24.

The “Voguchka” song (Піснь Вогучка) on page 24 is a traditional Lemko/Carpathian Ruthenian folk recruit song from the Austro-Hungarian Empire era (late 19th–early 20th century).

It is a regional variant of the well-known Lemko/Galician song cycle often titled “Пришла карта з Сянока” (“A draft card came from Sanok”) or “Кедь ми прийшла карта” (“When the card came to me”). These songs were popular among the Lemko, Boyko, and Rusyn people in the Carpathian mountains (present-day southeastern Poland, western Ukraine, and parts of Slovakia).

Key origins and context:

• Historical background: Written and sung during the time of compulsory military service under the Austrian (later Austro-Hungarian) Emperor. Young men (and in humorous or dramatic variants, even daughters or young women) were called up. The lyrics play on the shock of conscription, family separation, and the Emperor’s surprise at the recruits’ bravery or unusual situation.
• “Voguchka” element: In this notebook version, “Вогучка” appears to be either the name/nickname of the brave female heroine or a local title for the song. The two “Цуперко” sisters (the oldest and youngest) take their mother’s place or go to war themselves — a twist that adds humor and pathos. The Emperor “дивував” (wondered/amazed) at their courage or the oddity of the scene.
• Collection date: The notebook entry (and similar pages with “2/i 909”) matches the period when folklorists and locals were actively writing down Carpathian songs. “Нерепівка” at the bottom of the facing page is likely the village or performer where this variant was recorded.

These recruit songs were passed orally for generations, with many local variants. They blend humor, lament, and social commentary on military life. The version in your notebook is a rare handwritten record of one such local adaptation, preserved exactly as sung in the early 1900s.