Tablecloths, napkins
At a small restaurant in the center of Milan Shaliapin sat down to the table and, meditating, took out his pen and began drawing a small Milanese cathedral on a white table-cloth. "What is this gentleman drawing, he is spoiling my table-cloth", said the owner of the restaurant. "How much is a table-cloth?” roused Shaliapin. "Ten liras." Shaliapin went on drawing. But after the other visitors of restaurant told the owner that the gentleman was the world-famous singer and that she could hang his drawing framed on a wall as a rare souvenir, she rushed to Shaliapin. "I'm sorry; I did not know who had visited me. Please, keep on; it will be a pleasure for me to have this table-cloth". "No", said the singer, "I want 20 liras for it now or I'll take it with me" The woman had nothing to do but to pay him. And Shaliapin ordered the wine 30 liras worth. The white tablecloth is spilled with wine... The table-cloths are coming back both as the decoration of the table on holidays and for everyday use as a short prayer before the dinner. "Slavianskiy Stile" has the unique ethnographical knowledge gained from all over the Russia.
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