Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-12-31
termines that the mistress Of the
house where the festivities are to be

termines that the mistress of the
house where the festivities are to be
held shall choose for each young
lady a gentleman companion called
the elected" His privileges are
greater than those of the young e
for which he ~compensates by devoting
himself exclusively to her entertain
ment. Whatever she DEGREES in these
matters must be Internationally sub
mitted to by all. At the same time
the host must send invitations in his
own name. He calls in the swat, a
person well acquainted with the du-
ties Of the ambassador, and intrusts
to him the greetings and messages tc
friends and relations.
The first evening of the Christmas
week is devoted to the reception of
the young ladies. Long trains of
stages conduct them to the house of
their host. On arriving at
guests await, amidst the cracking of
whips and jingling of bells On the
sledges, the host and hostess. who,
on hearing the signal, descend to the
gate to receive them.
The young ladies spend the first
evening in planning games for the
morrow, when the elected" are eX-
pSCtGu, dlu LII ISCllll5 " SuOoolhS
the popular riddles which abound in
Russia, and which form one of the
favorite pastimes Of the people.
At nightfall of the second day, the
rest Of the invited guests begin to
arrive. After many greetings, the
guests are at length seated in the
great room. not, however. without
much attent on bestowed as to the
place assigned to each. All the guests
at the Christmas festival are dressed
in their holiday clothes, but the ca
price Of fashion is banished from
their garments as much as from
their social pleasures. The costume Of
the old fashioned Russians is no more
distinguished for it's richness han for
its antiquity.
In the provincial districts the son
dresses as his fathers father did be
fore him. and even the women S taste
and vanity ventures not to introduce
an Innovation from the cosoume which
ages have consccrated.
The quantity and variety of re-
freshments provided upon these oc-
casions is almost incredible. A large
table is placed in the room and COW
tred with a profusion Of d~elicaclas.
fianked with TASKS of various home
made liquors, which are 81 mitch IN
favor with the Russians. AS soon as
i the guests enter they are pressed to
partake of the good things prepared
for them.
When the company begins to weary,
they the dish games" the
most interesting entertainment of the
evening. A table is covered with a
white cloth, while the eldest family
nurse places upon it a dish filled with
water The company stand in a ring
around the table and when the ar
rangements are completed, all step
forward and deposit their rings, ear
rings and bracelets upon the table.
The person officiating at the dish. aft
err depositing them therein, covers it.
while the whole company seat them
selves in a circle around the table. A
few small bits of bread, some salt,
and three pieces of charcoal having
been placed on a chair near the ta-
bic, all persons present join in the
song of the salt and bread" This
song which has many variations, but
is essentially the same throughout
Russia from Siberia to Poland, is as
follows:
way the DlSdu anu tnt odiI RI
Live a hundred years slava! glory!
May your emperor live still longer,
Slava!
May our emperor never grow old,
Slava!
T May his courser never be tired!
Slava!
May his shining garments ever be new
Slava!
81 NM. 1o., crNDI cnruorfc nlUlVC ne
faithful - Slava!
While this is going on the nurse
, stirs the dish in which the trinlIets
have been placed. and at the conclu
sion of the sons she gives them 6
good shake. Other songs follow. for
telling speedy marriage, the unexpect
ed meeting of friends. a happy life. 6
, good fortune, riches, the fulfillment o.
a particular wish. disappointment
etc. and the trinkets are taken no
Of the dish one by one the song tina
precedes determining the fate of the
;, one to- whom they belong. Othel
games, which resemble turn thu
a trencher,' "blind mans buff" etc
> piayed by children of this and othe
countries.
Each party. on retiring. must bt
conducted to the gate with the sam
ceremony as on their arrival. Afte
the withdrawal Of the elder guests
: the young people recommence thei
= sports, which often last until mid
night.
: The amusements on the followini
day (for the festivities last until tn
twelfth night differ somewhat iron
" these of the first. In these the me
e take the lead. Accompanied by tn
5 ladies Of their family, they go GU
toward night all disguised in mask
and fancy dresses, to pay visits t
their friends. When many guests ar
thus assembled in n house and hav
feasted to their hearts content. the
a depart to some other home, where tn
IS night is spent in merry making. Tn
d noise and hustle of the sledges dri'
ing up and down the streets of tn
towns and villages during the nignI
n that these masked visits re go'n: 9
= - .oo,ool, H. r1ncnri1,o1 .-..