rse many of the poorer ones go to
the homes of the more well to do where they are very hospitably received
and entertained. All sit down to a common table and the eating begins. I
attended a dinner in a well-to-do peasant's house that day and before
the meal was one-third through I was ready to desist. The landlord was
very much displeased and I was informed confidentially by one of the
Russian officers who had invited me that the landlord would take great
offense at the first to give up the contest--and that as a matter of
fact instead of being a sign of poor breeding, on the contrary it was
considered quite the thing to stuff one's self until he could eat no
more. As the meal progressed great bowls of braga and now and then a
glass of vodka were brought in to help along the repast. After an almost
interminable time the guests all rose in a body and facing the icon
crossed themselves--then bowing to the host--made certain remarks which
I afterward found out meant, "Thanks for your bread and salt"--to which
the host replied, "Do not be displeased, sit down once more for
goodluck," whereupon all hands fell to again and had it not been for a
mounted messenger galloping in with important messages, I am of the
opinion that we would probably have spent the balance of the day trying
not to displease our host.

If the Russian peasant's food were always as good and plentiful as at
this season of the year, he would have little reason to complain, but
this is by no means the case. Beef, mutton, pork and the like are
entirely too expensive to be considered as a common article of food and
consequently the average peasant is more or less of a vegetarian, living
on cabbage, cabbage soup, potatoes, turnips and black bread the entire
winter--varied now and then with a portion of salt fish.

From the festival time until the following spring there is no
possibility of doing any agricultural work for the ground is as hard as
iron and covered with snow. The male peasants do very little work during
these winter months and spend most of their time lying idly upon the
huge brick stoves. Some of them, it is true, have some handicraft that
occupies their winter hours; others will take their guns and a little
parcel of provisions and wander about in the trackless forests for days
at a time. If successful, he may bring home a number of valuable
skins--such as ermine, fox and the like. Sometimes a number of them
associate for the purpose of deep