Smyrna times., 1912-07-17
A Student Of
Foreign Customs
By CAROLINE CLEAVER

llIS DelOEe ulu uSluOu1CdlIy8 EeSOLNluS
that he would see the world, then mar.
ry on principle of common sense.
1t was midsummer when he passed
into Siberia, and since he had always
heard the territory spoken Of as bitter
ly cold he was quite surprised to find
it very tolerable. A part Of his plan
was to stop over somewhere in the
interior and observe the customs Of the
country, of which he had heard great
deal. Bringing up one evening in a
small village the surroundings of which
were attractive. he determined to make
that his point Of observation.
He spoke some French and some Ger
man, but knew not a word of Russian.
The keeper of the little inn at which
he put up was a German who had mar
ried a Russian woman. He was stu
pid looking man, sitting all day drink
ing vodka-since he could not get beer
and smoking his pipe, his wife, who
was an energetic body. doing all the
work. She was comely, having the
fair. delicate complexion of the north.
and her daughter. Anna, aged sixteen.
was beauty.
Collins was very proud Of his knowl
edge of the German language and anx-
iOus to perfect himself in it before
reaching Germany, where he expected
to sojourn for some time. Therefore
he concluded to practice on the land
lord and his family, though the wife
and daughter spoke it indifferently.
Ned began on Schmitt, the landlord;
asked him all manner of questions
about the country and the people, ex-
planning that he was there for the pur-
poses of observation. He also told
mine host that If any OF those strange
ceremonies of which he had heard were
practiced during his stay he would be
glad to witness them
The landlord said "Jahy' and went
on smoking his pipe, not manifesting
any interest in the subject. He was
good man to practice on. for he spoke
only in monosyllables, which permit
ted the practicer to do all the talking
But as soon as Ned caught sight OF
Anna he transferred his practice to
her.
How he expected to learn Ger
man from a Russian girl who had
| picked up only a few sentences from
her father does not appear. Nor is ii
certain whether he made practice an
excuse for making love to the girl.
| whose eyes and hair and skin were
all delicately fair, or whether he real
ly thought he was gaining a knowl-
edge of German that would be usefu
to him among the aristocrats Of Berlin
Be this as it may, he spent quite a
while in the village, most of the time
with Anna. Probably be did not real
ize that he was making love. Young
men of twenty-one can make love as
fast as a horse can trot without intend
ing anything serious.
However, Collins, who had formed n
resolution that he wouldn't marry be
fore he was thirty and then on com
mon sense principles-which meant at
least that the girl should be one of his
own class-after spending a month in
the place studying the customs of the
country, through Anna, one day called
for his bill, saying that he thought ht
would depart next day.
The landlord looked at him through
a pair of little eyes hidden under s
pair of bushy eyebrows and said tha
one of those peculiar Siberian cere
monies he had heard Of would tak'
place the next day and if he would
stop over he could witness it. Collin;
asked what kind Of ceremony it was
but the landlord was not a good hanC
at explaining things. He only saiC
that there would be a foot race, bu
the issue of the race meant a grea
deal for the winner. Collins, havinj
spent a great deal of time waiting Il
see something of the kind, concluded
to delay his departure.
The next morning the landlord OF
fered to conduct him to the plac
where the ceremony was to take place
A tent was pitched on level ground
! and before it Collins saw a bevy o
young girls. Just before be reache
them Anna left them, looking at Co
Inns as if she wished him to follow hel
He did so and just as he was about t
Join her she laughed and started
run.
Now, Ned had won prizes at the atl
: letic games in America and conside
ing this a challenge gave chase Anni
however, was very good at a shol
distance run. and Ned was entirely OF
Of training. She led him about owe
, the field for awhile. the lookers-o
shouting and clapping their hands ii
at last she began to lag, and when
caught her she fell into his arms quit
limp.
J. Ned supported her to the tent. whel
!, a. priest stepped out from the crow
n and said something that Ned didn
y understand Then the party went
the hotel. where a breakfast had bee
set out.
When Ned was told the meaning
= all this he learned that he had bee
married to Anna In Siberia at we
dings the bride runs from the groo