The Opelousas courier., 1897-07-24
ADJUSTMENTS IN RUSSIA,
'lCE.HlLLINC" Is A FASCINATING
~ SPORT OF THE PEOPLE.

The Skating is Not SO Good, Owing to the
Poor E~Ce-Russians Are Very Fond OF
M~usic-Games in the Open 4iir-Throw-
ing Thick Wooden Clubs at Uprights.
The ~arlstocracy amuse themselves
ferry much In the same way as our own.
They shoot, theyloaf and play cards in
their clubs, they butcher pigeons out
Of traps, they have their race meetings,
they dance much and we'll; some have
yachts of their own. Many OF them
keep English grooms. and their Eng
llsh-when they speak it-for this rea-
son smacks somewhat Of the stable,
though they are not usually aware that
this is the case. Ii q Russian aristo-
crat has succeeded in making himself
look like an Englishman, and behaves
ike one, he is happy.
OF winter sports-in which, how
ever, but q small minority OF the Rus
sian youth care to take part-there are
skating, ice-yachting, snow-shoeing
md ice-hilling. The skating ought,
naturally, to be very good in Russia.
As a matter of fact the ice is generally
dead and lacking in that elasticity and
spring which are characteristic Of cGr
English ice. It is too thick for elastic
lty, though the surface is beautifully
kept and scientifically treated with a
view to skating wherever g space is
flooded or ali acre OF two of the Neva's
broad bosom is reclaimed to make q
skating ground. Some Of the Russian
amateurs skate marvelously, as also do
many Of the English and other foreign
residents. Ice yachting is confined
almost entirely to these latter, the ma
tives not having as yet awakened to
the merits Of this fine pastime.
Lce-hilling, however, at fair time
that is, during the carnival week pre-
ceding the ''long FAST OF Lent-is
much practiced by the people. This is
q kind Of cross between the switchback
and tobogganing. and is an exceedingly
popular amusement among the English
residents OF St. Petersburg, who sup
port an Lee Hill Club of their own and
repair to it weekly during toe winter in
order TO amuss themselves by diving
headlong down the ice slopes, and to
be amused by the attempts Of novices
to follow their example. I may assure
my readers tha5 ice-hilling is at once
the most a~ve-inspiring to beginners,
and the most charming Of all sports to
the expert that the mind Of man can
imagine.
Snow-shoeing, again, is a fine aud
healthful ~recreation; it is the "ski'-
running Of Norway, and is beloved and
much practiced by all Engliahmen who
are fortunate enough to be introduced
to its destinations. 1T is too difficult
aud requires too much exertio1, how
ever, for young Russia, and that in
dolent individual, in consequence,
rarely dons the snowshoe.
The Russians are q theatre-loving
people, AMI the acting must be very
good to lqease their critical taste.
Manysr-Tne theatres are[,peria'."
that is, the State ''pays Ge piper" if
the receipts of the theefe so protected
do not h>lanee ths1%penditure. In
paying for gc-1sEs, whether oper-
attic OR dramatic, the Russians are
most lavish.
Nearly every Russian is a natural
musician, and cannot only sing in tune,
but can take.a part "by ear" The man
with the balaieika or garmonka is al
ways sure of an admiring audience,
whether in town or village; and there
is not a tiny hamlet in the Empire but
resolves itself on holidays into a pair of
choral societies-one for male and one
for female voices-which either parade
up and down the village street, sing
ing, without, Of course, either conduc-
tor OF accompaniment, or sit in rows
upon the benches outside the huts, oc-
cupied in a similar manner.
Occasionally, but very rarely, you
may see a party of Russian children,
young men and women, playing in
the open air at one of two games. The
first is a variant Of prisoners base"
the other is a species of ninepins, or
skittles, played with a group of up
at which short, thick clubs
are thrown. The Russian youth
those who + energetic enough to
practice the game-sometimes attain
considerable proficielAsy with these
grim little weapons, and make wonder
full shots at a distance of some thirty
or SC. But while the Russian
Or any other youth is studying the art
of projecting the missiles, which are
heavy enough to break a head or
shin if the proprietor happened to be
knocking around within a short
walk, it is well to take up ones abode in
an adjoining parish and to get behind
good, substantial building, say a
church, for the game-playing Russian
is erratic to a fault in the early stages
Of his initiation into the mysteries of
any kind of pastime requiring SKILL
Journal.
The Chinook.