Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-02-07
A NIGHT ON A RUSSIAN RAILWAY

by BOSTON PHYSICIAN.
lef, ST. Petersburg fnr Moscow a, II in
the morning, in The convoy, or train. in the
second class as usual. sat in seat No. 80.
AT the Railway Station you are taught some
lessons which il behooves the traveller TO heed,
~hu lives beneath the power and protection of
his Majesty the Gar. You are always under
his protection, and never did feel safer, life
more secure, than in the crowds Of the Russian
cities, and in its country regions. Power de-
cares itself, and is readily acknowledge
You enter the station with your ha, on your
head. An officer at once attempts 10 teach
you that the place you have selected for il, is
not its proper one in that particular portion Of
Russia. walked into the station, as should
a, home, with my hat on. A man with
badge Of Office al once came up aud told me to
take it off, or meant TO do so, but ! had been
here too short time 10 learn the language.
and quietly looked at him for more definite in
formation. His manner grew rapidly more
and more emphatic, but was no wiser. At
last lie adopted the natural language Of sign.
and began fercely 10 rub and raise his cap. !
was no longer oblivious, and took of the often
ding article of my outdoor toilei, and for full
half hour stood or walked up and down this
immense room, holding my hat, looking for
seat, bu, found none. The railway earring
es are long as are ours, entered at end and
front; brake on outside, and not inside the car
riage, as / saw was sometimes the case in
Prussia, aud elsewhere. The brakeman finds
il very convenient, this Prussian mode. The
handle Of the brake is at the end Of the seat
on which he sits, and he has not to move in
order TO work il. This saves him much ex-
posure TO wind, cold, rain, &c. But did not
see how he learned what was going On outside,
be driven head on TO something accidentally
and ruinously, in the way. The carriages
have a slight framework twice across each,
which seems designed Ia prevent collapse OF
| their aides. l sat next to one Of these, and
I found il very convenient place on which 10
hang my hat, shawl, overcoat, &C., aud against
which 10 rest my head. Now there is an Oh
jection To the Russian railway carriages. The
backs do not reach as high the head by q
good deal, and as the night is necessarily pass
ed on the road, this is not the most comfo table
arrangement, for sleeping. The stufing is no
as exquisite as il nigh, be, and there are NJ
window curtains. For myself, these were moi
serious annoyances. was in very early lif,
taught the advantages Of the soft side Of {
board, when yop were selecting one for bed
and ] made some arrangements for the nigh
travel. had abundan, opportunities for oh
serving the workings Of the law Of compres
- AT, al.
station, and in the convoy. You saw parties
coming. men, women, and children, wet-nurse
and the like. They brought with them sup
plies of pillows, matt rasses, cushion, comfort
ers. &C., in quantities which 10 me were ap
palling. for could not ioresee what could b'
done with them all. When. however, / GO
my seat, found them well disposed Of unde
the seals, which, as il TO favor such an al
rangement are made much broader than witt
) US. as were the carriages themselves, and i
this way abundant room for hedding was oh
) tanned, and besides, ample space was aforde
TO place good big and long pillow or maj
lress behind the back, Ia support this and III
head. Then the carpei-bags. These wer
more than inexplicable. Everybody had them
And what did they contain, these arks Of Ne
ah! ] answer, everything. Oranges, lemons
, nigh.caps tnmbers. bottles filled with mill
+ waller, wine, sugar in little paper or paste
! board vessels, with covers; sausages, tongues
! every species Of bread, cake, confectionery
materials for lemonade, prepared in dry stat
: how prepared, know not. But for eatin
$ and drinking never had | such oPp"rtuniit
! for obserUdfion and experience. ! carried nolt
ing, nor did my courier give me hint abo,
doing so. | had therefore only 10 accept ii
= current hospitality, FOR current was it, or see
= churlish or ill-Inannercd by refusal. On u
went, very slowly, as it seemed to me, but III
was improved, OF It's want unno,iced. in the a
most hourly business of eating and drinking
e packing and unpacking the omnverous carpe
$ bags, for deyourers were they, as i have abu
i dan,ly showed. had my seat, with my CO
rier in front, near and with party Of five,
u mother aud four daughters. One Of them E
S on the seat with me, with an arm between u
Charles just belore me, and very ladyliI
n woman opposite my companion, M. f, M,
- | found were The initials Of her name, al
# daughter Of the lady with four. We soon b
!, gan To talk all round, the whole party, conri
# and all. Two talked English somewhat; d
}, rest, French, German, Italian, Russian. II
a thoroughness of the northern education impre
sed me more than once. The facility Of pas
l. ing from language to language was consian,
II noted, and have the useful and reliable e'
IS dence of one whose own variety and go
e knowledge Of language was remarkable.
e speak of the Continent, and of its northern po
r lons. How it is in England in this regard
ID know not. ! learned this family's history, al
why, without gentleman friend, they we
ID travelling 50 far from ST. Petersburg for Nc
a. COW is between four and five hundred mil
D. from that city. They were on their route
D. husband and father. Colonel in the Russi
A. service, stationed at Mount Caucasus, and whu
they had not seen for two years and more.
d Two carriages were on the freight train, wh
N they would meet in Moscow with their servan
for the balance Of their journey. became q
lf quain,ed with these very pleasing ladies,
such they were, and Of extreme deicacy Of q
ie pearanee and manners. Miss Ellen, the yor