The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-12-17
AMONG WOMEN'S CLUBS.


| European RUSSIA ana Stlld mat OF the
women OF that vast country she would
refer only TO What IL called Great and
Little Russia. In this connection the
FAMILY life among the Russian Peas
| ants was described ana the fact was
| brought OUT that Among the Great
Russians as among the Little Russians.
the women. especially the daughters
are not ap integral part OF the family
| or community as regards property.
The daughter is only "A temporary in
| mat of the fathers house which she
| is To leave some day to rollow ahusband.
| The wife herself claims no share i'm
| the common fiend even while she has
| the interna management of the home
The woman really has no claim on
| the property OF either her fathers or
| her husbands family"
The old patriachial manners contrib
uted as much as serfdom to the abase
| ment OF women, whose subol dinate
condition is the ugly side of popular
| life in Russia
In the high classes the woman Is. I'm
culture, bringing up and manners. the
mans equal: in fact she often is or
seems superior TO him."
Continuing, the paper treats OF the
somewhat bygone custom lin Russia)
or wife treating and quotes n number
of popular sayings on the subject. such
as "A good husbands blows do not
hurt long and the popular songs are
full of references to the same custom.
Peasant husbands have not relin-
qulshed this patriarchial preogative. es-
pecially where tipsy, amusingly con
tinues the narrative. and the father
in-law until quite recently joined i'm
with the stick The peasant stnl finds
II diftclt To grasp the idea that any
body should have any business To dis
pute his right of chastizing the wife
a 4 asaf oft
the justice OF the peace for this offence.
Kept repeating I'm reply 10 all reproof
why! she is my own. Whom, then, is
one To beat?'
a contrast down between Great and
Little Russia as TO the comparative
position OF women showed that i'm Lit
tie Russia her lot has more OF the hu-
mane element and affection PLAYS "a
greater part In wedlock, tho even then
her existence is not an enviable one,
but. continues the paper, "A better time
Is dawning. The emancipation is not
for man alone. Already in the villages
the mother of adult children enjoys
very substantial respect"
In conclusion the paper dwells at
length upon the life OF the Russian
woman as related and connected with
Nihillsm, and also describes the great
changes that have been made in af-
fording educational opportunities To the
women OF Russia, so that now univer- !
sity courses i'm all branches. including |
medicine, are open 10 women.
Mrs. Albert II. Greenes paper was an |
admirable retrospective OF Russian lit |
erature from remote times down To the |
present. In beginning the earliest |
specimens of Russian literature, the I
Bilini," or Tales OF the Olden Time"
were described with the'r. divisions into |
cycles as follows: Q) That of the older
heroes: CD that OF Vladimir, prince of
kfel: go that OF Noygorod (D that OF I
Moscow; CD that of the Cosacks; 90 |
that of Peter the Great. and (O the
modern period. The literature belong
Ing To these several cycles was de-
scribed, that of Peter the Great taking
for continues the paper,
there are many songs on the achieve
nents of this wonderful czar and also |
)ne on his death"
The long series of chronicles extend
ng with only two breaks To the time
Df Alexis, father OF Peter the Great
he sermons OF Cyril, bishop Of Turoff:
he establishment of the@printing press
AZ MOSCOW in 1858 and it's influence
ipon the literature of the time. Polotzki
ana his influence in introducing the
'ulture Of the west into Russia, We're
'ach part Of the general theme and
we're clearly brought out. Continuing.
/
when all things We're changed. when |
russia was 10 leave her chronicles.
'tc.. and adapt the forms of literature
lsed in the west. In this connection |
he remarkable writer's of the time OF
'eter the Great-Feofane, who was one
II the chief helpers of Peter in the
ause of education: Pososhkoff, who /
Produced valuable work on Poverty
ma Riches" Kantermi, who wrote |
ome clever stories Alexander Push
i'm, the Russian poet and. and others
we're noted. Particular mention was
nade of the eminent Russian poet. Ler-
1Sli-4l, who left so many ex- y
ulsite lyrics and the novel, entitled "A
Zero Of Our Times
Coming down 10 modern times.
'icholas Gogol CHE irst Russian novel
y disunction) and his great romance
Dead Souls which appeared in 1871,
'ere themes OF intense interest
Ivan Turgenieff. the most eminent
russian novelist. and his stories, ''The
.nnals of a Sportsman" Fathers and
ons, Smoke and Virgin Soil" were
onsidered.
Lastly, Count Liof Tolstoi with whose
'orks we are more or less familiar)
anne under consideration. particularly
Is novel. Anna Karenina."
The paper concludes with an inter-
sting account OF Tolstoi's theories and
lanncr of living. and depicts also some
rikng characteristics Of the Russian
eople as a whole.
Upon the conclusion OF the paper Miss
usan a.. Dodge Of the Rhode Island
ioman's club. who Is we'll known also
: n lecturer among women's clubs.
'ad I'm her own delightful way selec-
ons from Tulstofs novel OF Anna
arenina," and from the works OF
icholas Gogol.
That large and representative club
our state federation. the Round Ta-
e club, or Woonsocket. is indeed to
= congratulated upon their meeting
December 49, when Mrs. May Alden
ard the president OF the far famed
club. of Cambridge whom
] Rhode Island club women remem-
n with pleasure, lectured before them
Arion hall upon Spain in the 18th
sntury.' The lecture gives a resume
the history OF Spain during the 10Th
injury. showing the influence OF the
0urbon rule. The abstract is as fol-
ws: The unparalleled degeneracy of
e Bourbons and their devotion TO per
nal ends instead OF TO the interests
Spain is the best comment possible
1.a "a.