Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-10-21
TIE RUSSIAN DROSCHKY.

The real Russian or Moscow drosch&y is
simply q clothc0vered bench upon clumsy Y
springs on four wheels, with a little perch IN
front which the driver bestrides. You, the
.. ,senger, may seat yourself astride OF side
ways, on the bench. 1t may, perhaps, serve
to give a more definite and pictorial idea OF
the droschky if / describe it as a comblna-
tiou of elongated side.saddlc (such as arc
provided for the rising generation, and endur-
ed by longsufering donkeys 10 the vicinity
of the Spaniards' Tavern at Hampstead) and
an Irish outside car. The abominable Joiting,
dirt, and discomfort OF the whole Grey vehl-
Gle forcibiy recall, too, that Hlbernian instl-
tuition. There is a leatbern paracrotte on
either side to preventive mud from the wheels
fvipg up into your face, and the bases OF
these paracrottes serve as steps to mount, ana
a slight protection in the way OF footing
against your tumblirg out of the ram-sbackie
concern into the mud; but the imbeciii'y or
maleyolence of the droschky -bullder has
added a tin or pewter covering for this mea-
gre fl IoriDg, aud, as your bones are being
ratified over the Russian stones, your feet
keep M an ince.sant and Involuntary skat'
ing sbufl 90 this sccursed pewter pavement.
There is nothing to hold on by, save the
OrlNeT, anu d SUI VI coae'S
the wrong way a. the hinder end oftte bench;
the droscbky rocks trom side to side threaten
ing to tip over altogether at every momeht.-
You mutter, you pray, you pcrspire' J'e'
no, kst fingers seek little inequalities OF inc
bench to grasp at, as Claude Fo!los trleu 10
claw at the stone eopings when he 'eii from
the tower of Notre Dame; you are Joited' you
are bumped, you are sacrificed, YOU are dls'
located; and all this while your feet are keet-
Ing up the diabolical goose-step 90 tie pew,
ter beneath. Anathema, Msrspatha! II
there be a strong north wind blowing, (b0reas
has his own way, even in the height Vi sum
mer, 10 Petersburg and your hat be temp
ted to desert your head and 20 out on TIE
loos,! There is such q human, or, perhaps
fendish perversity in hats when they blow
of-such a mean, malignant, cruel. and ca,
PRECIOUS PERSISTENCE in rolling away and
bs filing YOU that / can scarcely refrain from
shaking nv fist at my vagrant beadcoVeripg
while | am running after it, and swearing
at i, when | capture il, and punching Its head
we'll before | r~esettle it Tn my own. But
what are YOU to do if your hat flies Oh ~ a
droschky? You daren't Jump out; sudden
death lies that way. Tue driver will see
YOU at Nishi-N ovgorod before be will descend
to recover it; although be has not the slight
est shame in asking you to get down to pick
M bis whip. All ycu can do is to shut Your
ewes, tie a pocket-handkerchief over your
head. and buy a new hat; which, BY the way,
will cost you, for q very ordinary one, ten
silver ronbles-a guinea and a half, AS to
stoppine the droschky. getting down ana
chasing the fugitive-thst might be done 10
England, but not here. Il. seems almost at
difficult to pull up a droschky as a railway
train. The wheels would seem to be greaseo
to such a terrific extent that they run or loi,
on of their own accord; and two hundreo
yards notice in the least you can, in any
conscience, give your lschvostcbia, if you
want him to 'stop." Meantime, with that
execrable north wind, where would -FOUR ha,
be? In the Nevs or halfway to the Lake Of
Ladoes.--Leter from Petersburg.