RUSSIAN PRIESTS AND CARD PLAYING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 160, 9 July 1877, Page 4

RUSSIAN PRIESTS AND CARD PLAYING.

A book which appeared abont teri 'uyfearaafed called Sketches of Rttaaiat-j <Mfe before and daring ihe Emancipa-i tion of the Serfs illustrates the intel- ( lebtuai and moral status of .the, Ryssisin; i®'?t|y s r ®'^' D S, ® Q . amusing scene in; " which' a carot-playing priest ia the'mcW £fgttre:~" All but toe tall! priest 'trf-jn thVo'* theii? (ikrda 66 flie! table, and rose aaying, « A fresh deal after admae'.' 'No,aoi'he'saW,- c iceep j yonr hand, partner; I shall keep mine i^rij k a good one-rand we shall play! the game after otic return. -YHereJ oYrtV 8t ! ?e "?■? • ••toweUiwet That ! will do. N6w my robes— theia^ C£t ! comb. And now every one to your posts/ Thaa" saying,' Be proceeded ! wi^ a firoi step towards the churoh by "6he~pfivafe entrance already mentioned, -<AiVb6 leftthe^ r6bbl I sk# hlmf piaee his^'godd -"haod of cards' withiri - his aacred robes, under; the inside faateuing. He was determined not to lose £ sight of j his tVuiup^; and 1 carried tbeai off on his | Vg^pon jglo the church-- I- raa^foijtrid ! to the front entrance and was just in ] time tb witness the commencement of i the •fljryiqe, , Itis a wonder judghfenfe did not fall oq the- chief priest; and it o]idin a way. Atonapaftdf the qerVice, justw aa he was stepping o# Mie platform, he pat his hand inside his robe to pull oat f bis haodkerofagef, and:, a^ha draw it otftthecards cmne ajlso f on bidd'etf^ ;^id fe»t sdatte^d^'oveV" tie altar ftaffi,i: Thiaiwoefd h&^pat^ifed any %4.i IS%l S% r y^ iP- an » feat &at -priest- never moved for a moment. HeJoVoked coolly at the cards, then steadily at fche people, to8W » ' Y *« all af ® : that —take notice of ft; I shall tell ydtf abquyt. by and by*' He then continued the services; At the clofte he pointed to the cards, then beckoned a little b'o^mth .a ahors skirt of coarse linen, and trousers to match, not very clean, who bad been efossiog arid bending beside a prior peasant' womap, his mother. .'Come jaete.' I'he boy went, lining to the congregation, he said, 'fl will give you a lesson yefij L riot (orget for-som* tijfle. YdU aQ e those cards lying on the" floor? Dp y oath ink I^p'ui (hem there for nothing?- We shall jee. .^rjaat is your name, my'boy?' •Peter. Petrovitoh." « Well, Peter Petrovitcb, go and £ick up one of those cards you see on the floor, and bring it 60 me. V Thhie_ that will do. Now taUY ma, Peler Petro^itchi wh^t card is this?' « The ace of spaces, 5 said the boy* - with ready know-. ledge. • Very good, Peter Petrovitch ; bring me another. What card is that?' 'the qiiaeri of spades/ aiid Pettr. •How u Well i you know them, Peter I Bring me another. And now what thay fcbat.be ?*. * The ten of hearts.' « That will dOj, Peter, the aon of Peter. Now turn round and look at this picture/ Oan yoa tell me what saint w it represents ?* The bpy scratched hia head, his little shoulders, lifting* them up to his ears, then adratched his head agaiUj arid said— ' I know noi.' •Now ib^k at this brie ; who is this V The same answer. « And this ? » « I cannot feeii.* * That will do, Peter, the sop of Peter; you may go to your mother i* « Turning to the people, he continued, 'Do you know now for wh?t purpose I put these cards on the floor? Do you aot think shame of youraahr-ia ? Tell me, say, is it not disgraceful arid scandalous tbat that nice, whiterheared little boy can tell in a moment the name of every card id the pack-, and he does riot know the name of one of the blessed saints I 0 shame, sbame on ye, so to bring up tbe young alter ail the good teaching, l have given you ! Gd away and learn 'he leaaon I have given you tbis blessed day. Don't forget it* and foroe majo bring cards into this holy place again. Vassili, put the other carel's up/ ano|V keep them for meJ !. So with Bol|(riri:stepV be left the church to play out c his interrupted game Y - • • • »■