62 RUSSIA THEN AND NOW 



hair concealed under a kerchief which the Count 

 asked her to remove that I might see her hair. 

 Blushfully she complied, and a long glossy plait 

 fell to her waist. The girl's object in wearing 

 the head covering was supposedly to prepare her- 

 self for the time, probably very near, when, being 

 married, it would be a shame to her to display 

 nature's lavish head adornment. 



In most Russian villages the young women are 

 not allowed to choose their husbands. The par- 

 ents do this for them, and the father will some- 

 times take up with the first one that happens to be 

 recommended to him by a neighbour or by some 

 one who has done him a favour, or is in a position 

 to enable him to befriend him, somewhat after 

 the manner that little offices are bestowed in our 

 country for political favours. Their daughters 

 are never permitted after marriage to remain at 

 home, but invariably go to live with the hus- 

 band's parents, no matter how numerous their 

 offspring, until the couple can set up for them- 

 selves. 



The following references to Russian weddings 

 in well-to-do families, I quote from Hubbak's 

 Russian Realities : 



