The herald., 1895-12-22
,chRtsrMzS n1z.keos
IN eoooL,A.

lie the popular belief that the peasantry Of
Russia are miserable, down-trodden race.
If they have troubles and sufferings they
forget them when Christmas comes around
ard are as lght-hearted and merry as any
people on earth.
The Star of the East is the pre.emlnent
symbol of Christmastide in the Ukraine
district. 1t can be seen moving across the
snow-covered hills and roads of the
Ukraine in numberless professions. The
star is tho guide of hundreds of childish
professions in honor of the blessed festi-
val. AS soon as midnight is near and the
blue sky blending above the snow fields
is sown with stars, companies of boys set
forth. One marches at the bead with the
sacred symbol in the shape of a lantern
cut into star form and mounted on the end
of stick. The transparent paper which
concenls the candle is painted with a
scene from Bethlehem. A young guard,
armed with a halberd, marches beside the
holy ikon, and behind him trudges another
boy carrying small painted theater on
his back.
At each farmhouse they halt and ask
permission to give a performance, which
representing the three kings are shown;
and some couplets are sung about the ma
tivity After the spectacle and songs, the
little artists take up a collection.
In some sections of the Ukraine, the pro-
cession of children is less sacred in charac-
ter A few boys disguise themselves as
animals, and, held in leash by their COM
panions, they 60 from farmhouse to farm
house, giving grotesque entertainments.
The stork and the bear are the creatures
principally portrayed, and they sometimes
sing comical couplets together. The great
wooden doors of each house are thrown
open, and the whole family assemblies in
gala costume upon the threshold.
Another and a curious Christmas night
custom in Russia is the choosing of the
fiancee, which might, one would think, now
and then lead to some serious misadven-
lures. On Christmas eve the gift tree is
set up in the house of the chief official of
the neGhborhood, and all worthy persons
In the village are invited. At given time
all the unmarried women leave the festivi-
ties and 90 and take their seats on benches
in shed. There their faces, arms and
shoulders are swathed in linen, SO
as pretty, effectually to conceal
their identity. and after time young
peasants are admitted one by one in
search of their girls. Each is betrothed to
the girl from whose brow he lifts the veil,
and the engagement cannot be broken
without the payment by both lovers of
heavy fine to the village fund.
Dut So atrOlt are THO IIlitlQeUS IN giving
some sign OF identity to their SWANS that
the fines are rarely levied.
Armenia ordinarily is an interesting
place at Christmas time, but it will be q
sad festival for. tens of thousands of the
people of this trouble-torn country this
year. "
One of the unique Christmas customs of
the country is that practiced by the young
girls and women. They climb to the fiat
roofs of their houses, and, placing plates of
corn cakes in the sun, they watch the
crows, or "choucas," as they are called,
always lowering near.
If crow plunges down on piece of
corn cake and flies away out of sight with
the prey in its greedy beak, then the young
girls happiness is gone for the year.
But If the bird flies only a little way and
lights on neighboring roof, then it is from
beneath that roof that she expects her hus-
band to come within the year.
Christmas in the churches of Spain and
Italy is always the time for some of these
wonderful pageants which seem to have