Year: 1878

our llttle Cossack friend, ana could
afford to loose weapon or two and yet
be very dangerous customer. Weapon
number one is the long black hagless
lance, with its venomous head that
seems itching to make daylight through
somebody. He carries carbine slung


In an oilcloth cover, on his back, the
stock downward. In his belt is a


long and well-made revolver In q
leather case, and from the belt hangs
a curved sword with no guard over its


hilt. Through the chinks Of his great


coat are visible glimpses of sheepskin


undercoat with the hair worn inside
even when the thermometer is
20 deg. In the sun. His whip COM
pletes his personal appurtunances; he


wears no spurs. He rides, cooked up
on high saddle with leathern band
strapped over 1t, a wiry little rat Of


pony, with no middle piece to speak of
with a eve neck and gaunt, project
ing head, with ragged TANKS, loose
hooks, limp fetlocks, shelly feet, and a
general aspect of knackerism-the sort
of animal, In fine, for which coster-
monger would think twice before he
offered 'three quid' for 1t at the north
ern Tattersall's on the outskirts OF the
Metropolitan Cattle Market, on Friday
afternoon. But the screw is of ihdom-
table gameness and toughness-lives
where most other horses would 81 P:5
is fresh when most other horses le
knocked up-and is fit to carry its rit n
across Europe, as Cossack ponies ha 'e
doLe before to-day. The Cossacks seem
TO be used unfortunately for all sorts
of work. They were the first to enter
Roumania, they ride about alone with
dispatches, they escort suspected spies
keeping the head Of their lance care
fully within easy distance of the small
of the suspects back, to be handy for
skewering him If he would attempt
escapes; and Cossacks are placed on
guard over the ships at the Galatz quay
to prevent their attempting departure.
Dlsmounting and shackling his pony
by hobble on each foreleg, connected
by leather strap with another hobble
around the left hind leg above the hook
the Cossack takes up position on the
extreme edge of the jetty, with his
lance pointed in the direction of the
ship, as if he would transfix 1t should it
attempt to escape, and there he stands,
self contained, affablec alert, and with a
general aspect conveying the idea that
he is patronizing that section of Chris
tendon within his purview. He will
accept cigarette, and tender you a
light from his in the friendliest manner
but you will never coax him to take his
eye for a single minute off the ship
which he has in custody. The Circas-
sian Cossacks differ in some respects
srom the Don Cossacks. They ride
larger ponies, they wear BUSHES Of
Astrachan fur with scarlet busby bag,
and their greatcoat is black, having its
bosom Slashed with a receptacle for
cartridges, while they carry their carbine
in cover of Astrachan fur. w


"They are all comparatively young
men, and nearly all married, of course
to young wives. 1t often happens, as
in the present instance, that they are
away from home during war for one,
or even three or four years, and one
unfortunate result is that some of the
wives left behind do not prove to be
Lucretias. The Cossacks are quite
aware of this, and many of them, on
returning home. buy white scarf or
handkerchief, which they take with
them Upon entering their villages,
the whole population-women girls,
old men and children--come out to
meet them, including, of course, the
wives of the returning wanderers.
Now those of the wives who have been
unfaithful to their lords, of which
there is usually considerable sprink-
ling, 20 forward to their husbands,
kneel down before them in the road
put their faces in the dust, and place
their husbands foot upon their necks.
This is confession of guilt, and at the
same time prayer for forgiveness. If
the husband then covers his wife's head
with the white scarf it means that he
forgives her, asks no questions, and
obliterates the past. In this case no
one has a right ever to reproach the
wife with her Inconsistency; and If any
one should be rash enough to do so, he
would have to answer to the husband,
who is the protector of his wife's honor.
If, on the contrary, the white handker-
chief Is not produced, the woman re-
turns straight to her fathers house
without again entering her husbands
dwelling, and divorce is pronounced.
Although there Is generally consider
able sprinkling of women who come for
ward to kneel down and put their faces
in the dust, 1t rarely happens that they
are not forgiven.


-


A Colossal Pot-Pie for Paupersi


Occasionally pot-pie dinner isserved