The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-21

wedding ceremonies are perhaps the
most interesting Two of the young
men of the village always do the in
viting- They sally forth with a large
cane. Each person whom they bid to
come to the wedding, ties a ribbon on
the cane. When the guests are all in
vited. the cane is turned over to the
bride to be. On the night of the cere-
mony all prepare to have a big time.
There is never any necessity for the
thirsty soul to suffer and the guests
dance and have a good time until.
dawn During the course of the even
ing each man must dance with the
bride and at the close of the dance
pins a piece of money on her dress.
OF course after they have been in
this country a short time they do away
with the most conspicuous of their old
world habits But the SWitchman,
who works on the railroad nearby.
says that when new one arrives he
generally has some funny customs. Not
long since a lad landed here straight
from the cars kingdom. He carried
a long sack of tobacco and flint and
steel outfit for lighting it. He would
calmly stop in the middle of the street,
take out his flint and steel and a bit
of tow With this crude device he
would light up his pipe with apparent
~ as little trouble and in as short
time as the college boy with his match.
The switchman said he tried 1t but
after several minutes of strenuous eff
IOrt was unable TO get a single spark.
Work in Beet Fields
Each summer a good many Of the
men HE away to the beet fields of
Colorado for the summer. In the win
ter they return to work in the shops.
Before the travellers set forth, their
nefghbors give them a rousing fare
well. At these occasions the joy en-
stilling beverage is said to flow gen
erously. and there is much merry
making and dancing
But all these things are merely the
Russian way of having a good time.
On the whole they are sober and
very peaceable people. They attend
church regularly, rain or shine. and
every Sunday they may be seen max
ing their way across the bridge to
Father Henry's church on the South
side. This, the most beautiful church
in the city, these hard working people
have paid for themselves. They did
not go in debt for their place of wor-
ship, but waited until they had the
good hard coin of the realm to pay
for it.
The Russians have many clever
ways of saving money. They put not
! their trust in banks. often times, but
/ keep their funds hard by them where
/ there is no danger of it being wiped up
| by a failure. The mother is generally
| the treasurer and she expects both the
! boys and girls to contribute, the boys
until they become of age, the girls IN
til they get married. When the family
| savings reach a sufficient sum they
are invested in home or land near
! Salina. Hays City or Victoria, where
ever some of their relatives are To-
Gated.
Record for Honesty.
As rule the Russian peasant Is an
honest soul. If he owes a bill. rs
thinks the one end only thing TO 20 is
to pay it. This is particularly true of
the old people who have come from
Russia. AS a North side hardware
merchant said, Il have never been
beat by an old one yet, but look out for
the young ones, they will beat you
some times just like any one else. I
have been pretty badly cheated by
young ones three times. but never once
by an old one. Sometimes the younger
generation get to thinking that they
are cute then look out. For they
think they can cheat you and they will.
too. However, as a class they are an
raordinarily honest people. One
western Kansas merchant went so far
as to say that if a Russian came to his
store to make a purchase of a wagon
or farm implement, he merely finds
out in what denomination and time he
desires to have his notes drawn. When
signed he places them in the hands of
the local banker and they are always
promptly met and paid on time.
The steamer Brandenburg of the
North German Lloyd Is expected to ar
rive in Baltimore, Nd. shortly and
will bring emigrants to swell the popu
lation of Little Russia. Most of these
peasants have exhausted their slender
means before they reach here. Their
friends have advanced money for their
passage to Kansas. In fact a sum has
already been deposited with the local
Santa Fe7 agent. The new emigrant
will work hard and save his money to
pay off his debt. Then he will begin
to save for a home. The Russian is
not like some emigrants, who begin to
hoard their money that they may take
it back to their mother country. He
is glad enough to get away from the
country of oppression and he has come
to stay and to spend his earnings in
this country. The car has driven out,
by his intolerable methods of oppres-
sion, a good citizen but since he is not
shrewd enough to see what he is los
ing, the Americans should be glad to
profit by his loss. Under the kindly
rule of Uncle Sam these downtrodden
people blossom out into patriotic, in
dustrious citizens. Let US extend the
hand of encouragement to them when
ever we have the opportunity so that
they may feel that at last they have
found a country where their virtues Of
industry and thrift are appreciated.
F. NJ. B.