St. Paul daily globe., 1889-09-01
FLIRTATIoNs IN RUSSIA.
BUSINESS and Political Questions
Discussed by Young People of
Both Sexes.

BUSINESS and Political Questions
Discussed by Young People of
Both Sexes.
Of course f1irtations are going on on
every side. There is not a girl on hand
but who, at the end of the season, would
have found her special affinity" Yet
there is such radical difference be-
tween Russian and American flirtations
as TO make the Russian article almost
unrecogniZable to the American. Social
life in RuSSia-eYen in large centers of
populatiOn-iS cast on such lines as con-
Stantly to throw the men and women to-
gether; family men are in the habit of
bringing their unmarried friends to
their homes. Here social and business
questions, as well as politics, all such
topics as are considered of interest to
men alone, are freely discussed in the
family circle-moStly over the tea-table.
The girls. as well as the women, get
to be thoroughly versed and interested
in the most serious of life's problems,
and, as occasion offers, turn out splen-
did heIpmeets to men in all their under
takingS. No matter what social or po-
litical question is brought uppermOSt
by the times, 1t is thoroughly discussed
IN the presence of women, and the
mems course frequently is modified ac-
cOrding to the wOmen'S suggestions. So,
in their f1irtatiOnS, then, the younger
the two kindred spirits, the more they
vie against each other in Stringing up
their talk to the most serious topics;
their idea is that love may make them
womanish and handicap their. useful
ness in their chosen sphere of action.
AS soon. however, as couple of
lovers come to an understanding,
they begin to lay plans for life's work
in common. The future does not ap-
pear to these enthusiasts in any other
form than that of wide field of duties
toward their lower, oppressed brethren.
A Russian girl of liberal tendencies
ScOrnS the, idea of being supported"
by her husband. And again. it would
be difficult to find young people in Rus
Sia nowadays who would be willing to
pledge their love to one another for
ever and ever" as was the custom of
sentimental lovers of former times.
Their acknowledged ambition, however,
is to be "hOneSt" before anything else,
and they promise to deal fairly with
each other, and not to treat each
other with rechauffe sentiment
when there is nothing else to
offer. When the ardor of love gives
out they are prepared to remain true
and fast friends. 1t is understood. nev.
erthelesS, tht were a stronger, uncon-
querable passion to assert itself in either
| of the two for another, then the ethics
of the young 'Intelligencia" woul d
| command the unlOved husband husband
or wife to commit a peculiar kind of
| harl-kari-giYing his or her partner full
| liberty of choice. Though the Greek
church is strongly set against divorce,
and there is no other but church mar
riage recognized by Russian laws, there
| is kind of pride among liberal minded
young married people which impels
them not to employ love and company
| on one who refuses to appreciate it.
Not long since still stranger ideas
were popular among the educated Rus
sian young people. A few years ago it
was by no means an uncommon thin e
for two young enthusiasts to marry on a
| firm understanding never to assume to-
ward one another the relations of huS-
| band and wife. This transaction, though
| taking the form of a church wedding,
was called a Fictitious" marriage, and
was generally resorted to to help lib
eral-mlnded maiden who had not yet
reached her legal majority to throw of
the tutelage of unsympathetic parents
or tutors. and to acquire the right to
| dispose of her estate or her money at
her own will. since in Russia married
woman-no matter how young and in
experienced-is perfectly independent
from her husband in her property
| rights