Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-09-17
LIFE IN RUSSIA.
A Short Sketch of the Life and Customs of
the Russian Peasant.

the Russian Peasant.
The fe of the Russian peasant is the
most p'tiful, the most wretched that the
reader can imagine. At the time when
the people of the western countries of
Europe are advancing toward a more
favorable stage of life the Russian
peasant remains in the primitive. state
Ihe causes for such stagnation are
'bvious-the barbaric oppression of the
government in all imaginable and I'M
imaginable ways and forms on one
hand. and on the other the absence OF
KIN, Wedge, the only condition of in
dlvidual and social progress. so
long as the rays of knowledge are OBJ
structed by the thick and inpenetrable
vail of ignorance, so long as the apos-
ties of truth are kept in the prison cells
and Siberian mines, so long as our
rising generation is trained n tradi-
tional ways, our population will never
be relieved of their wretched life"
wrote one of the most prominent Rus
an critics in 1865. Twenty wears have
passed and what advance has the pe,s-
antry made? Absolutely none.
| have lived among the Russian peas
ants for over twelve years, during which
tine l had a favorable opportunity of
studying their LIE in all its phases. The
Russian peasant. although hardened by
ms circumstances, is naturally kind
No stranger has as yet met with re-
fusal of hospitality, be it to the extent
of dry piece OF bread or night $
lodging in a little hut. 1--WE must
divide what we possess" saws a simple
Russian proverb, which, be it said to the
credit 0, the majority of the population,
is strictly adhered to.
The fe f the Russian peasant is full
of m'sery and wretchedness. The con-
slant care and hard struggle for his
daily existence, the heavy taxes that he
is burdened with and which he is bound
to pay under any circumstances all this
is suific ent to deprive him of all the
enterprise and ambition that are pecu-
liar to the more civilized and con-
sequently more happy nations. Total
darkness and blind superstition
are the main features of his
character. The belief ia the evil
spirit as a mighty power, having
great deal to do IN the fate of every
individual, has taken deep root in his
mind and no reason seems able to ex-
tr.cate it. Any tale of the supernatural
is taken as a matter of fact and any
matter of fact is looked upon rather
sceptically. can recall facts of shock
ing superst t on that will to q certain
extent Illustrate the character of tho
| peasant. One happened in a small viii
lage in the vicinity of X ef. On one
dark. rainy autumn night poverty.
str cken old man threw an infant into
the river, or, as he said, handed it over
to The dev in exchange for purse OF
gold that he supposed was hidden in
certain secluded place. and that could
not be found unless some innocent -
man being were sacrificed. In anctaer
village sick woman was choked to
death by her kind neighbors in their
desperate efforts to squeeze the devil
out of her throat. Further more, an
old woman, supposed wiucn, was
beaten to death by the villagers for
bringing pestilence upon the cattle
through the aid and influence of the
evil one. These are few of the Incl
dents that occur daily in the peasants
| life.
The American reader can hardly
mag ne anything more miserable, more
| wretched, than the tile hut in which
family averaging six or seven members
is oft n found living. Imagine little
cave of five by four, half of which is cut
off by primitive large stove. dark and
Clio my, and that will be the "sweet
home of the Russian peasant. Every
inch of space is inhabited, so that, as
matter of course, the air is made pois-
| mi
pla ms the frequent fatal diseases pre-
vaiing among the Russian peasantry.
Their daily habits and methods of life
are of the simplest character. Five
o'clock in the morning. in all sea-
sons, is generally the hour at
which the family rises. The woman i'm
medately begins to prepare breakfast,
which generally consists of mixture
of sourkrout, beets and potatoes, called
''borshtch, and coarse rye bread. A
large trunk, the only piece of furniture
to be seen in PEASANTS hut, which at
the same time serves as table,
is spread with a coarse cover,
and after saying prayer the head of
the family followed by the
rest of the members, occupies his seat.
After the "borshtch' pot is cmptied
| every one goes out to MS work. LII 1t Is
winter time the men are engaged in feed
ing the cattle and the women in spin
ming their flax. Every one has his
hands full. A twelve o'clock dinner
is announced. Again "borshtch" on
the trunk table, followed by potfull of
boiled potatoes and plenty of coarse,
rye bread Supper consists of the rem
nants of dinner. On Sundays, how
ever, 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 fond Of
adorn the table. White bread, ten or
coffee are looked upon as luxury be-
yond the reach of the peasantry. 1t is
only on very rare occas:ons-if, for ex-
ample, any one in the family is sick =
that such luxury finds place in the
peasants home.
| After n davis yorl "a oyor tho pancant