The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-05-28

The most valuable parts Of this volume are
the chapters descriptive of q Russian village
community. and 1t is these to which we shall
conlne ourselves. many years having elapsed
since we reviewed Mr.. Wallace's observations
on the subject. 1t is a typical village commu-
nifty which We naturally desire to see. and. to
that end. Mr.. Whishnw invites us to visit
Ruchee. which is not far from st. Petersburg.
AS you approach the village. you sec before
you a long straight road. with wooden huts
built ut uneven distances along each side. In
the middle OF the village the road takes a dip
down and up again. the loves point being m
extremely rickety bridge. consisting OF
wooden planks insecurity nailed to piles
driven into the bed OF the tiny stream which 1t
spans. A few yards before you reach tho first
hut you encounter q post with n notice hoard
upon 1t. The legend run. "Ruchee. 40 souls"
Puzzled by this phrase one inquiries concern
ing 1t and discovers that a soul is a man and
not q woman. Women have no souls accord
ing to the code Of the Russian official district
tax collector. for whose benefit the notice
board exists. The men have all the souls. for
they pay all the taxes. But as n man child as
soon as he Is born Is reckonsd n soul.
some Of the f~orty-six souls credited to
Ruchee may be infants. 1t is necessary to sot
up those Official statistical posts because the
tOt6l huOuuL Vi lax IIHpCSeu upon u NlllHRtu Us
its payment for the use Of ths communal land
depends upon the numher OF souls" alive In
the village at the date of tho last Government
revision. The distribution. however. OF the
land among the souls Is looked after within
the village itself. without Interference from
outside. and Is guided by considerations OF
equity rather than by strict rules. 1t Is evil
dent that to saddle a family Of small male
babies with tho shares OF land and concom-
liant taxes. for which. as souls" they are re-
sponsible. would be as unfair as to expect q
widow with one son and five strapplng daugh-
ters to live on the single share Of land to which
alone. as possessing but ono soul among them.
they are legally entitled.
But. before examining tho internal constltu-
ton OF tho Russian mir or village community.
let us follow the author into his typical village.
At the very entrance we are greeted with a
tremendous barking Of dogs. Every hut sesms
to have contributed a cur. and every cur looks
IS II he would eat you up II he had time for
anything besides barking. A stone deftly
aimed. however. produces a wonderful effect
upon the Russian village dogs. They are not
brave. Only one is struck. but his sorrow Is
pitiiul to witne ss Us he disappears full gallon
down the street. going very much faster and
further than the occasion demands. the sight
and the pathetic sounds Of his yelps quickly
dt6COuraglnR tnb rest VINO trOC nome again.
with q mourning aspect about the tail. A lot
OF small children rush shrieking and shouting
from the first hut as you pass II. but stop dead
on seeing you. They stare In silence until you
have proceeded ten yards or so. when they set
up a chorus of BARN dai kopaykoo" tgive us
q kopeck. mister.
Between the houses one can catch glim pses
OF the fields which seem to be divided with
mathematical accuracy into long strips. Upon
these strips Of land red-shirted peasa nts and
women are hard at work. II. by chance. 1t Is not
q holiday. and the villagers are actually up
and about In point OF fact. at least half the
week In Russia is holiday OF so pronounced u
kind that 1t is considered wicked to do work OF
auy sort. As 1t generally takes a day or SO to
recover from "a Russian holiday. which is spent
brawiipg over vodka In the village traktir or
drinking shop. little time remains Tor work.
At the time when YOU visit liuchee with the
author the hay Is lust ready for cutting. and
you observe that out on yonder huge field Of
waving grasses OIL occasional strip Is already
cut, one long patch here and another there