The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-11-16

phone, but No Gas or ELECTRICITY
No Class Distinction.
Except for its one telephone wire
and TWO automobiles. Little York, y
y. NIGH he Volga peasant village
trunspanted bodily from Russia to the
United States. writes Eula McClary,
IN the New York World.
II has neither gas nor electricity
neither hathtubs nor sewers; no wa
Ter supply except a spring.
In fact. Little York isn't even on the
map or in the POST office guide. None
the less il is "A place TO know about, If
not to live in.
It is village of pistachio and choco-
late eclair houses shetering 80 peas
ant families with a total population of
500. Modern inventions are luXuries
beyond the purse of most of the in
habtants and the desire of the rest.
Covering less than a square mile of
fertile meadow and farm land, Little
York lies at the foot of Mount Adam
and Mount Eve beautiful hills of the
Lower Catsklls.
The inhabitants, Russian German
Lutherans from the Volga river valley,
are descendants of those who fol
lowed Catherine II from Prussia into
Russia when the German princess be-
came the wife of the future car.
They have brought with them to
Little York the traditions and customs
as well as the language and religion
of their ancestors. Unlike American
farmers, the peasants live in commu-
mites and work their individual plots
of land. The village is situated on
the hillside and overlooks the fertile
meadow land, divided into various
sized farms" according to the afllu
ence of the owner. The largest farm
has ten acres and the smallest one
Start Work at Six o'clock.
At six O'Clock each morning Little
York gets up and goes to work. Dur |
ing the planting season and at the |
harvest the women in overalls accom-
pany the men to the fields They |
work until an hour before meal time, |
return to the house to prepare the
dinner, then, after clearing up the
dishes, return to work beside their
husbands until time to return to the |
kitchen to prepare supper. AS the vii
age goes forth to its work 1t sings the
simple folk songs brought from Ger
many into Russia by its greatgreat
almost two centuries
Ego.
When the spring planting is fin
shed the thrifty villagers hire out by
he day to farmers of the surrounding
ountry. After the harvest the men
ather wood for the winter. In winter
hey cut down the trees in the frozen
wamps and work for the ice com
anies, thus augmenting their small in
ONES
Onions are their principal crops.
fter the onions have been gathered,
,ttuce is planted. In addition to these
larket crops, each family produces
lough vegetables and fruits for its
Wn use. Some own cows and sell
lk TO the others. Two inhabitants
no own land on the very edge of the -,
llage are dairy farmers.
The life is community life, with each
mily distinct economic unit. The :
sets the styles of dress, :.
nduct, architecture and living. Little .
1rk is like a big family in which all =
e adult children are married.
There are no bachelors A girl Of
lool-c forxyor1 to hpinp NOR.
I'd soon. girl of twenty-five is an e
] maid. There are a few widows, o.
t no widowers. Only rarely do vii a.
gers marry outside the community. 81
deed, intermarryng has been prac Fl
ed to such an extent that 80 years OF
er the founding of Little York V,
erybody Is related in some way to T.
erybody else. in
No Glass Distinctions. tn
There are no social distinctions.
ch is the equal of the other. Finan- 81
lily, good year means comfort for Sc
bad year, suffering. A normal III
son means a return of $4,000 for 50
onion crop. A very good season
bring $4,000. A rainy, dark, 'h'
Dn-rotting season means general at'
ering Je'
he old people are the dictators of "a
village. Just as in Europe chill ~
\ are brought up to respect their q.
ents and follow their least wish.
SAINT women in shawls and capes SIG
light from the beloved fatherand, iail
SAINT men In heavy boots and hand
en- shirts say what the younger 'as
erations shall do. Here is one eol
e the f1apper could not flap. inii
he social life of the women is con- NH
to work, rearing children, caring
the sick and visiting from one co
;e to the other on Sundays or when
long work hours are over. The Bar
meet at the one store and sit on
S and bags as they discuss purely