censor with lighted incense IN
the opposite hand, These measure.
proving of no avail they were seized by
a panic, and called together u village
assembly, arguing long and loudly a. tt
the best means of frightening away tn,
cattle plague. II was decided that &c
cordipg to the traditions Of their fore
fathers, their women should marcl
round the village al dead al night
plow furrow in the sand, aud and q,
chase away tho plague. AT IL O'Clock
the men were shut ny by order Of tb
Starost. the women and girls remain
ing ONT On the village green. At thu
arst stroke Of midnight, girl, cbose1
from the band, placed horse cola
oror her shoulders, and allowed hersc)
to 10 yoked to wooder plow tw
girls behind her laid a hand unde
either hands, two more tsuk up tn
pluce Of the plowmsn and guided th
plev, while another marched IN front
holding aloft miracle working ikol
| The blow was also preceded by
, widow with basket full Of sant
which she strowed quickly as she wen
along TO mark the line where the plo'
should make the furrow. No light (
= any kind Was TO accompany them, an
. yctshoald the furrov dcviatc TO right {
left Of the sandy limo the charm vOul
DO broken. Happily for The success, {
the undertaking the soil in kaloogat
black, the sand white, and the nigh
. lot us hope, was moonlight one. A
immense female crowd followed in oh
. rear, beating furiously on kettles, sto,
!, lids, ETC., and trying to make the
voices sound like the bowling Of u
wind in a storm AZ possible. The pr
:, cession marched first to the church doc
~ sang a weird, heathenish refrain, We,
;, through the quickstep and arn-waftin,
:, of an old national dance, and then wei
: Oh its way three times round the villal
from west to east. The CcremOny owe
!, another widow, with a pot Of tar, ma,
. a black cross within circle on eve
:. tloorpost-a sacred sign which bars d
entrance OF evil spirits.
"