The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1904-06-24

Curious Social Customs That 1r0vail
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"Fate gave VI our relatives; thank
heaven we can choose our friends" Is
the way the Russians regard their ST.
berian half-brother. Anyone familiar
with the oyerdressed, northumberland
society of the large Russian cities
hardly wonders at the air Of pAtr0nix.
ing tolerance the Russian accords his
relatives across the Caucasus, Gays q
traveller who has recently returned
from q trip through Siberia, according
to the Brooklyn Eagle.
The traveller In Siberia searching. for
tho unusual and unconventional TO- sa-
tiated. The scenery is different from
any other in the world.-bleak, DESC
late, depressing. To the native, Of the
snow-swept. plains it il restful In the
extreme, for nature has given the ST.
berian no nerves. He is an odd mix
ture Of hlth, hospitality, dishonesty
and friendliness. t%s+r%&2:
The upper classes are much like well
fed tame animals, lacking in al the
savagery and picturesqueness Of the
peasant, and, therefore, very unsatis-
factory to the curiosity seeker.
The alien finds them interesting
and annoying because Of their system
less system of doing business. They
have absolutely no idea Of time. Any
one except q Siberian paying avisit
to Russian bank is driven to desper-
alton by the unwinding Of the thou
sand yards of red tape that bind
the drawing or depositing Of money.
The process takes from one to two
hours and the foreign patron is rendered
frantic by the uniformed clerks who
leisurely sip afternoon Tea and daintily
puff odorous Russian cigarettes while
the excitable outsider stamps about,
mentally cursing system that knows
no time.
On entering a shop a man must re-
move his hat; an officer meets with the
courtesy of doffing his overcoat, hat
and overshoes. When calling upon the
governor, even for business, one must
wear approved afternoon dress. d Fine
feathers make fine birds, in Siberia, as
elsewhere. -
Anyone acquainted with the customs
of this country knows exactly to what
class of society Siberian belongsby his
foot and head wear. Only an aristocrat
is permitted to don hat and kid boots;
middle class woman wears q scarf or
face mantilla and calfskin shoes; the
peasants, handkerchiefs on their heads
and coarse. heavy boots. ~,
The homes Of the wealthy and middle
classes are pretty and attractive In the
front, but filthy in the rear. OF house
keeping they know nothing and are
forced to hire a force Of Industrious Chi
nese or peasants to do the work they will
not do for themselves. Their habits are
irregular and disorderly in the extreme.
From eight to ten is the time to rise
and partake Of tea and bread; II O'clock
sees the real breakfast served. ANY
time from seven to midnight In the
proper, hour for a heavy repast ofsoup,
meats, vegetables, wine and Vodka"
the national beverage distilled from
wheat. A meal always ends with glasses
of tea, brewed in the samovar, instead of
the black coffee Of more conventional
countries. i. v IL
Tho hour for social calls is from 10
to II In the morning. Friends meeting
in the street shake hands continually
until parting, no matter how many times
q day they may see each other. Men al
ways bow to the women first, and on
the more important holidays Easter,
Christmas and New Year-they are per-
mitted to exchange kisses. OF sanitary
laws they have never heard; a bath is
an unnecessary trouble. One might
gain unlimited wealth by exhibiting In
Siberia the curiosity known as bath
tub. He would have constant flow of
curious, wondering spectators. 49,
In the peasants, or "mujiks," the trav-
eler finds more condensed oddly than
his widest dreams ever pictured. They
are the most ignorant, the dirtiest and
LATEST people on earth.