The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-09-29
HOME LIFE IN RUSSIA.
DAILY ROUTINE OF PEOPLE OF
 THE MIDDLE GLASS.

Many Dances for the Young Folks
 Excellent Manners of the Children.
 Although Russia looms so large in the public eye comparatively little is known of the ordinary everyday do- mestic life of the Czar's subjects.
 From the housekeeping point of view it must be remembered that fam lilies live much the same as they do in Paris and other Continental cities-in large flats in large blocks of buildings rather than in separate houses. AS to the housekeeping expenses, says a cor respondent of the London Tribune, rent is perhaps a little dearer than here, but flat life enables fewer servants to be kept, and food is distinctly cheaper.
 The housekeeping food is procured in much the same way as in England, the poor going to the markets, the well to do people dealing at the shops that call for orders" in the same way as they do in our principal towns.
 But the food itself differs much in treatment and serving from the Anglo Saxon idea. The morning tea begins by showing the variation from the western Europe habits. At on early hour the "samovar'' is placed in the dining room and the household go in on leaving their beds and before their bathing operations, draw some tea for themselves from the ''samovar," and eat with it little bread' in some re- spects like the French brioche. The Russian bakers make a great variety of excellent plain breads.
 The real first meal of the day is luncheon, which is eaten between 12 and o'clock. At every meal "zaku- ski" otherwise ''hors d'oeuyres," are served. Then various characteristic Russian dishes follow, such as macaro- mi and meat fried together; eggs done in all sorts of ways. At luncheon time a joint very rarely makes its ap- pearance. Chicken is eaten all poul- try and game being good and plentiful and many kinds are eaten which didn't form the food dishes in England, France or America. Fancy cream cheeses native to Russia are popular at luncheon, as well as foreign importa- tions like Camembert, Gruyere, &c.; such as are to be found within any country of Europe.
 The usual five o'clock tea of England and America is not the universal habit of Russia, but if you ask a visitor to come in the afternoon tea is always served and always at ladies "at Ihome" days. The "samovar" stands surrounded by little dishes of cakes, &c.; and also the characteristic feature of the Rsusian tea table-the tiny dain- ty glass dishes which hold the pre- serve," to provide a great variety of which Is one of the brides of the Rus sian housekeeper,
 As to the dinner, this meal always begins in Rssssia with the "zakuski," 1" which isS1Ngced at a side table, to which ssdt fde guests go and help them selves, standing up to partake of their choice befWe sitting down to the cen tral dining, table, where the meal pro- per is servel This is much the same as the ordinary Parisian dinner though soups are typically Russian, being made of ingredients not generally used for the purpose in other countries. The ''bortch' is about the only Rus sian soup which has taken any hold of western Europe.
 1 As to entertaining. Luncheon par ties are not usual in the typical well to do Russian household; but though din- ner parties are frequently given they are much less stately affairs than with people here in England, evening dress for the men and decolletage for tht women not being usual. Dinner par ties are generally arranged but two or three days beforehand, or even only or the day itself, few friends calling ir will be asked to stay to dinner and re- enforced by two or three more couples asked in the same informal manner.
 The service of the table in these fam lilies is much the same, as regards their glass and china, as in England, but their silver is particularly good, and they pride themselves greatly upon the possession both of quantity and quali- ty and they enjoy good designs though they are rather florid.
 Flowers are ruinously expensive in l Russia, and they are fewer and ar, used in quantities more rarely, though on occasions of lavish display Russians use as many, and more even than the American multi-millionaire.
 In the class immediately below the one I am describing, which include the ordinary well to do people, the average table service and comforts to the home generally are much below the same ir IAnglo-Saxon countries, the table equipments being scanty and ugly. l Dances are given much more ire quently and much more simply than 1T England. Young people in a family constantly gather to themselves a few more young people and evolve an i'm. lpromptu dance after a dinner party with just simple refreshments. This happens very frequently among tho circles I am writing about. Big balls lof course, sometimes are given par. lticularly around Christmastide and Easter and during the carnival, but outside these set entertainments pleas ant, informal dances constantly take place and are the result of the younl people gathering together.
 As for dressing, the Russian womer find this a very costly item. All clothe are very dear. Models are bought il Paris by the Russian dressmakers mantle makers, shoemakers, Sc. Hat. and bonnets and "frivolities" arriv, and are copied with great swiftness
 but as 6 rule the Russian copy lack the delicacy and taste of the original for generally speaking the Russians d.