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Story
December 15, 1893
Weekly Expositor
Yale, Saint Clair County, Michigan
What is this article about?
In a Russian village, Ivan proudly recounts his brother's wealth from land and livestock, supported by five grown sons who labor and remit wages, highlighting the advantages of large families for peasants; on holidays, the family drinks at the kabak rather than working.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
A RICH RUSSIAN BROTHER,
Ivan Had a Great Opinion of Him and His Ability to Get Drunk.
"The house on the right," says Ivan, with some pride, "belongs to my brother, who is the richest man in the village. He has five grown-up sons, and therefore a large amount of land, four good horses and six cows; he lives well."
"Does he drink?" we inquire.
"Of course he does," says Ivan. "Hard on holidays; but he is a good worker, and, with five sons, can spare two or three to work in town. Three of his are laborers, and most of their wages come home. As for the land, my brother and his two sons and their wives can easily cultivate it. Ah, barin! it's a great thing for us moujiks to have grown-up sons!"
Ivan's remarks were true enough. The large family in a Russian village is a co-operative concern, and pays well.
"Is your rich brother at work to-day?" we asked.
Ivan made a tipsily comical gesture of horror, he spat upon the ground with unnecessary vehemence and then crossed himself.
"The barin is pleased to joke," he said. "It is a holiday. My brother and his sons are not sinners. They do not work on a holiday. They are all at the kabak, as they should be!"
"Drunk?" I ventured.
"Drunk, barin; certainly!" said Ivan. "Why, what would you have."
Ivan Had a Great Opinion of Him and His Ability to Get Drunk.
"The house on the right," says Ivan, with some pride, "belongs to my brother, who is the richest man in the village. He has five grown-up sons, and therefore a large amount of land, four good horses and six cows; he lives well."
"Does he drink?" we inquire.
"Of course he does," says Ivan. "Hard on holidays; but he is a good worker, and, with five sons, can spare two or three to work in town. Three of his are laborers, and most of their wages come home. As for the land, my brother and his two sons and their wives can easily cultivate it. Ah, barin! it's a great thing for us moujiks to have grown-up sons!"
Ivan's remarks were true enough. The large family in a Russian village is a co-operative concern, and pays well.
"Is your rich brother at work to-day?" we asked.
Ivan made a tipsily comical gesture of horror, he spat upon the ground with unnecessary vehemence and then crossed himself.
"The barin is pleased to joke," he said. "It is a holiday. My brother and his sons are not sinners. They do not work on a holiday. They are all at the kabak, as they should be!"
"Drunk?" I ventured.
"Drunk, barin; certainly!" said Ivan. "Why, what would you have."
What sub-type of article is it?
Biography
Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Family
Social Manners
What keywords are associated?
Russian Village
Family Life
Holiday Drinking
Moujiks
Rich Brother
What entities or persons were involved?
Ivan
Ivan's Brother
Where did it happen?
Russian Village
Story Details
Key Persons
Ivan
Ivan's Brother
Location
Russian Village
Story Details
Ivan describes his rich brother's prosperous family with five sons who work and contribute to the household, emphasizing the benefits of a large family for moujiks, and notes that on holidays the brother and sons drink at the kabak instead of working.