Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1892 — Women In Russia. [ARTICLE]

Women In Russia.

Laziness, shiftiessness, ignorance and cunning of the R ssia i people are fruits of the methods of state and church. Under such rule it is not strange that the women are In the mass held as serfs, and that their lot in life is bounded by degra ation, long-suffering and sla isb subjection. Not a great whilo ago the wife of a well-to do peasant In Russia went to one of the district courts and demanded protection from the cruelty of her husband, lly competent witness es. she proved that he had bound he: naked to a stake in the street during the cold weather and asked the passers by to strike her; when they refused, lie struck her himself. He moreover fasened her to the ground, piled heavy stones upon her and broke one of her arms. The court declared him “not guilty.” It cduld not afford, it said, to "teach women to disobey their husbands. ” Another case cited was that a peasant In Russia who thought he had reason to doubt the fidelity of his wife To punish her he harnessed her to a cart with a horse. He then, with a friend, got into the cart and drove this team eleven miles-not the wbtu When ho returned he shaved her head, tarred and feathered her and turned her out of doors. She went to her pari-h priest for advice and consolation He ordered her back to her brutal husband and prescribed for her more whipping An appeal to tho courts resulted in a nonsuit I Isn’t Fashionable to Pay Debts. Speaking of English peculiarity . there is no place on earth where the financier become-i so puzzled to know how the great folks manage to live Take for instance the fat. genial, witt old Duchess of Teck, penniless, as ever, one knows, bankrupt, in debt, and yet money ‘lows through her plump hands like water. §he is said to be the brig ■ est talker in Great Britain, and strinc her enormously stout neck and arm with glorious jewels, worth a king s ransom. It is well enough to believe that densely dull or overambitious trades-people are willing to supply a ducal establishment for the prestige such patronage bestows, but surely with so lavish a lady as her grace of Teck the price would be too high for any one es tablfshment to bear a great length bf time. But then titled English people thrive on debt. Men and women are scarcely counted fashionable who pay ar they go; and as all of one's acquaintances and friends are in the same con dition, there is nothing to be ashamed of or to worry over in owing twice the value of one’s entire property.