Morning journal and courier., 1881-01-27
Price Four Cents.

! den in the walls There Is no damp in a
| Russian house, and the inmates may dress in
doors in the lightest of garbs, which contrast
| oddly with the mass of furs and wraps which
they don when going out. Russian can
afford to run no risks of exposure when he
leaves his house for a walk or 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 hin elf in an am
pie top-coat with fur collar lining and cuffs;
and buries his hands in a pair of fngerless
gloves of seal or bear skin Thus equipped,
and with the collar of his coat raised all
round SO that it muffies him up to the eyes,
the Russian exposes only his nose to the cold
air; and he takes care frequently to give that
organ a little rub to keep the circulation
going. 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 possible for mem during
winter, but hardly SO for ladies. The women
of the lower orders wear knee boots those
of the shopkeeping classes seldom venture
out at all those of the aristocracy go out in
sleighs. These sleighs are by no means pleas
ant vehicles for nervous people, for the
Kalmuc coachmen drive them at such a ter
rife pace that they frequently capsize; but
persons not destitute of pluck find their mo-
ton most enjoyable. 1t must be added that
to be spilled out of a Russian sleigh is tanta-
mount only to getting rough tumble on
soft mattress, for the very thick furs in
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 as
well warmed as those of the aristocracy. A
stove is always the principal item of furniture
in them, and these contrivances are used to
sleep on as well as cook in. The muiick
having no beds 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 a Russian
will stand is amazing, and his carelessness in
facing the cold afterwards is not less. On
Saturday, when is it washing day all over
Russia, you may see in any village mujick,
who has been cooking himself in his stove till
he is of color like boiled lobster rush naked
into the snow and roll himself in it like
dog till he glows all over to his satisfaction,
it seems monstrous that one of the Russians
principal projections against the cold-his
beard-was laid under penalty by Peter the
Great and subsequently by Elizabeth and
ilize their subjects according to the custom of
the West. These three sovereigns all laid q
tax on boards and peasants entering cities
on market days were required to exhibit, in
proof that they had paid their tax, a brass
coin stamped with bearded face and the
words '.boroda linaia tiagora'' Ithe beard tax
has been settled). This absurd impost was
abolished by Paul, but the effects of it still
survive in manner, for the beard is still
considered ''bad form" in aristocratic cirles.
Military officers wear only moustache and
whiskers diplomatists and other civil SER
wants eschew the whiskers and generally reap
their facea altogether. A Russian with a
beard is pretty sure to be either 'pope'' or
a member of one of the classes below the
upper middle