The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-04-25


| should the storerooms be open to our
| Inspection, we would see innumerablf
sides OF bacon, smoked mutton hams
smoked geese, and still other casks con.
tanning butter, linseed and other vegeta.
| pie oils, cheeses tan important item OF
| farm produce), and other regiments
| formed by sacks Of flour.
Impossible, you say? Not at all for
| you must remember that on this estate
| from forty to fifty mouths must be FED
| every day, besides the guests OF whom
mention has just been made, and who
| form no inconsiderable item in the con-
sumption Of the winters stores
| we may be sure that the khazyeeana
| mistress Of the house, Is not behind her
husband In activity In the tasks that per-
| tain to their common welfare. She will
| oversee the smoking OF the nams, bacon.
| nsh, etc, for each good housewife has
| her special method and vies with her
nelghbof in the perfection OF their
preparation.
The solid soup, which plays an inn
portant part in the sumner cuisine of the
russian, Is also prepared at this season.
onould spinning and weaving be carried
on, as Is more than likely to be the case,
the more delicate fabrics will come under
the eye If not the hand OF the khazyee-
ana. Russian hand-woven linen Of the
nnest quality Is a work of art, quite be-
yond price, and the khazyeeana feels per-
sonal pride in its excellence.
the delights of a sledge ride in Russia
can be fully understood only by those
who have enjoyed that pleasure. The
horses are doubtless, harnessed in the
well-known troika fashion. three abreast.
where the roads are very narrow, three,
sometimes four, horses are harnessed
tandem. mode requiring considerable
skill on the part of the driver.
But Spin from one of these low
sledges. even with the horses going at
IuH speed, rarely entails serious conse-
quences and Is generally treated as a
good joke; indeed, is strongly resembles
being flung into a feather bed. Should
the foreigner be enjoying his first sedge
ride II Is more than likely the driver
VIII slyly assist the seeming accident
when drift of suitable size is reached.
But the snow, dry as salt, brushes off
easily and the drive is resumed. gayly as
ever.
The Russian coachman IS an artist in
his profession. On a seat raised to such
an extent that he seems 10 be almost
standing, his feet firmly planted against
the footboard, he holds one rein in each
nand, this seemingly peculiar method Of
driving being absolutely necessary with
the hard-mouthed Russian horses.
NO whip is used or needed, but the
horses are urged to TOP sneed by cultural
cries and various epithers shouted by the
coachman, and remarks being OF a char
acter that the foreigner is probably for
tunate Is not comprehending.
Those who know winter only in temper
ate climates can form no idea of the
beauty Of this season in Russia. The
snow thickly clustered on the branches
shape, varied by sparkling circles of
every conceivable form. For weeks the
sky will be cloudless and the sun. glitter
ing ON the dazzling snow covering the
earth like a garment. makes a scene Of
almost unearthly beauty. This will even
be Increased as evening approaches The
glorious tints of the Russian winter sun
set are indescribable.
AT this season you will see long lines
of peasants traversing the country roads
In their little sledges. which are identical
in construction with those of a hundred
years ago. They bear men, women, boys
and girls, all fiocking to the urban CEN
ters. OF these a vast number probably
are the kustar peasants before mentioned.
Such cooperative organizations are
formed by the moujiks (peasants) work
ing at various trades in any village how
ever insignificant
The intelligence Of the moujik is col
lective rather than individual. and their
spirit of obedience, a remnant of serf-
dom. seems to render them incapable of
working unless under direction. Should
three mouJks be sent to chop trees, their
hrst act, before setting TO work, would
be to select one as leader. and, though
he will probably take little part in the
WORK himself, the others will labor un-
der his direction in perfect contentment.
With the knowledge of this national
in mind it is not difficult
to understand how natural it is for the
moujiks to form Themselves into artels
for the carrying on of their various
very simple. A starosta Oeader) is first
elected. and as every enterprise, however
small, requires some capital. each men,
Der contributes all he can spare
Possibly from $50 to $2S is raised in |
this way. This suffices for a start But. |
II money Is not forthcoming from the !
members. they may be able to borrow II, |
Or, again, several of their number may |
be sent TO work in the nearest town dur |
ing the winter to raise the necessary |
capital.
As soon as this is secured, a svielelka |
cooperative work shop) is constructed. |
This will merely be a roughly built |
zba, probably situated at the end of |
he village. There the trade, learned in
he days of serfdom. makes a fresh start. |
Unfortunately for the mouji1, he pos
esses far more industrial than CONNER
,ial capacity and as natural result is
BADLY fieeced by the middlemen in the
disposal of the results of his labor. for
els for less than half Of the price they
ventually obtain for them.
This whole subject of industrial CO.
,peration Is one of vast Importance to
Russia. as all students of her social and
,olitical economy cannot fail to realize
Those who have the best welfare OF the
noujik at heart must agree with a recent
writer on this subject, Prof d. /. Men
elief, who says:
There is every reason to hope that II
Vill soon come to be realized as proper
nd expedient to sill carry on a large
art of these industries on a small scale.
aaving only a portion of them to be
andled by large enterprises, which will
ventually pass into the hands OF the
overnment, as in the case of the rail-
'ays. New York Sun.