Russian peasants are by no means the gloomy, down-trodden, miserable beings depicted in so many books, some of which have been written by persons with but a sketchy knowledge of the country.

Unfortunately, the free use of vodka accounts for some of the merriment at gatherings of labourers and others in country parts. Weddings are a frequent cause of merrymaking. Russian peasants make the most of them, the festivities generally lasting over three days. The bridegroom and his friends walk about the village playing on accordions and drinking vodka in various houses, where they are hospitably received. They vary these proceedings by throwing sugar to the village children, and enjoying the sight of the ensuing scramble by the youngsters.

Almost invariably, courtship takes place in the spring, and the wedding duly follows in autumn. Russians marry young. When a young man feels attracted by a girl, he sends a messenger or messengers to the parents of the bride. They choose nightfall for this errand, for the reason that it is a bad omen if they meet anyone on the way. They go by lonely by-ways, and, arrived at the bride's house, they knock at the window; instead of the door, and ask for admission. When admitted, they are asked to sit down, but decline, saying that they have not come to feast or to rest, but to ask the daughter in marriage. The usual formula is: "We have, a brave youth, and you have

------, a fair maiden. Might not the two be brought together?" The parents thank them for the offer, and then the matchmakers sit down and have a meal. When it is over, they press for a final answer, and the parents perfunctorily plead for delay. Should the match be acceptable to them, they place a lighted candle before the eikon - the holy picture which is an indispensable feature of every Russian home. The contracting parties cross themselves, say a prayer aloud, and strike hands, thus ratifying the bargain. Then the girl begins to wail and lament, no matter how willing she may be for the arrangement. She entreats her parents to break off the match, and from this time, during the months that usually intervene before the marriage, her lamentations are incessant.

A Russian gipsy girl dancing. The peasantry of this vast country delight in festivities of all kinds, and are especially devoted to singing and dancing

Photo, Illustrations Gesellschaft

On the day before the wedding these wailings reach their highest expression in unison with the wedding songs that her young friends sing around her, as she slowly undoes the long, single plait which is the pride of unmarried girls in Russia, and distributes among her girl friends the ribbons and flowers which she was accustomed to interweave with it. The lamentations may be regarded as inappropriate until it is shown that they are not without a grain of reason. The position of wives in Russia is unenviable. No longer; it is true, does the bride send a whip to her future husband as a token of her submission, but the husband can punish her as seems fit to him.

On the wedding day the wedding clothes are blessed by the priest, and the respective parents of the couple give the latter a solemn blessing before they leave their home, waving the sacred pictures three or four times over their heads. The ceremony itself usually takes place in the evening. The bride almost invariably cries bitterly when saying farewell to her home.

The ceremony itself begins by carrying the sacred pictures into the church, these being given the foremost- place in the procession. The bride and bridegroom are given wax tapers to hold, it being a superstition that the bearer of the one that goes out first will die first. It may be imagined how carefully these are carried. These tapers are not solely used in the weddings of the peasantry. At Royal weddings, and, in fact, at those of all classes, they are an indispensable feature.

In the service which follows, each promises to love and serve the other for life. The man gives the woman a ring, and she gives him one, the best-man afterwards exchanging them. The pair are then crowned, the crowns being made of filigree silver or of flowers. They are then taken to pieces, and during this process wine is mingled with water and given to the newly married couple.

The priest walks three times round the "maloy," on which the Cross and the Gospels are placed, followed by the bridal pair, after which an exhortation is pronounced, and the couple are desired to kiss each other three times. A blessing concludes the service, after which the bride and bridegroom kiss the holy eikons. The bridegroom now leads his bride to her new home. On the top of the steps leading into the. house, his father or mother, or both, meet them and bless them, giving them bread and salt, while some of the other relatives throw barley over them, and give them fresh milk to drink. The bridal pair now enter the house, and sit on a bench, the bride hiding her face with a handkerchief. Then the mother-in-law takes away this handkerchief, and divides the girl's loose tresses into two parts, and sets on her head the distinctive head-dress of married Russian women. After this comes the wedding breakfast.

Peasant women of the fisher class at St. Petersburg. These women still wear a typical peasant dress and hold to ancient traditions and observances, especially as regards the marriage ceremony Photo, C. Bulla