The broad ax., 1898-06-18
"WOMEN'S KINGDOM"
RUSSIA HAS A SETTLEMENT IN
FEMININE HANDS.
Men Absent Most of the YeAr-During
This Time the Wives. Mothers aud
sveethearts Enjoy Themselves &C Their
Cozy CIubs- ~ l

Champions of woman's rights viii be
glad to know that there is at least
one part Of the civilized world In which
their theories are accepted. as gospel
truth and In which the superiority OF
the gentle sex is amply demonstrated.
In the Russian province OF Smolensk.
which is a prominent country in White
Russia, this interesting state Of afiairs
exists. Smolensk is divided into u
counties or states, and one Of these
states is governed wholly by women,
says the New York Telegram. This
state is known far and wide as The
Women's Kingdom" II contains sew
eral small towns and it's principal OBJ
ject Of interest is the celebrated con-
vent OF Beskujow, to which thousands
OF pilgrims and mendicants used TO
wend their way during the last CEN
fury. The reason why 1t is called The
Women's Kingdom" is because the en-
tire male population emigrates from
the state each spring, in order to look
for work In Smolensk and in the other
large neighboring cities, and the WON
en- are left at home to look after all
state and domestic affairs. The men
are absent from home about nine
months each year, and during that
time the entire work Of the state is
done by the women. Agriculture is
the great industry Of the country and
month after month the stalwart women
labor in the fields. intent on securing
q good harvest. II they fail dreary
may be their lot during the winter,
for their husbands and brothers do not
always secure remunerative work, and
II costs money TO live In White Russia,
as everywhere else. But they seldom
fail and the statistics show that in this
respect THE Women's Kingdom" is
one Of the most prosperous states in
Smolensk. The women also attend to
municipal affairs, and all the local or
dinances and regulations are issued by
them. Each town has its mayoress
and board OF alderwomen there are
times when one must coin a word), and
at regular seasons there are communal
assemblies, at which the adult women
discuss, with becoming seriousness, all
matters of pubic interest. Business,
however, does not occupy all their
time. Being women, they naturally
can not do without healthy amusement,
and to their credit be il said they man
age to get a good deal OF fun out of
life. Instead Of sitting in silence be-
side their lonely hearths and bemoan-
ing the enforced absence OF their hus-
bands, brothers and sweethearts, they
say to themselves: Our men don't sit
and moan when they are away from us
and why should we? Let us enjoy our
selves,"
Most of their leisure hours are pass
ed in the club house, one Of which is
to be found in each town. Every wom-
an belongs to one Of these clubs, and
most Of them spend their time there
from 5 o'clock in the evening until
1870 to o'clock in the morning. They
talk, sing, drink tea. listen to music,
discuss the fashions and doubtless fire.
quently play few innocent games Of
cards. They can get the latest news
at the club, and they are sure to meet
all their friends and acquaintance
there. II they do not care to indulge
in conversation, they can read the
latest papers there, or they can write
long letters to their absent male rela-
tives. In word. the club is their
second home. and without 1t It is. din
cult to see how they could endure their
lonesome life.