The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-03-30
Winter Customs in Russia.

The Russians have n great knack
lor making their winters pleasant.
You feel nothing Of the coidin those
ltightly built houses where all the
windows and doors are double, and
where the rooms are kept warm by
big stoves hidden in the walls.
There is no damp in q Russian
house, SID the inmates may dress
| in the ! sbtest of garbs, which con-
trast oddly with the mass of furs and
wraps winch they don when going
out. A Russian can afford to run
no risk of exposure when he leaves
his house for walk or drive. lie
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 flr.col-
lar, lining and cuffs; and he bur
ries his hands in pair oil iingerless
gloves of seal or bear skin. Thus
equipped, and with the collar of his
coat raised all around so that it muf-
fies him up to the eyes, the Rus
sian only exposes his nose to the
cold air, and he. takes care frequent
| " to give that organ q little rub to
keep the circulations 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 white
ming and will unbidden, help him
to chafe it vigorously with snow. IN
Russian cities walking is just posi-
Die for men during winter; but hard
" so for ladies. The women Of the
lower order wear knee boots those
of the shop keeping classes seldom
venture out at all those of the aris-
tocracy 90 out in sleighs. These are
by no means pleasant vehicles for
nervous people, for the Kalmuc
coachmen drive them at such a ter
rife pace that they freqently cap
size; but persons not disutute of
pluck find their motion most enjoy
able 1t must be added that to be
spilled out of Russian sleigh is tan
tamount only to get rough tumble
on soft mattress, for the very thick
furs in which the victim is sure to
be wrapped viii be enough to break
the fall. The houses and novels Of
the Russian working classes are us
well warmed as those OF the aristoc-
raey. \ stove is always the prinoi
pal item of furniture in them, and
these contrivances are used to sleep
or as well as TO cock in. The mu-
lick, 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 en-
Toying the delights of a good yapor
bath. The amount of heat which .
Russian will stand is amazing, and
his carelessness in facing the cold
lalterward not less so.
On Sunday, which IS washing
day all over Russia, you may see IN
every village mujick who has been
cooking himself in his stove TIL he
is of color ike boiled lobster, rush
naked into the snow and roll him
self in i like a dog till he glows all
over to his satisfaction. 1t seems
monstrous that one Of ths Russian s
principal projections against the
cold his beard-was laid under
penalty by Peter the Great and sub
isequently by Elizabeth and Cathe-
rine II, when they were trying TO
ciyilize their subjects according TO
the custom of the West These
! three soyereigns all laid 4 tax on
boards; and peasants entering cities
on market days were required TO ex-
hibit in proof that they had paid
their tax. brass coin stamped with
bearded face and the words, 'boroda
lignaia tiagotia,' (the beard tax has
been settled). This absurd iInpost
was abolished by Paul but the ef-
fects of it still survive in manner,
for the beard is still considered 'bad
form" in aristocratic circles. Militia
Try officers year only moustache and
and whiskers: diplomatists and
other servants esehew the whiskers
and generally reap their faces alto
gether. \ Russian with a beard Is
pretty sure to be either pope" or
q member of one Of the classes below