Telegram-herald., 1889-06-08
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~. Countess Scaoyalod had cased -
~ erected q st1.cious summer lAauslons
AL thitlaer We rr1aired tor resi- and re-
culseratlon. after enjoying 10 the fullest
extent the esy Petersburg season ~
friends esr..te comprised Tie village 81
sA4lazubo@ a.
The morning after cur arrival "e i1aaa1e
: tour oi lile village. We slowly picked
.,,lr aay through the mui Of tAe Only
street II which Skalazuo1wk4 boastea
sntll Ne reached gne Apne of the
starshyna. ~ chief magistrate II the Vl-
lage. Arriving al the door ms rrlend
without ceremony entered The sisht
which met ouf eAes was, Il me II least,
r.,-uli.r The tafle, which occupied tie
entire length 0i The room, v a. surrounded
by persons of both sexes and various
degfe,s of relationship. Father, mother,
brothers, sisters. sOfss Law, daoS hters-
in-law and grandchildren were crowded
into this one apartment
At one end of the table was seat
ed the head of the family, 10y name
Ivan Stepanovitch Stepnoh. large. pow
erfully built man of perhaps % years.
On being told who / was lac acknowi-
edged my presence in tho gravest pos
sible manner, at the same time eying
me suspiciously.
was quite prepared for the treatment
| received, knowing fuil well the peas
ants antipathy IL the nobility. To us
they Justly attribute their past and pres
3, l...s.
affairs ours has ever been the hand Of the
oppressor. As time passed on. however.
and my visits were repeated. | had the
satisfaction Of knowing thai my presence
was not altogether unwelcome IN the
little home found in Ivan Stepnoff
much moro intelligent man than | ex-
pected. and one extremely well versed in
the literature of his country. IL was
during one of my visits 10 the starshyna
that | learned of a peculiar decision rem
dercd 10y the mir, or village commune.
The question involved was romantic
one, but no feelings of sentiment were
permitted to influence that august body.
Among the village swains were two
brothers, by name Alexandrovitch and
Michaelovitch SomoT, who had both
fallen in love with Maria Agapievna.
This proved an unfortunate affair and
called for the interference of the mir.
Alexandrovitch was small and slender
and rather delicate, while Michaclovitch
was tall and powerfully built. Love re-
ceived no consideration i'm the decision
of the mir, but to the brother strongest
and best able to support wife was the
maiden given. Maria, poor girl, had no
say in the matter, but | knew her heart
yearned for the delicate, gentle Alexan-
drovitch.
So the krasny sarafan, or red petticoat,
was begun amid the tears and lamenta-
tions of the poor girl, who piteously
begged that the preparations might be
delayed As long as possible. The krasny
sarafan Is considered an important ar
ticle of dress i'll the trousseau of every
peasant bride, as it is the last gift from
mother to child and an emblem of her
approaching wifehood. The day ap-
pointed for the wedding dawned bright
and clear.
Yet, while all without was joy and
gladnesS, in one little home sorrow
reigned supreme, for Maria Agapievna
was about to be sacrificed to unaiterable
law. About noon the guests began TO
assemble. The first to arrive was Nj
chaelovitch Somoff, the intended groom,
accompanied by the swat, bis relatives
and young friends. The swatka, al
ready in attendance at the brides home.
received them and transferred to Mi
cbaelovitch the brides dCwry, which
consisted of a couple of COWS and various
articles for household use. The bride,
accompanied by the swatka, her pa
rents, relatives and friends, next ap-
pcared, and triumphal march to the
church was begun.
About twenty droskies, driven trOika
fashion, followed the party. The horses
and, with their drivers dressed in holiday
attire, presented a picturesque and pleas
ing appearance. The girl friends of the
bride formed into a procession Of twos,
and singing the sad songs of the country
rs a sort of panacca for her approaching
loss of liberty, followed her TO the sacred
edifce, where the bridegroom received
her from her parents hands.
The marriage ritual of tho Greek
church is very similar To that OF tho
Catholic, with the exception of the in
terchange of rings, which takes place
when each in turn is asked if he or she
will take the other for life to love and
cherish. On reaching the husbands
house fun and fcasting began IN earnest,
and the quautityof vpdka (whisky) coz
sumed would sound Incredible To Amer
lean ears. Indeed. 1T Is considered an
insult to your host and hostess If YOU do
not give the god Bacchus full sway and
aid By becoming beastly drunk. The
revelry is usually carried on for two or
more DAYS, and dur it, continuance
tho people of the village become thor
oughly demoralized. Il was week or
ten days before the peasants settled down
to the routine OF daily life.
It was perhaps six months after the
scene Just described that / again met the
Countess Schovaloff in Psris. and on in
quiring the fate Of poor Maria learned
that she had not many months survived
the cruel sacrifice, and was now sleeping
peacefully in quiet corner OF the village
churchyard. s}ut what Of Alexandra
vitohf YOU naturally ask Well he dis
appeared one week before the wedding.
and reaching Petersburg joinei the vi
hiiist party there Bec0ning one e its