Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-08-20
4 Royal Magazine Writer.

aCarmen SYLVIA" who is the queen OF
Roumania, contributes an idyllic sketch
to The Forum. She writes of the fou-
manian peasant. Her sketch begins'
A sim as big again as in the rest of Europe; the
sky deep blue overhead, shading down TO white'
ON thu. horizon a shimmering curtain OF goiueh
dust cloud; green maize and ripening wnea' as
far as the eve can reach; and in the vast sun
srorehed solitude a single cart drawn by hack
buffaloes moves slowly on as though OF its own
accord though on closer observation the driver
viii be seen stretched prone on top oil MS nigh
piled load such is Rounania The team comes
To a bridge-for since King Charles began TO RUE
there are bridges But the peasant rises STANDS
straight M in his white blouse aud white breeches'
broad leather belt and felt hat, and drives MS
buffaloes past the bridge and almost perpendicu
larry down the steep bank into the water
The exquisite word painting continues
Here boy, with nothing on but an alb
breviated shirt and enormous lambskin
cap. hugs to his breast goose nearly as
big as himself. The married women all
wear white wells constantly from hef
wedding day. nobody, not even her nus
band. ever sees Roumanian peasant
woman's hair As a matter OF form.
bride is expected to cry little, when her
hair is rolled up tight and tucked under
handkerchief which is henceiorth TO
cover it during her earthly existence
Women who work in the fields wear ire
ouently felt hats like mon. but the hat
must be put over the white veil 10 die
unwedded seems to both men and women
the greatest misfortune that can over
take one,
The Roumanian peasants are unique
FreucI, fashions and modern ideas have
not reached them They are, therefore
the most picturesque and interesting PEG
pie of Europe Descended from the
Roman coIonists who settled the country
under Emperor Trajan, they preserve
still something of the noble carriage anc
dignity OF character of the ancient
Roman. They have aquilne features
and piercing black eyes. But they arr
mixed with other strains of blood, boil
| eastern and western. They are quite a
much Oriental as European. There arr
200. 900 gypsies among them. The Rou
manian language is Latin dialect. Bu
| the admixture of wilder, younger an'
warmer blooded races than that o
Rome has given to the people fervi'
poetic temperament The common pee
Pile speak naturally in metaphor.
! AN =.,,,cDs' lao rs |, q
| of an aged peasant woman OF graceful
and imposing presence.
II had two frs. but the tempest lai
them low" was the reply.
One day the queen visited seven school
in Little Wallachia "Never have see
at once so many strikingly beautift
eyes" she writes. The most incompt
tent school master surely never coul
spoil what the good God made SO pc
feet"
The genuine Roumanian is the lazie'
of mortals. In the morning he drinks
glass of whisky. Through the day !
has two meals. each consisting of son
corn cakes and couple of onions Tw
DAYS work in the week will keep hi
,, abundantly supplied with these! WI
, should he work longer? In point of fac
he does not and will not work longe
Happy philosophy! Jolly contentl VIII
!, to him are revolutions and the contes
q of labor and capital? Ee owes his co
o tent and security to the fact that Ro
mania is a thinly peopled country,
= Finally the masculine Roumanian
i not wildly devoted to wife and childre
q But he loves his mother passionately, al
), places her before every body else.