Studio: international art (76.1919)

Peasant Life in Central Russia

The villagers marry very
young—the boys at seventeen
or eighteen, the girls even
earlier—and the marriages are
rarely love - matches, every-
thing being arranged over the
heads of the young people, who
often do not know each other
at all. A wedding arouses
great interest among the neigh-
bours here as elsewhere. The
young couple start for church
from the bride's homeland
are solemnly blessed by their
parents and godparents before
setting out. The bride's mother
must be the first to cross the
threshold, sweeping the way
with a little broom of twigs ;
after her comes a small boy
carrying an icon, and the bridal
party follows. As they climb
into the gaily decked carts or
sleighs, hops are thrown over
the bride, who is covered with
a white veil, and there is much
laughter and excitement a?
the packed vehicles start for
church. The parents remain
"vania the soldier" charcoal sketch by winifred cooper at home. Immediately after

the ceremony the bride is taken

This promiscuity seems very painful, but they into the sexton's house, where her maiden plait
are used to it. of hair is braided into two and fastened across

The villagers are most regular in their attend- the top of her head, to be concealed under all the
ance at Church, and they will not for any reason finery that makes up the bridal head-dress. Now
whatever work on certain of the great reli- her head is " covered," a term synonymous with
gious festivals. But their religion seems to have marriage in a Russian village. And the whole
but little influence over their conduct towards party drives to the bridegioom's house to eat
their neighbour, and the, eighth commandment three long dinners one after the other, and dance
is one they have no respect for. till late into the night. Within a day or two

At the early Christmas Mass, always held the bride is working haid in her new home, and
some hours before the dawn, the church is the aim of her mother-in-law—to have another
packed with the dwellers from surrounding worker for the farm—is realized,
villages, and it is so cold that the breath of the It is difficult, in the space of a short article,
congregation rises like smoke into the air, to give an idea of the good qualities of these
mingling with the fumes of incense. The priest, ignorant and simple people. But in view of all
in robes of vivid gold, the black velvet skufia that is said in their disfavour by other classes in
upon his head, celebrates the Mass to the Russia and ekewhere io-day, it is only fair to
monotonous chanting of the village choir ; at call to mind all the disabilities they have suffered
its close he holds up the jewelled crucifix for the under in the past. Their power of endurance
people to kiss. And then horses are untied from is unlimited ; they are hard-working, charitable,
the church wall, and amid shouts of farewell the and hospitable. No beggar is ever turned awaj-
sleighs drive off home over the white fields. empty from their doors. Towards me, a
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