Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-07-25
RUSSIAN WEDDINGS.
SOMEPECULIARITIES ABOUTTHEPRASANTS'
MARRIAGES.
The Tender COushp in the Stable by the ParobOk Of
His Dysyka-FsstivitisS Of The Wedding Cere-
mOny-Then Borsch with Pork.
8 6 s.iie,ssy in PEzadeIphia Times.

but its contents" saysa Russian proyerb,
which, simple though it is, implies great
philosophical and practical truth. The
constant pressure of everyday necessities
on the one hand and its direct result, the
absence of higher interests and purposes in
life on the other sufficiently account for the
peasent being cool, calm and reserved even
on occasions when people of higher civil
ization would undoubtedly display their
better and softer natures. In selecting 4
companion for life the Russian parObok
young fellow is generally guided by the
advice of his parents, or elders, and by the
conventional standard of what peasants
wife should be. According to his ideal she
must, in the first place, be of a strong and
hearty constitution, not afraid of hard
work, willing industriOus-in short, must
in every regard fulfill the hard duties which
her future home may impose upon her. In
the second place, she is supposed to become
absolutely the slave OH husband. What
ever tire lOrd-huSband decides upon the
slave-wifc must consent TO, else i'll treat
ment in its various brutal forms Is sure to
follow the poor woman till death puts an
end to her wretched life.
A pretty face is a matter of secondary or
no importance whatever to the peasant,
who, using his own words, is mot TO put
his wife on the market for sale" The
promptneSs with which 4 girl binds the
sheaves in the field is sufficient to enchant
the wealthieSt Of the peaSantsin the village.
1t wins her n good many admirers among
the parobOkeS, even of the surrounding vii
lagos. Such girl, ugly though she may
be, stands good chances Of making proiita-
BILE and advantageous match--that is, of
securing q home where she is sure that
fresh rye bread, bOrsch, salt pork and such
like delicacies will always adorn her table,
A comparatively well-to-dO peasant is often
seen to marry a poor and rather ugly girl
! because the latter answers the ideal stand
ard.
When once a parobol;-with his parents
! consent of course
HAS MADE Up HIS MIND TO MARRY
a certain girl nothing can make him go
back on his decision. DiSregarding any
obstacles that may happen to be i'll his way
| he is us firm us a rock in carrying out his
! purpose. Whenever an opportunity of See
| ing the sweet object offers itself To him, il
! is generally taken advantage OF, and thus
something like courtShip springs up be-
| tween the young lovers. This, however, is
of no long duration, and is OF the simplest
! character. The parObOk frequently visits
his dyevka, but this is generally done when
the parents of the latter are in the land OF
dreams 4 stable or pig shed, Il corner
of which is often found to be occupied by Il
peasant girl rs Il summer residence, answers
! the purpose of reception room or parlOr.
/ 1t is there, in that impoverished parlOr,
where young lovers reveal their hearts to
| each Other. 1t is there amid the darkness
and silence of the night, with nothing to
| be seen and nothing to be heard, except
possibly the snoring of 4 pig, which upon
| such AN occasion falls like the sweet sound
of music upon the ears of those engaged in
amorous conversations, it is there that Il
peasant may for once in his life feel inSpir-
ed. Indeed, that diSagrceablc and appar-
antly inconsequcntial snoring of the pig is
often a source of great pleasure and inSpira-
| ton for the peasant. 1t is, i'll its way, an
| aria which often reminds him of days gone
! by. an aria which fills his heart with hope
and glory for the future! But here too,
pratical talk about everyday rural life pre-
! dominates. The discussion of days work
or the good or bad qualities ola horse COW,
"A pig and 80 on, is not at all unlikely To be
I the topic of conversation between lovers
When once the mOmentary inspiration has
vanished neithcra word, nor an expression
in the face of either the paroboli or the girl
signifies anything beyond the ordinary dry
transaction Of practical business.
As the reader can see for himself, the
peasant enters the bonds of matrihlony for
no other reason on earth but that of secur-
ing a Woodworking slave. But a few wise
savings of his own will illustrate his views
of married life more i0rcibly than any mere
| description: "A Woodworking wife
Is LIKE 4 GOOD MILKING COW;
one supplies with milk, the other with
| linen" a diSObcdicnt wife is Ikea wild
horse: the more llShCS she gets the tanner
she becomes" "rO love wife is TO strike
her on every suitable OCCASION And to
strike wife on every suitable occasion,
almost on the day after marrying her, is in
deed no novelty among the peaSantry. /
| remember a case where a peasant nearly
choked his wife to death in his desperate
anger because she allowed herself, after 4
years hard saving, to buy some calico for 4
SUNDAY dress. know an old couple, par
ents of anumbcr of grOwn-up children, who
ut certain seasons in the year, as regularly
! us clOCk-wOrk, are intoxicated. Everything
/ that is found in the house is taken to the
| tavern and exchanged for vodka, and thus
/ by the time they begin to realize their hor-
| rid position good portion of linen, grain,
| flour and eggs is gone. The husbands an
! ger then knows no limits, and the poor fee
| bic wife, who probably is the least to
! blame, suffers from her lord all insults i'm
aginablc. know of Il quiet and peaccable
Young peasant, who after being constantly
ridiculed by his comrades for being too
/ lcnient with his wife, for allowing her to
too much to say, slapped herface upon one
solemn occasion in the presence of his
friends merely Tor the sake of denying this
degrading accusation and establishing his
reputation as her master Such is the lot
of peasant woman. She IL perfectly
aware of the i'll treatment awaiting her in
her future home, yet she is satisfied and
resigned to her fate.
Oftentimes however, it happens that a
peasant marries not only without having
the faintest idea of the girls character, but
almost without havinga chance To exchange
few words with her. This is generally
done at the time when, for some reason or
other, there is no possibility OF marrying
any of the girls of his own village and
when marry he must. On fine morning
the bridegroom, dressed up in his best
wooden svitka, with the brightest red sheep
skin belt, high sheepskin hat and newest
of boots, may he seen proudly starting out
in company with few elderly and eXper-
fenced peasants engaged for the purpose by
the bridegrOOm'S parents
IN SEARCH OF A GOOD GIRL.
No house containing girl is passed by.
Upon entering the house the wile-hunt-
ing party say few words Of customary
salutation, such as health to you, good