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Show RUSSIAN GIRLS. They Mar-jr Young After Short and Rweet Engagements. Th daughter is a emit pet in Russian Rus-sian families, perhaps because there nro generally more sons than daughters. daugh-ters. Tiiko the younger nwrntiera of the imperial family as an example, and we find twenty-two grand dukes nnd only seven grand duchesses; and this may bo stated to bo about the average proportion in most families. The necessity for men in the rural districts as assistants in the agricultural labors of their fathers has given rise to a saying: "One son is no son; two sons are half a son; but three are a whola son." Notwithstanding the pride unJ satisfaction satis-faction with which the birth of a boy is hailed, the little girl is the darling, the object of the tenderest affection and care of parents and brothers, not to hpeak of other adoring relatives. Much is not expected of her in the way of assistance in the family; she in indulged as far as their means and circumstances permit, and she takes it j quietly as her due, but it is rarely that she does not voluntarily and tacitly contribute her share in helping her mother. Her occupations are much the same as those of all European Euro-pean girls, but parish work in Russia existeth not for her. She cannot have classes at Sunday-schools, as religion is taught by priests or deacons. It would be thought quite extraordinary extraordi-nary and improper were a young unmarried un-married girl to visit tho sick or poor in towns, but in villages it is sometimes some-times done under the direction of mamma mam-ma or grandmamma. She is undoubtedly undoubt-edly fond of pleasures, likes to be well dressed, and generally adores dancing. Music is not the Russian girl's forte, nor is solo singing. Most of tho Insti-tutkas, Insti-tutkas, though they thoroughly know tho theory of music, play like a child of 12; of course there are exceptions, but it is seldom you find a girl able to play a quadrille or polka offhand. (iirls marry when young in Kus&ia. and there are very few of those most estimable individuals called old maids. There nre no colonies for the Russians to run away to, and statistics show that the births of boys much exceed those of girls. Long engagements are not approved of, they seldom last longer than a few months, during which time the fiancee is tho mistress of the house. Her girl friends assemble to help to sew the dowry, the sewing afternoon generally ending in a danco after tea. when the bridegroom drops in with a few bachelor bache-lor friends. Another wedding is thus often arranged, and bo on, little by little, lit-tle, till, like the flfty-ono cards in the game of "old maid," they pair oflf, and one, generally of the sterner sex. is left forlorn. |