The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-12-03
RUSSIAN marriage
Everything Depends on the
Brides Outfit.
DAY OF "BENEDlCTlON" "
Parents Neeotlations-Her Posses
sons Carefully Examined by the
Groom's Family-lf Everything is
Not in Order Contract Is Broken
Off-Youth of Both.

Not in Order Contract Is Broken
off-Youth Of Both.
The only unmarried servant we had
l the establishment during my three
ears residence in Russia was my
hambermaid, Kacha-a nice, pretty
ID obliging peasant girl, who had
en- with me for about two years. For
ONE time | had observed that she
aemed discontented, and on one oc-
casion, asking her VIII she was not so
gay as usual, she replied that she was
nearly eighteen years old and not yet
married | had quite forgotten the
circumstance, when one night late,
hearing a great disturbance down in
the servants offices. | went to see
what was the matter. As | entered
the servants room all was confusion,
boxes were being opened, bundles
ransacked, dresses measured, boots
thrown about under linen inspected,
beads counted the Russian costume IS
never worn without as many as six TO
eight rows Of beads round the throat,
stockings examined, bed linen animad-
verted upon, icwelry valued, goloshes
felt, and fur mantles tried on.
This scene that I had been witness
ing was neither more nor less than a
preliminary before marriage. The
sturdy Old peasant sitting there was
the father of the young fellow who
had just gone out and he had come
up from the country to find wife for
his son. He had heard of this young
woman from a travelling peddler who
went every three months to Moscow
to replenish his pack, and who knew
half the girls by name who were in
want Of husbands. On the strength
Of this information from her peddler
the old peasant the father of the
father of the bridegroom elect, his
wi and son had come to Judge for
Themselves as to the eligibility OF
Ne Na's goods and chattels but. II
they had found any article or articles
wanting to the brides trousseau, there
would have been no marriage Every
thing depended upon the brides
clothes: but all was there. even to the
154 roubles OF the hard-earned savings
Of the peasant girl. SO she was to he
married! and she considered herself
fortunate in having a husband given
her; not that she liked him, for she
''ad only seen him for the first time
at day. He and his father, the old
7asant lived far away in the coun-
~; but rs the spring was coming on,
nd the old father would want some
0dy besides his own wife to help
"repare the earth for the seed to he
sown. the best thing was to get wife
for his son, and thus secure the help Of
another pair of hands during seed
time without the expense of extra
wages.
Friday came, the day Of "Benedic-
ton" Macha went about her work as
usual; she neither seemed anxious
nor nervous. AS she had been a good
servant, we were all going to honor
her by appearing at the ceremony. At
about p. m n small table covered
with a white cloth was arranged in
one corner of our large family dining
room, two or three images of saints,
ornamented with flowers and precious
stones, were placed on the table, to-
gether with large, round sort of
bread or cake which was to play no
mean part in the ceremony. A few
minutes later the steps of the priest
were heard on the marble staircase,
together with the heavier tread of the
peasants feet, and in another moment
the room was full of the brides
friends, arrayed in the most gorgeous
chintz dresses, and of the bride
groom's mates, dressed in the usual
outdoor black leather "pelisse," lined
with sheepskin After every one was
arranged in place slight stir and
hustle were heard, and, the crowd
making way, the future bride came
sailing in beautifully attired in a sal
mon-colored silk and tulle dress, lent
her by her mistress. She passed awk-
wardly up the aisle and took her place
before the effigies OF saints, or
images as they are called, and i'm
mediately after her future husband
(who semed half frightened slipped
from the crowd, followed by his father,
and took up his position on the right
side of the bride Then the ceremony
of "Benediction" commenced; It lasted
about forty minutes, the priest read
Ing and chanting, together with his
clerk, many psalms and prayers,
while the future man and wife contln-
ually bowed themselves to the ground,
touching the floor with their fore
heads. Then the round cake or bread
was put into their hands by the priest.
and it was kissed by the recipients
afterward by the bridegroom's father,
and then again by the brides mother
father or friends. The "Benediction"
being over, nothing now remained to
take place but the marriage" cere
mony, which was arranged for the fol-
lowing Sunday al the church.
There the ceremony was somewhat
long, in fact, so much that the brides
cousin was unable to continue holding
the wreath over her head throughout
the whole ceremony; he was relieved