The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1914-08-06
A SINGULAR
CUSTOM
And How II Was Illustrated
BY a Russian Countess
BY LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

ball was in progress in the Winter
palace at st Petersburg. There were
few persons in the resplendent throng
who were not titled. and in Russia
even prince cannot hold his position
In the court circle without complying
with number of requirements
Among the few at the ball without the
prefix to the name of count. baron.
duke or even general. without gold
lace or string of decorations on the
breast, but In plain black evening
dress was Adelbert Wyman. an at
tache to the American legation.
If Wyman was bereft of artificial
plumage nature had endowed him with
an attractive personality. He was
finely built, being tall and proportioned
for an athlete, while his .countenance
bespoke a manly spirit within Hav-
ing inherited fortune and work not
being a necessity with him, he had
adopted a profession In which money
making had no part and which to him
seemed full of interest-diplomacy
Wyman had prepared himself for
his career by the study of international
law and more especially Of several for
eign languages. Russian among the
number. He was therefore enabled to
chat in her native tongue with young
Russian girl. with whom he danced
several times at this imperial ball. The
Countess Olga Ivanovna was one Of
those women of the north whose com
plexions are fair. whose eyes are blue
and whose hair is flaxen. Notwith-
standing the fact that she was noble
and her companion was commoner
she seemed to be pleased with him
Indeed. there was something unique in
that unadorned figure among hundreds
of men most of whom relied for ad
miration on their velvet clothes, tinseI
and the medals strung on their breasts.
Some of them were misshapen, some
had hOmely faces, and all were dress
ed as if for play. Wyman alone was
unadorned.
How do you like Russian asked the
countess. All visitors are asked this
question and if they are well bred
usually reply that they like the coun-
try they visit very much. Wymans
reply was that the country interested
him. When asked why, he said that il
was in the marked difference to what
he had been accustomed
I'm what way?" asked the girl
First. with you Russians everything
points from the people to the govern
ment. while with us everything points
from the government to the people In
other words, here the people seem to
ha for h. ubilo with
our government is for the people. But
1t is the many singular customs in
the different parts of your great EN-
pire that especially interest me. the
pronounced varied types of your peO
pie. have read that in a certain
province dowryleSs girls are raffied for
as wives the money paid in for chances
being given for IA marriage portion"
There Is "a more singular custom
than that" added the countess. In
certain part of Russia the girls pro-
pose to the men If a girl wants to
marry man she goes to his house If
he refuses to marry her he is regard
ed as insulting her and her family. and
they take revenge upon him."
The privilege of proposing mar
riage," said Wyman, accorded to the
man is a mere custom. For my part
see no reason why a woman should not
be as free to ask a man to marry her
as that man is free to ask her to be
his wife,
DO you really mean thatT' asked
the countess, looking up at Wyman
archly.
Il certainly do But you must not
take me in that respect as representing
my countrymen like to think for
myself and am not a slave to GUS
toms
The two parted at this point. but just
before the ball closed they met again,
I'VE go next week to our home in the
province of viatka." she said. IF you
will make us a visit there ! think
cam show you some more of our odd
customs The people about us have
some very singular ones"
81 assure you ! feel highly honored
By the invitation and shall accept 1t
with much pleasure
In time WYman received formal in
vitation to visit--Count Ivan Ivan
ovna's estates in Vintka. A time was
set for his coming. but none for his
departure This surprised him. for II
is usual among most entertainers In
high life all over the world to invite
their guests for definite period, The
American was cordially received by
the young lady's family and suit of
rooms placed al his disposal He had
not before met any of them except
Olga. and he seemed to be considered
her especial guest Al any rate, she
took upon herself his entertainment.
driving him about herself. showing him
the people. how they lived. how they
worked and how they reared their chill
dren Wyman was much interested in
II all and more especially in the ignO-
rance Of not only the children. but of
their parents
"But YOU have not shown me said