, 1886-06-10

A ritifui and wretchcd Lot-Daily Hnb-
its-Reoreation-vilIage Assemblies.

The life of the Russian peasant is full
of misery and w~rctchedness. The con-
slant care and hard struggle for his daily
existence, the heavy taxes that he is bur
dened with and which he is bound to
pay under any circumstances, all this is
sufficient to deprive him of all the enter
prise and ambition that are peculiar to
the more civilized and consequently more
happy nations. Total darkness and
blind superstition are the main features
of his character. The belief in the evil
spirit as a mighty power, having a great
deal to do in the fate of every individual,
has taken deep root in his mind and no
reason seems able to extricate it. Any
tale of the supernatural is taken as a
matter of fact and any matter of fact is
looked upon rather skeptically. lean re-
call facts Of shocking superstition that
will to a certain extent illustrate the
character of the peasant. One happened
in n small village in the vicinity of Kief.
On one dark, rainy autumn night a pow
ert-stricken old man threw an infant
into the river, or, as he said, handed it
over to the devil in exchange for a purse
of gold that he supposed was hidden in
IL ttIidhn ot'iuttu pih't anu thdt toulu
not be found unless some innocent human
being were sacrificed. In another vii
lage n sick woman was choked to death
by her kind neighbors in their desperate
efforts to squeeze the devil out of her
throat. Furthermore, an old woman, a
supposed witch, was beaten to death by
the villagers for bringing a pestilence
upon the cattle through the aid and in
fuence of the evil one. These are a few
Of the incidents that occur daily in the
PEASANTS life.
The American reader can hardly inn
agine anything more miserable, more
wretohed than the little hut in which n
family, averaging six or seven members,
is often found living. Imagine a little
ave of 5x4, half of which is cut off by a
primitive large stove, dark and gloomy,
and that will be the sweet home" of the
Russian peasant. Every inch of space is
inhabited, so that, as a matter of course,
the air is made poisonous and intolerable
and this explains the frequent fatal dis
eases prevailing among the Russian peas
antry. The daily habits and methods of
life are of the simplest character. Five
o'clock in the morning, in all seasons, is
generally the o at which n family
rises. The oma Immediately begins
to prepare breakfast, which generally
consists of a mixture of sorrkrout, beets
and potatoes, called "borshtch," and
coarse rye bread. A large trunk, the
only piece of furniture to be seen in a
peasants hut, which at the same time
serves as a table, is spread with a coarse
.,.~ot and aftar cavtnr nraynr fha haod
of the family, followed by the rest of the
members, occupies his seat. After the
"borshtch" pot is emptied every one goes
out to his work. If it is winter time the
men are engaged in feeding the cattle
and the women in spinning their flax.
Every one has his hands full. A IL
o'clock dinner is announced. Again
"horshtch' on the trunk table, followed
by potfull of boiled potatoes and plenty
Of coarse rye bread. Supper consists of
the of dinner. On SUNDAYS,
however, or days of festival, an epicurean
piece of salt pork or mutton and fresh
rye bread-which the peasant, and still
more his better half, is very ono Of
adorn the table. White bread, tea or
coffee are looked upon as a luxury be-
You'd the reach of the peasantry. 1t is
only ON very rare occasions-if, for ex-
ample, any one of the family is sick
that such a luxury finds place in the
peasants home.
After a days work is over the peasant
goes out for recreation. The tavern,
which is the only place of attraction for
him, is generally crowded in the even
ings. The most burning topics of the
day are discussed there. What strikes a
stranger who is present at one of such
meetings is the absolute confusion which
characterizes its proceedings. All speak
at once, no one listens and the debates
are scenes of wild disorder. But there is
no rule without an exception; an orator
may sometimes command general atten-
ton. In such cases utter silence prevails
and those who interrupt are ordered to
shut up" AS a general thing, however,
everybody is arguing at the top of his
voice, II wild uproar goes on, which
oftentimes ends in a fight.
Balloting is unknown in the Russian
village assemblies. Every question, of
whatever character, must be settled
unanimously. The settlement of a ques-
ton mostly depends on the proposal the
starosta Village ofiiciaD, or any other i'm
portant person of the village, whose in
fluence conciliates all interests and wins
the suffrage of the entire grenada (com-
munity). To reach this contamination,
however, thorough debates and a good
threshing of the subject discussed are in
dispensable. Every one must freely ex-
press his opinion and shout out at the top
of his voice his arguments before any
concessions are made.
1t is worth while to mention that des-
potism, the characteristic feature of the
Russian government, ~predominates also
here. The strongest and most %influen-
tial, as a general thing, are sure of car
rying out their schemes. With all the
apparent freedom of speech and ex-
preston OF opinion that every one in.
dulges in, it is not the majority. but
the strongest minority, that is the ruler.
There are cases on record Of a grenada
locking up their stubborn members, if
such We're looked upon as obstacles to
carrying out n certain scheme. What
the influential part of the grenada de
cides upon every one must consent to-
Skidelsky in Philadelphia Times.
Discrimination In Aiding Others.
Truly benevolent men must often III