The Press., 1914-08-19
A. SINGULAR
 CUSTOM And How It Was Illustrated by a Russian Countess
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

A 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 l 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 proportioncd | for an athlete. while his cOuntrnnnce bespoke manly spirit within. Hav- | ing inherited Il fortune and work not | being necessity with him. he had adopted profession in which money
 making had no part and which to him seemed full of interest-diplomacy. Wyman had prepared himself for l 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 fiaxen. 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. tinsel 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 Russia?' 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. Wyman's reply was that the country interested him. When asked why, he said that 1t was in the marked difference to what he had been accustomed.
 ''1n 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 be for the government, while with us 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. l have read that in a certain province dOwryless girls are rallied for as wives. the money paid 1n for chances being given for a marriage portion"
 There is a more singular custom than that added the countess. Tn a certain part of Russia the girls pro pose to the men. If girl wants to marry a 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."
 "rhe privilege of proposing mar riage," said Wyman, accorded to the man is mere custom. For my part l see no reason why a woman should not be as free to ask man to marry her as that man is free to ask her to be his wife,
 Do you really mean that?' asked +h o% m archly.
 Il certainly do. But you must not take me in that respect as representing my countrymen. l 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.
 We go next week to our home in the province of Viatka," she said. If you will make us a visit there l think l can show you some more of our odd customs. The people about us have some very singular ones."
 Il assure you l 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 Viatka. A time was set for his coming, but none for his departure. This surprised him, for 1t 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 R,Sr, Lox9 not before met any of them except Olga. and he seemed to be considered her especial guest. At 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 chil- dren. WXman was much interested in 1t all and more especially in the igno rance of not only the children, but of their parents.
 But you have not shown me-" said Wyman one day when they were out together. "'any of those singular cus- toms you spoke of when in St. Peters burg"
 You must be patient" was the re- ply "You Americans are always in haste. If you are to be 8 diplomat you must get rid of that American trait"
 A couple of weeks passed. Olga Ivanovna showed no disposition to part with her visitor. nor did he care espe- cially to return to the city. There were no intricate questions between the United States and Russia to render his attendance on his chief necessary, and he was not recalled. He occupied his time during the day in studying the Russian people under the guidance of his fair hostess. and the evenings did not seem long enough, since he in- variably spent them in her company.
 If Wyman thought of what might | come of this association it certainly l did not occur to him that family ! whose nobility might be traced back