Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-06-02

DcrS, ncrDS ana humps Oh salmon, with cOlu
kvaso poured over it-and drained my
glass of vodka, when l began II RETROSPECT
tive study of my notebook. The life of the
simple people of the stcppes along the Vol
ga is very varied in its everyday routine
From May to October their working year
dragS its slow length along. How would
the American labOrCr fancy Il working day
of Is hours duration? And this beneath
the rays of n sun almost tropical in its in
tensity. The long frosts of winter, fire.
qucntly lasting, without II thaw, for seven
consecutive months nccCSsitatc a suSpen
sion of all work, and the open months
must therefore be made the very most of.
All down the long reaches of tho river
the country is dotted with towns and vii
lagos, and seized the opportunity for visit
ing some of them. Here the primitive life
of the toiling moujik is seen to the best
advantage.
The Volga Peasantry.
A Russian village is quite Il pastoral
scene on u summer evening or during
the daytime when n holiday is on. The
old people sit around out of doors and Cos
sip, and the younger men and women join
in the khorovodor merrymaking held in
the village square. Yet they have not al
ways been SO very peaceful, for during the
reign of Nicholas l the serfS in the Nolga
villages rose in rebellion and INDUCED in
gross barbaritcs, actually roasting their
masters at the stake.
Besides the actual hardworkcrs among
the pcasantry, there is also large contin
gent of itincrants who toll not neither do
they spin. 1t is on the Nolga'S banks you
meet the curious object known rs the
bourlak. l SAW numbers of these fellows
at the places where the steamer put i'll.
The bOuvlak Squats on the ground and
half buricS his face in his hands, while all
the time he chants Il somewhat dismal
song. What it may he all about is usually
very much Of Il puzzle to the listener. With
my own knowledge of the Russian tongue
1 failed to recognize the Ilcaning of the
bourlaki songs The church itself supplies
some OF the most incurable Migrants to be
found in Russia. For Il longer time than
I can approximately estimate the Greek
church has been distin2 uiShrd for its over
crowded state | refer to the ranks of the
clergy, which are joined by moro men than
the country can support They find relief
from the cungGstCd state of the profession
in accepting the mission of aims collectors
for religious charitable institutions. In
this capacity they wander all over and lead
the most irresponsible kind of existence.
They are really little better than mcntli
cants, but have the call on the nonsaccr
dotal bCggar in being. despite their diSSi-
patcd habits, objects of vcneration to the
guilclcss moujiks. These clerical wander
ers are extensive patrons of the traktirs
(saloons). out no matter how drunk they
may happen to bc-a frequent condition
tho peasants will seek their bCncdiCtion
and receive it with every evidence of keen
appreciation of the precious gift they have
secured. Nuns will also he frequently en-
countCrCd who are on the same mission as
l.,N
ter, they tramp from post to pillar solicit
ing contributions for the support of the
church or its charities.
Life Of the PcaSantry.
The village communities of Russian
peasants deserve some attention here The
brief reference made to tho village life of
the Slavs in preceding paragraph requires