The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1886-08-14
Life in Russia.
A SHORT SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND
CUSTOMS OF THE RUSSIAN
PEASANT.

thdN llt itdhtt ttiil lihdkiics NJ thc
time when the people of the western
countries Of Europe are advancing
toward more favorable stage of life
the Russian peasant remains in the
primitive state. The causes for such
n stagnation arc obvious-the bar
barrie oppression of the government
in all imaginable and unimaginable
ways and forms on one hand, and
on the other the absence of know
ledge, the only condition of individ-
ual and social progress. $50 long as
the rays of knowledge are obstruct-
ed by the thick and impenetrable
vail Of ignorance, so long as the
apostles of truth are kept in the
prison cells and Siberian mines, 50
long as our rising generation is train
ed initraditional ways, our popula-
ton will never be relieved of their
wretched life" wrote one of the most
prominent Russian critics in 1865.
Twenty years have passed and what
advance has the peasantry made =?
Absolutely none.
/ have lived among the Russian
peasants for over twelve years, dur
ing which time l had a favorable
opportunity of studying their life in
all itsphases. The Russian peasant,
although hardened by his circum-
stances, is naturally kind. No
stranger has as yet met with a re-
fusal of hospitality, be it to the ex-
tent of dry piece of bread or a
nights lodging in a little hut. 1--WE
must divide what we possess, " says a
simple Russian provcrb, which, be it
said TO the credit of the majority of
the population, is strictly adhered to.
The life of the Russian peasant is
full of misery and Indebtedness.
The constant 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 sufficient to
deprive him of all the enterprise and
ambition that are peculiar to the
more civilized and consequently
more happy nations. Total dark
ness 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 ne
reason seems able to extricate it
Any tale of the supernatural is taker
as a matter of fact and any matte
Of fact is looked upon rather scep
tcally. / can recall facts of shock
ing superstition that will to a Ger
tain extent illustrate the character O
the peasant. One happened in
small village in the vicinit,
of Kief On one dark, rain,
autumn night poverty-stricken oil,
man threw an infant into the rivel
or, as he said, handed it over to tn
Devil in exchange for a purse G
gold that he supposed was hidde
in a certain secluded place, and tina
conld not he found unles
some innocent human being wer
sacrificed. In another village sic
woman was checked to death by he
kind neighbors in their desperat
efforts to squeeze the devil out of he
throat. Furthermore, an old woman
n supposed witch, was beaten I
death by the villagers for bringing
pestilence upon the cattle throug
the aid and influence of the evil on
These are few of the incidents tn;
occur daily in the peasants life.
The American reader, can hardl
imagine anything more miserabl
more wretched, than the little hut
which IL family averaging six
seven members is often found Twin
Imagine little cave of five by fou
half of which is cut off by prin
tive large stove, dark and gloom
and that will be the sweet home
the Russian peasant Every inch
space is inhabited, so that, as ma
ter of course, the air is made poi
onous and intolerable, and this g
plains the frequent fatal diseases pr
vailing among the Russian peasa
try. Their daily habits and metho
of life are of the simplest charact,
Five o'clock in the morning, in
seasons, is generally the hour
which the family rises. The wom
Immediately begins to prepare breo
fst, which generally consists of
sourkrout, bects and potatoes, call
'borshrch and coarse rye bread.
large trunk, the only piece of fur
ture to be seen in peasants h
which at the same time serves a
table, is spread with a coarse Gov
and after saying prayer the head
the family followed by the rest of
members, occupies his seat Al
the "borshtch" pot is emptied cv,