The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-02-02

I, wax tapers, and the belief is that the
taper which first burns out marks the
one first 10 die. In the upper circles
there is the wedding-ring and the cere-
mony pledging faith and fealty, much
the same as in America While the
latter part of the ceremony is taking
place mixed wine and water is passed
TO the assembly. After the ceremony
the priest and bridal couple walk three
times around the maloy. where rest the
cross and gospels. When the exhorta-
ton is said the pair must kiss three
times. Then there is a benediction,
and the bride and bridegroom go to-
gether and kiss all the holy pictures on
the iconastos. The whole proceeding
occupies half an hour.
If the marriage is in society circles
feast follows at the house of the
brides parents. and the guests get
drunk. If the marriage is in the
families of the p6asantry the bride
groom leads the bride to his home.
There, on the steps to the home, his
parents stand to greet them, and they
are blessed with bread and salt. While
this is going on some of the neighbors
present give them milk to drink and
pour over them barley and down. The
first is in hope that the children of the
couple may be white, Instead Of black,
and the second that the nesly-mated
ho, ,.-lx
Russian husbands and wives fight like
dogs and cats. The couple enter the
house and review the customary
courtesies and retinue- They sit down
on bench. and the mothcr-in-law or
some other female relative removes
the handkerchief which covers the
blushing brides face, braid her long
tresses and places upon her head a
married woman's head-dress.
1t is now late at night, may be, but
n wedding breakfast " is served
with great spirit. Originally, it was
the custom, among the peasants, for
the bride and bridegroom to retire
during the breakfast Then, as now.
all men on all occasions wore boots,
and, although then, as now, every
bed-chamber had a boot-jack. the
bride must pull off her lords boots.
Before the marriage ceremony he fixed
n scheme to determine her lot in life.
In one boot he secreted the surplus
gold and silver coin he possessed. If
the bride pulled the boot possessing
the valuables first, she not only got
the money but immunity against ever
drawing her husbands boots in the
future. If, however. she first got
hold of the boot not containing the
money. she was subject to her hus-
bands whims. If he choose to use
her hands for a boot-jack at any time
he was licensed to do so and she had
no recourse.
OF course, in the higher grades of
Russian circles the customs partake
more of the American and English.
But in the country and among the or
binary folks the olden-time usages are
observed even now. The wife is eN-
pected to stay at home and look after
her many children and know nothing.
The fasts and festivals of the church
afford about the only relief from mo-
notony Russian wife ever finds. Liv-
ing away from the world, it is no Won
der the Russian women so often de-
pend upon the witchcraftery of women
medical advisers for their physical
cures, and have so many superstitions
about spiritual ailments. All Russian
women are superstitious, and the per
cent of those educated is probably
lower than any other civilized women
in the world.
An American in Russia must exercise
great care and deliberation in acting
upon letters, notes and invitations re-
ceived from his Russian friends. He
would do we'll to consult q native.
Should he receive missive making an
announcement like this:
"Mikel Strokof sends his compliments
and hopes you may live long"
the recipient must not take it for grant
ed that a call is desired. or that adinner
or theater-party is on hand, for it
means that a. Mikel Strokoff' is dead,
and that this is the Russian way of an
nouncingit The proper thing is to di-
rect a note to the deceased at his
late residence, expressing regret at the
death, and wishing that the Kingdom
of Heaven may be the home OF the de-
parted.
Every church in Russia has an army
of monks, who have renowned all
physical effort to make a livelihood.
and when death occurs they go out
and announce to the immediate neigh
borhood the sad event They prepare
the body for burial, get the under
taker, keep the candles burning for
three days and nights, read the pray
ers almost continually over the corpse
and see that the tlowers-generally of
porcelain. wax or paper-are placed
just so on the catafalque. The corpse
is never left alone, and thus the
monks are serviceable as watchers.
Many of the monks are professional
mourners, and if the deceased is with
out friends the mourning will be at
tended to just the same.
Finally the funeral day arrives.
Friends and neighbors collect at the
house of the deceased to say their final
farewell This done o procession is
formed. Some proceed before the
corpse bearing candles and crosses
and to church they 90. Every body