The state herald., 1897-12-24
RUSSIAN SOLDIERS.
THEIR LEADING TRAITS.
They Know How to Obsy. Live Frugaily
and Form an Inviicibls Fighting ma


and Form an Invincibis Fighting ma
chine.
Recently saw one Of the most Inn
pressive sights 1t has ever been my lot
to behold. i was In the town Of Sama-
ra, On the river volga, In eastern Rus
sia. had 5ust rung for the samovar
for our breakfast when heard sound
outdoors like the tramping of many
feet. went to the window and looked
out.
Down the street 1 saw marching to-
ward us the first body of Russian SOL
dlers ! had ever seen. At the very
first glance they impressed me most
strongly. The tall redcoats of Great
Britain, the crack bersaglieri of Italy,
Germnny's countless troops, prim and
trim to affectationy-none Of them re,
sembled these Russian soldiers. The
Cars men had no bright uniforms, no
shining accoutrements, no smart caps
Of jackets. Their clothes were Of a
rough brownish cloth. There were no
gilt trimmings, no brass buttons even,
nothing to show a soldiers uniform ex-
cept that the clothes We're all alike and
trimmed with u little braid. Across
their backs were slung their blankets,
and every other man carried tin tea
pot
The infantry troops of most Of the
European. countries. must wear nous
taches, and must be elean-shaven other
wise, but of these Russian soldiers all
wore boards. 1t was- not the trim,
pointed beard Of western Europe, eth
er, but the full, tawny-colored beard
that Is SO characteris,ically Russian
the beard that comes from never shay
ing, that helps to-keep man warm
when the thermometer is thirty degrees
below zero.
Presently I. looked around for the
band. There was none. And l saw
why. For in moment / heard the
faint. notes of sipgle fife and then
suddenly the whole troop burst into
singing. That was their music 1t
made me think OF the times when prim-
tive peoples went forth to battle sing
ing, and l felt, as have SO often felt
in Russia, that l had been carried bod
lily back hundreds of years in the
worlds history. The song Of these
march, and like chant, strong and re-
sounding, and with risings and fallings
that gave 1t n stratge force.
d
the look of rugged hardness and en-
durance, of solidity and power, of i'm
perturbable determination, that. these
men possessed. AS they marched by,
keeping step to the time of their war
song, l began to realize why 1t was
that nations called Russia the ''peace-
maker of Europe why Germany and
France and Austria WED with one an
other in seeking the favor of the great
Slav empire. Russia is composed of
100 nations, from the Lapps of north
ernmost Scandinavia TO the Persians
Of India. In trip OF 500 miles along
the yolga L have passed through the
country of fourteccn different peoples
all Russian.
No victory gained over Russia would
be augfiht but barren one. Was any
victory ever more triumphant than that
, over the Russians bp Papoleon? Yet
did any defeat ever bring more ruin
and destruction In It's path than that
self-same victory? And is there any
nation to-day that would care TO under
take the invasion Of this empire. now
many times stronger than when the
great Corsican found ruin In its con-
quest?.
After all, 1t Is the people themselves
that give Russia her great military
strength. About 90 per cent. of this
people are. mouzhiks tpeasants), who
live life that would be one of intoi-
cradle hardship to the lowest class of
people In the United States, yet that
TO the mouzhik is one Of comfort and
plenty. The Russian peasant-and the
soldiers are simply peasants doing tenn
porary military servicc-lives on tea
and black bread for breakfast, ten and
soup for dinner and tea and black
bread for supper. This is his fare ey-
cry day In the week and every week
in tie year. And he likes 1t. His
clothes are the toughest and fewest
ina Unable. A cotton shirt and trous-
-