Life In Provincial Russia

Four-fifths of Northern Iiussia, says a correspondent of the Ecening Post, consists of plains and forost marches. But u winter it mattere littlo what lies undenioath. In traveliug from Arehangel to Sb Petersburg by sledgo-stagos two years ago, it was nothing but frozen snow from first to last. The distance is not far from one thousand miles. All thrcu-'h the route, whether in the towns and vülages or the scatterod hamlefa of the moro rural distriets, utter stagnation of Ufe appeared to ïvign. Peoplo and ponltry together were hut up in thoir miserable huts ; no dogs barked as we drove through the 8treets ; of horned cattlo therê were none, andeven the winter birds had desorted the forests and flown to the neighborhood of the habitations of men. During the greater part of the distance no living thing was to be seen, save a fox skulking ainong the bushos or a wolf waiting for a weary horso to die on the road. For hundreds of versts no sound would break the silonoobut thoyt-11 of the zfimstchick inciting his team to groater speed, or his wild voice chanting the songs of his race. At every station where change of horses was to be made, the space in front of the inu was crowded witli heaps of brown -kins on the snow. They wero semstshicks, in their bearskin frocks, wiiiting to be hired by the passing travcler. When i sliidge would arrive, they would start into lite, and draw lots among thcniselves as to who should take the turn. Ho wlio was sucuessful üumediately bruught out his horses, put theni to and mountod, whilst the rost, wrapping thomselves in thuir bcarskins, addressud themselves to their slumbers ag;iiu. In ïuany instauoes there rere vooden cribs, not unlike manjrois for horscs, into which thcy erowdcd themsolves, their hcads and all' their bodies being completely covered. EATIKG AND DKI.NKIXO. The restaurants aro a peculiar feature of all liussian towus. Over the door of one of these housosof refreshinent is generally a painted tea-urn, with cups set arouud it. Ordinarily the principal tea restaurant at Aruhangel was not thronged, but at fair timo it prosented a eonsfant crowd of tlio most motley customers. - Long bearded lueruhants in their blue e.ii'tans, droshky-drivers, rough peasants iö their loose sheepskin frocks are all .■ali-d in groups round small tables placed in lines down tho whole leugth of the room. Young boys in loose shirts, and mostly without shoes or stockings, are running about attending to tho wants of the guests, bring littlo loa vos to one, rusk to another, and toa to all. Tea-cups are not the fashion Glasses are used in thoir place. But then tho tea- tea that never approached the salt water. The overland tea from Kansu, in Western China, surpasses in dolicious flavor all other boverages. Cream is rarely used ; in its place a thin slicu of lemon .immers on the top of the boiling fluid. Sugar is never put into the ta. It is taken, lump by lump, into the mouth, held between the teeth, and the beverage sucked through it. Toa and votku (an ardent sjjirit distilled from ryc), are standing consolation tothe humbler classes in all their sorrows. They are usually sold in the same shops -tea on the upper floor, votku in the cellar. Intemperance flourishos everywhero among Eussians of the lower orders. The sight of a glass of votku will make a peasant's eyes sparklo with joy. A TALK WITH A VEÏERAX. On the journey from Archangel to St. Petersburg one of our zemstehicks had been a soldier. He boastud that he had servetl the Czar in every provinco of his Empire ; but now that his timo was out he had turned postdriver. Tho last provinee he had been in was Podoli, of which he gave interesting accounts. " But," asked niy fellow-traveler, " why did you not remain where your prospects wore so good and thu country so delightful 'i " "Ah, matuchka(for my companion was a lady, and old enough to be addressed by the respeoted name of " Mother ") how was it possible ï I thought of my native villago far away in tho north, and was homesick for the old hut ; I was always longing to see the snow and pine forests, and liera I am." " But how did you return from so groat a distance 't Did the government eend you back ? " " Not at all, barishna (lady). I walleed all the way." "What! 1,500 versta?" " Yes, to be sure ; that is nothing." " You have a little pension, I suppose ?" " Pension ! no. Only the officers ever get that, and they only when they are woundcd. I have a wifo and tour childron. We got plenty of black bread and salt :md stchic (cabbago). What elso can we wish tor r1" The zemstchick introduccd us into several liouses of thu village where he lived. Tho inmutes wore universally wrapped in shcep-skins, that buing the material of whioh the winter clolhing of tho poaslui s, male and femslé, is formod. Windows - or trapdoors, rather, in tho wall - worc all tightly closed. In the two rooms of ihe huts, built generally of stone, thero waa no daylight. Ureat splinters of pinc Furnished tho nocessary light for indoor work. Two stoves, made of stono, and in which loga of wood were burnt, heated tho apartments. THE FABMBB'S LIFE. Farming iu Iiussia, with its thin and scuttured population - I mean Middle Russia, for of Southern Russia I know nothing - is a wholly different thing lïoin farming in a thickly settlod country. The land is still cultivated as it wasbefon; the serfs were freed. Having followed all their Uves the system inheritod from thoir ancesters, they follow it still. Tho farms aru largo, owned mostly by wealthy proprïetoro who reside in St. Potersburg or Moscüw. Tlie farmer leases bis land for three years or for souio multiple of three. Bupposiltg him to havo just entered upori it, he divides it, say two hundi'i'd and fifty acres, into three eqnul or neüily equal parts. In tho íirst year he sow8 one of theso parts with barloy or wheat, another with oats, and suftors the thiid to roniain fallow. In the second yea( that portion previously sown with wheat is sowawitU oats, that which produccd the oats is left follow, and that which had rciuainod fallow during tho last yuar is sowu with whoad. Ia tUo third yoar tliiitportioii of land which was sown witli whcat lius fallow, that whicU produced outs tho first year aud lay fallo w the secoiid is now sown with wlieat, and that which was fallo w tlii; lirst and produced wheat the second is now sown with oats. This completas the rotetion, which is ronowed every third year, onothird portion of the land boing constantly out of miltivation. LOCAL PECULIAKIÏIE9. Therc prevails all over ltussia a whinisieal mode of perpctuating the boundaries of estates. ïiiore ure neither wood fenoos nor stone walls, hudges nor trenches in all the vast country. The lood lies open. Hordsmen nm.st aliroya atfendthe cattle, and swinolicrds the swine, and shepherds the flocks, to prevent thcir damaging the crops and streving from home. Artificial mounds of e-irth define the limita of land. Upon theso mouiids, ■ ever land is to be sold or a división takes placo, or a new survey is thought ncnesSiiry, some juvenile prruwt. uinvury enough to be canght on thu spot, is stiipp.d in the scholastic fashion and soundly fiagellated with willow wands, borne by the survuying party. The bound is thus tixed in the memory of tho boy, and as this species of special instruction is repeated at overy ïuound in tho course of tho route, it is snpposed thnt for fifty yours at leuiit, somebouy will bo found who remembers the ancient landmarka. ïhciio aro somo families of wualth wlio reside upon their estates, and these eumposo the ïustic nobility. It is among these that the prejudices and nsages of Old Kussia are handeddownasheirloomsfroni generation to generation. No poople are more superstitious than these, and none I inoro bigotod. Tlley oling with unyielding tonacity to tho formg of tho Greok Churcli, and preserve traditions witlx undoubting crodulity. Ainong country oustoms most sedulously preserved by wl-11 to-do families is that oí salutation after meáis. Nothing can be moro amusing than to see all the persons round the tablo bawing right and left beforc thcy separate. The children set the example by respcctfully kissing tho hands of their ijarents. These grave and formal salutations pass betwecn t'ath or and mother, brothers and brothers, or brothers and sisters, fzieads with frionds, and guests with host and hostess. A Swiss governess is an indispensable inember of a noble or gcnteel countrv fainily in which theie aro ehildron. She teacbes them to road, write, speak French and play a few mazorkas ou the piano. Young girls are jealously guarded. Üu no pretext at partios or on ploasure excureions uro they aliowed to be out of tbe sight of their nothurs orehaperohs. But alí this extends no furtlicr than outward forni3. Genuine virtue, such as is based on sound principies and enlightened education, is no more common in Iiussian country lifo than in ours. Young girls are jealously guarded booanso tho practico isiu accordance with the habita and feelings of tho countrv.