The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-29
HOME LIFE In RUSSIA
An AMERICAN WOMAN TELLS HER
EXPERIENCE IN RENTING a HOUSE.
A Luxurious Exterior Is often .
Whftcd SepuIcher Hiding Domestic
Dry Bones and Miseries.
Philadelphia Inquirer.

life compel her TO live in R~usisa-writes:
The housekeeping here is very expressive
Of the real character of the people. When
/ first came all my preconceived ideas
seemed to be quite upset.
The first dinner we went TO was the
most beautiful thing 1 ever saw. Such
flowers. such gold and silver plate. such
exquisite porcelains and such beautiful
service. The table was a square Of oak as
black as ink, and as polished as marble.
Very wisely they had not hid its beauty
under a cloth. Its only covering was two
strips of splendid old altar lace laid along
each edge under the plates. Up the middle
OF the table marched twelve canjlesticks,
two and two. and these were of that lovely
Venetian glass which has the milky green
or shallow sea water thickly powdered
with gold dust. They were made in those
fantastic dragon shapes of which the
Venice glass workers are so fond, and the
shades were of delicate gold fligree, hardly
heavier than cobwebs, set over pale violet
silk. There were thirty or forty tiny gold
vases set about the table everywhere, filled
with white and purple double violets--just
careless little clusters. with long stems. and
a few leaves. 1t each plate stood a small
forest Of wine glasses, each one a gen of
the Venetian factories. making a charming
mass OF translucent color. milky green,
amethyst and gold. All the forks and spoons
and knives Were works of art, with handles
of gold, of carved ivory, of porcelain or of
the beautiful Russian enamels and. cisele
work.
Everything one touched, or handled. or
used in any way was a delight to the eye.
and the many men who served US simply
moved like shadows.
ENCHANTING WOMEN.
The women were the most beautiful,
high-bred creatures I ever saw-such grace,
such charm. such ease and the fuency
with which they slipped from one tongue
TO another without, apparently, knowing
any difference as to facility-in English,
German, French or Russian-fairly took
away ones breath. And then such gowns
and jewels. / have never seen women so
we'll dressed anywhere outside of America
The men weren't quite so nice. They had
heavy faces. and brushed their hair straight
up like a scrubbing brush in that odious
continental fashion. but they were quite as
brilliant and accomplished as the women.
and the effect of the whole was of the
last perfection OF civilization, luxury and
high breeding.
AT first it was all like that-everything
was so picturesque, so graceful and luxuri-
Gus that we congratulated ourselves on be-
ing obliged to live in Russia. We saw only
the pleasant side-the outside Of life. Final
~ we grew very tired OF living in a hotel
anu COnCIuueu We WOulQ rent Il furnished
house for the season. There was one which
had taken my fancy greatly. 1t was occu-
pied by people we knew and was particu-
larry picturesque.
had furnished it in a ssmi-Oriental fancy.
which pleased me tremendously. Since
Russian influence has become paramount
In Persia the best OF the Persians looms
confine themselves to supplying the Russian
market, and the walls of this house were
hung throughout with the most beautiful
rugs Il n40 ever seen. If made the most
charming picture when one went In out of
The bitter cold TO have a cup of afternoon
tea there, and was ushered into this draw
ing room. hung with these gorgeous mo
sales of color, wide. low divans ali round
the room. more splendid rugs under foot,
the samovar steaming on n pearl inIaid
table, low lights making a soft, rich gloom.
and a faint smell OF incense mingled with
the perfume OF the heaps Of dollhouse flow
ances were going to Paris and wanted TO
let their house as it stood / said at once /
would take 1t, without taking the precau-
ton of examining 1T.
UGLY REVELATIONS.
'sThe day after they left went over
from the hotel to have a look about and
see if there were any little r-earrangements
1 wanted made before moving in, and TO
order a thorough house cleaning. To my
Amusement / found no bed chambers.
but where did the family sleepg' 1
asked the woman in charge. oh, no place
in particular she replied, quite as il that
were a matter of course. wherever they
happened to be when they were sleepy.
Sometimes in the drawing room, sometimes
here; there are divans every where, you
see
But didn't they take off their clothes?
1 gasped in horror.
Generally; but one doesn't need a bed
chamber for that. One just rings for a
servant to bring some H~egligee or night
dress, and the same servant takes away
the clothes one drops OFF and fetches a
duret TO spread over one.
THAT was enough That dra wing room
had lost all its charms for me. Inquiry de-
veloped that when one woke I'D in these
haphaZard beds in the morning one called
a servant, VINO came with a breakfast
tray, and one ate where one had slept. In
this luxury and beauty the commonest ne
c~essities and conveniences were wanting.
With a sinking heart 1 made out a list as
long as my arm OF what it would be neces-
sary to purchase to make the house a pos
sible abode for an American. Then / took
up the subject Of housecieaning and sug-
gested that all the rugs had better come
down from the walls and be thoroughly
cleaned and shake before being hung IN
again. The servant was very dubious. They
had not been taken down for years.
".All the more need for it, then said I.
and lifted one corner only TO drop il again
with a cry OF disgust. Behind. these glowing
dwelling untold thousands of beetles.
reaches and creeping things not TO be
named. / gave one swift glance under the
divans. and. picking up my skirts. fed for
my life Apparently, for years. when the
rooms had been swept everything had
simply been pushed under the convenient
hiding place of the divans, and my hastv
inspection showed an indescribable colIec-
ton OF dust, hair, moldy crusts. dirty
gloves, combs. broken glass. pins, handker-
chiefs-any and everything that would ordi-
narliy be found in an American ash can.
Il finally realized that the whole incident
was very characteristic of Russian civ;iiza'
ton They are a people who say. Give ms
the fuxuries of life and We won't ask for
the necessities"
IL END OF HIS STRING.