The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-05

But everybody OF consequence wants to
ioin the procession of sledges that speed
through the fashionable streets, no matter
how cold the weather. II really Is brill
liant sight to see those sledges with their
gay trappings and bright robes and cush-
ions dashing over the snow to the musical
jinging of sleigh bells
1.-THE national vice? Drunkenness. ] sup
pose that the severe cold is accountable
for 1t. Even a temperate Englishman likes
a whisky toddy to warm him, you know,
after he's been out in a singing blast.
Because of their Incorporate habits,
Russian servants are a great trial to us
English people. We find that we can't re-
ly on them at all. They not only drink
but they cheat and lie, and steal, IL they
get chance. And then they are so fear
fully extravagant. Provisions are cheap
there in comparison with what they are
in England-particularly meat-but the
servants are so wasteful that nothing is
gained by that fact. The Mahometans are
the best servants we get there.
Even people who can. afford to bring
their own servants along with them from
England are obliged to have at least one
Russian servant in the house. He is plac-
ed there by the government as a sort OF
spy. He knows who comes in and who
goes out. what are the pursuits of the
family, and for what purpose it Is residing
in Russia. If any one In the house i9
Matching nihllstic schemes or harboring
guests of nihilistc tendencies, he must be
clever to conceal it from the knowledge
of the resident government servant.
Il have lived in Russia six years. But
1t seems like sixty. 1t has been a sort of
social exile. We foreigners who are not
in the diplomatic service see little of the
real Russian life, and are thrown almost
entirely on our own resources for amuse-
ment. We are usually there for CONNER
cial purposes, and we go about our busi-
ness without coming in contact with the
natives of our own class.
The Russian of the upper ten is no
less dlssipated than the ordinary droskhe
driver though in a different way, of
course. He never works at all. He gets
up about noon, after first having had his
coffee In bed, lunches about /, and then
drives out. He dimes late, has tea at
or 10, and about midnight goes to some
fete or ball, which, of course, is barbaric
in it's splendor
Lately the Russians have been having
a severe and prolonged attack of anglo
mania. Formerly they worshipped every
thing that came from France. Now all
that is English has the preference. 1t Is
the custom in every great family to have
English nurses for the children. Ladies
hold the position and are treated most
deferentially. Such a lady is simply the
head of the nursery, with force of
maids and governesses under her. She
drives out with the family and dimes with
them. Besides receiving fine salary, she
is loaded with gifts. She receives a new
gown every time there Is fete. 1 know
an Englishwoman who holds such a po-
sition, and who has to have an auction
every once in a while to dispose of the
things with which her employers have en-
numbered her.
~.
own language, all little Russians of good
birth have to know French and German
equally well. Linguistically, at least, they
are highly accomplished.
but the people of the lower classes live
In such abtect poverty and such unspeak-
able degradation. During the past year
have realized that keenly In trying to
obtain a good nurse for my little boy. /
hired a wet nurse from the interior. She
was physically a strong, handsome wo-
man, but oh, so stupid 1t was really
like having a COW I'm the house.
I'VE had to have another nurse to take
care Of the baby. She didn't know enough.
The wet nurse had to be taken out to
walk and watched over like another child
lest she might eat or drink something that
would injure the baby. We never allow
ed her to go out alone for fear she might
get drunk, nor to see her husband except
in the presence Of the other servants. He
was a horrible man. She had lived with
him and her large family all hudded to-
gether In a one-roomed hut in the county
until she came to our house. Her own
paby died. Her husband brought the news
one time when he came to see her, but
apparently It made no difference to her
She didn't seem to care for her husband
either She was like big, dumb. stolid
animal, content II she had enough to eat
and drink"
--Ruskin's favorite recreation Is chess,
and he devotes his evenings to It. Chess