Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-10-23
A SINGULAR
CUSTOM
And How Il Was Illustrated
by q Russian Countess
ny LoUIsE ,. cUr1r1INes.


A bail 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 q prince cannot hold his position
In the court circle without complying
with a number OF requirements.
Among the few It the bah without the
prefix 70 the name Of count, baron.
duke OF even general, without gold
lace or q string OF reservations on the
breast, but IN plain black evening
dress was Adelbert Wymans "a at
tache toAhe American legntOn
II Wyman was bereft Of ARTIFICIAL
plumage nature bad endowed him with
an attractive personality. he wal
finely built, being tall and proDoEtioned
for an athlete, while his oountonance
bespoke a manly spirit within. Hav-
ing inherited a fortune and work not
being a necessity with him, be had
adopted q profession In which money
making had no part and which 20 him
seemed fun Of intsrest-dipiomacy.
Wyman had prepared himself for
his career by the study Of international.
law and more especially Of several for
elgn languages, Russian among the
number. He wa therefore enabled to
chat In her native tongue with q young
Russian GID, with whom he danced
several times at this imperial ball The
Countess Olga Ivanoyna was one Of
those women Of the north whose COM
p~lexionS ara fair. whose eyes are blue
and whose hair Il naxen. EStWith-
standing the fact that she wa noble
and her companion wal q eOmmoner.
she seemed 70 be pleased witty him.
Indeed. thare was something unique "a
that unadOrned figure among hundreds
Of men most q whom relied for ad-
miratiOn on their velvet clothes, tinsel
and the medals strung on their breasts.
BOme Of them were misshapen, some
had homely faces, and all were dress
ed a. II for a play. Wyman aloE6 was
unadorned
~How do you like Russian asked the
countess. All visitors are asked this
question and II they r well bred
usually reply that they like the coun
try they visit veEy much. Wyman's
reply was that the country Interested
him. When asked why, be said th9t 1t
was In the marked difference - what
be had been accustomed
"In what wayf" asked the gid.
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
be for the government, while with US
our government is for the people. But
II q the many singular customs In
the different parts Of your great en-
pirs that especially interest me. the
pronounced varied types Of your peo-
pie. ! have read that in 4 certain
province dOwryless girls are rallied for
as wives. the money paid In for chances
being given for a marriage portion"
There is a more singular custom
than that" added the countess. ''In
a certain part Of Russia the girls pro
pose to the II a girl wants 10
marry a nan she goes to his house. II
be 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 IL a mere custom. For my part /
see no reason why q woman should not
be as free to ask q man to marry her
as that u man II free to ask her to be
his wife"
do you really mean thatf' asked
the countess. looking up at WymAn
archly.
IL certainly do. But you must not
take me IN that respect az 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.
1--WE 90 next week to our home In the
province % Viatka." she said. TfyOU
viii make Us a visit there y think l.
can show you some more Of our odd
customs. The people about as have
some very singular ones"
II ssure you / fesl highly honOred
By the invitation and shall accept Il
with much pleasure"
In time Wyman received a formal IN
Vitatton 10 visit Count Ivan Ivan
Ovna's estates ih9ViatkA. 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 oYer the world to invite
their guests for q definite period The
American was cordially received BY
the young Adys family and a suit Of
rooms placed at his disposal de had
not before met any Of them except
Olga. and he seemed 70 b considered
her especial guest AZ any ptq, she
took upon herself his entertainment.
driving him about henSelf. showing him
the people. how they lived. how they
worried and how they reared their chill
drsn. Wyman was much interested In
Il ell and more especially in The ignO
rance Of not only the chndFen, but Of
thar parents.
But you have not shown ne" sid
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