Hunter College High School - Argus Yearbook (New York, NY)

Page 20 text:

THE ARGUS Elie iliuimian Heanant Editor's Note.: The following was the prize Winning essay for the term ending June, 1923. Ever since the revolution in Russia, the peoples of the whole wlorld are inclined to think of all Russia in terms of Red. There are no distinctions made between classes, but Revolutionists, Bolshevicks and Czarists-all are spoken of alike-all are reds. For all are Russian, and all things Russian are red. Even tihe peasant, the peaceful, childish peasant is pic- tured as a terrible monster-a bearded, bvoloted creature, with a bomlb under one arm, a knife in the other and a flag in his hat. In reality the peasant is as different from this conception of him as day is from night. He would most probably die of fright were he to see a bomb, and is much more interested in the weather than in plollitical affairs. Through all the revolu- tion and bloodshed, he has managed to retain his naive stolid- ity and unpnogressivenesis and ilsl still the same curious, inter- esting plodder he was eight years. ago. It is hard to imagine the squalor and poverty in which the peasant lives-rather, exists. The shack which he calls home, is of mud, generously beplastered with clay. The door, the sole means of vvelntilation, since the two tiny windows near tihre ceili- ing cannot be opened, leads into a room which is the dining room, kitchen, bedroom and parlor combined. Als the room is small, and the family very large, one can Well imagine: that con- ditions are not Very hygienic. The furniture, such as it is, con- sists of a wooden table, two or three home-made. stools and a stove. Queer to include a stove in the category of furniture !' But then this stove is not alt all ,like its American cousin. It is a huge structure of clay, filling1 about half the room, which serves not only as a means of cooking and heating but also as a place for sleeping. At bed time, the Whole peasant family, mother, father and babies, all pile up on the stove., curl up and fall fast asleep. But the stove is hard, and they have no mat- resses. So thlefy have hit upon a plan. They do not undress and so, not only protect themselves from the hardness of the clay, but save time besides. 18

Page 19 text:

THE ARGUS Well, she said, could you defer the matter till this eve- ning, as I have so -much for you to do yet ? I had just finished building a new chicken-house, and de- cided to unburden my soul to my goddess,--at last,-when I heard her lgive a cry. I dashed to the spot with a hammer in my hand, and determination on my face. I found her-on the front lawn-with her glorious head resting upon the shoul- der of a fat, red-faced fellow whom I could have slain with a hairpin. But her cry was only joy, Ken, for she turned to me with a smiling face, and said, This is my husband, Mr. Snooks. I wanted to have the house and garden ready for him, as a little surprise, for we intend to have a lovely lazy vacation. Ted, this is my odd-job man. I hope you'll approve of his work. You-you-you're not married ! I sta-mmered. Doesn't it look like it? she returned. I won't need you any more, Mr. Snooks, and I want to settle up accounts. How much do you charge by the hour? Nothing! I replied, with quiet diggnity. It was purely a labor of love ! And I made her a low bow, and quitted her enchanting presence forever. I am stabbed to the heart, Ken, I who am acknowledged to be 'the brains of the family,--taken for an odd-job man and an idiot, too! If you do not hear from me again, you can have them drag the bay. Your unhappy old pal, Sam. P. S. DO NOT show this to your sister. She might say I told you so. Women always do. S. J. 17

Page 21 text:

THE ARGUS As if to make up for 'the sordid drabness of his home, the peasant wears the most picturesque and colorful of costumes. Outdoor life has brought it about that the peasant is usually tall, strongly built, with long brown hair, curling moustache, laughing eyes and gleaming white teeth. When he puts on his White linen shirt, tucks his bllue- or wlrite trousers into his shining boots and places a white straw hat on his curly hair, he. looks like a character stepped out of some old novel. In the winter, he dons a fur cap instead of a straw hat and a home spun ooat andf is all prepared for the coming frosts. Even more picturesque is the woman's costume. Her white linen smock is elaborately embroidered in red, black and blue. Her skirt of re.d or blue cotton is set off by a broad border of black wellvet. A bright colored kvelrchief covers her dark hairg her ears are weighted down by heavy brass earrings, and her throat is surrounded by numerous ropes 0-ii red and pink beads. She is barefooted in the summer and it is only in the winter that she dons a pair of queer rubber shloles. These with a cotton jacket and a heavy shawl ove.r her head complete iher winter toilette. Most of the peasants have but one costume which they wear day and night. But the more wealthy, have two, one for every day wear--thfe other for church and religious festivals. For the peasant is very, very religious. Every morning before he leaves for his fields and every night at :his return, he and his family offer up a prayer to God. Being Greek Catho- lics, they not only have beautiful, elaborate churches, but also a little shrine in each home. The Ikon, as they call it, is the lik1eaness of the Madonna holding the Christ Child in her arms, in front of which a little, oil lamp burns incessantly. It is before the Ikon that the peasant says Ihis prayers morning and night. just as it is one's duty to makiel the sign of the holy cross over 1one's body when p'assing la. church, julst so the omission of this ceremony in passing an Ikon would bring great disaster to the culprit, think the peasants. For his Battushka has duly im- pressed this on him. Battudhika is the name by which the priest is lovingly and respectfully called, which translated, means Little Father. The name is well chosen indeed. For his relations to his flock are those of a father to his family. He has the same powlefrs and duties, is at the same time loved and feared, his word is law 5-to the peasant, the supreme law of the land. 19