, 1873-02-16
A NERVOUS TRAVELLER.

o". @cco.o-Luese "efc some OF the horro
| winch characterized tho summer Of 1868
But If England WIS hot, Russia WAS hottie
Tho temperature Vas often so high, that Ind
was left, speaking literally, in the shade. Itwi
dangerous to venture out in tho sun in the mit
Cue OF the dag it was spontaneous liquefaetio
Whanp y put son one .r;oa foot before tie othe,
you found them full Of beetles, who ha
gone there for the sake OF . little shelter. VIE
you h1d got them on, you called, with ali the Ii,
tle voice you had left. for two men aud boot
3aSk s to pull them OF again. Ali the world stoo
10 ITS fato. You had not the energy to abus
| eTen the mosquito Whcl perched itself on tb
end OF your celestial nose. If you brushed
away, it returned in moment or two with SOW
| eral HTe!y friends who converted your face int
ta pa'1aenelo' anu aug trenches, soon to be d1et
with human gore and their own shattered re
fnnlns. And SO you may imagine that found i
| no pleasant prospect. in tho midst of these an
noyances, to contemplate railway Journey
| IRON st. Petersburg to Berlin. Moreover
ae,era m ;,,nasa Mas ohly }ust recovering from I
| tlously some OF tho datestable rirer-watcr--]
was not in the most charming temper or in thf
highest spirits. Behold me, however, seated OF
tour ur-wheeled dIoslsy, without springs, with q
!a1ge trunk behind me, and small hat-box be-
the strong, wiry Ittla Russian horses pulling
with viii in spite Of the fierce glare OF the
sun; the driver emitting oaths mingled With q
strong odor of onions, Russian leather, Sheep
skln. and stale tobacco; the passenger holding
on for his life, of which he had not 1nucl, leff.
at last the station is reached; portors rush for
ward; away goes my luggage; away goes tue
arosky On Its return passa2o, the driver suspect
Ing that change will be asked for.
There being only two trains during the day which
run through to Berlin, you may imagine that they
were usually well filed with passengers, After
taking my ticket, T took & survey OF the COM
partmonts. They were all occupied. Just as I
had decided On going into one Of them. which
held four persons. ! WIS asked in French, bv g
man evidently excited and hurried, whether this
affirmative, aad he, n friend Of his, end myself,
took our seats. The whistle sounds and We
start. Let me hero explain to you the construc-
ton Of the carriages, which differ from those OF
both England and America. A door opens in
the middle Of the aido OF the carriage.
forward for about ynrd; to tie right and
left OF you are two other passages, at tho ends
Of each Of them being a door. Tho door opens
into compart tments extending the whole width
Of the carriage, and capable Of seating about
eight persons each. Facing tho main entrance
is q coupe to hold four people. You will under
stand, then. that, supposinG the middle COM
partment to be empty, persons occupying the
two end compartments arc separated from one
another BY two doors md a long passase-this
AcAttIAS ~ 4IdEU914Alo " QtEluEAI WuHL IL E81u
Or done in either place. II you will keep
this in mind, Jou will readily understand
what ! am about to relate to you.
examined my two companions over the top of
newspaper. One was q fair, tall. strongly
CT, dark, with rather the air Of Frenchman
about him. Both we're well, yet plainly dressed
but with an amazing profuslon Of rings on their
fingers, set with diamonds, evidently Of great
value, or else Of no value ut oil.
a tvax% %1,n tr1.~ 41n,~ s-f.A
tory, and buried myself in my paper
once moro. when, to my astonshment, I
heard the dark man say to his friend,
II plain, unmistakable English: "1t is
fortunate that We have secured compartment
with so much room in it," I cannot tell sou how
portunity Of speaking little English, and I
soon joined in the conversation. They seemed
at hrst aifable, but soou, no doubt. felt the
natural distrust which is 80 characteristic OF
John Bull on his travels. However, it turned
out that, although they spoke English, 1t was
here and there interspersed with slight smat-
tering Of '.Artemus Wardism." They both be-
[onged to the Northern States, and our reserve
soon wore OF as VIC argued out the
respective claims of Federals and Con-
had travelled a great deal never |
net an American who had not!
They Ind gone to the very extremity Of the |
ine, of rail which WAS then being laid down from
Moscow to tho East. They had slept with the /
s9rkmen IN tho open air, and snored away quite
ourso, ono OF them had been to Jerusalem to
ee how. they were getting on with the excaya-
ions there. We got On well together
nd we're on sufficiently intimate terms
+ the end Of the day to agree to
ows wore double, and only half of the double
'indow wonld open tho seats were thickly
ushioned. The sun had been shining in through
be double glass upon our unfortunate heads, so
hat We were only too glad to solaco ourselves
tations We saw. For miles and miles wo.
ent On through thick forests without
5eing single house. And then the
vening camo and after tho sun had
1t, the air seemed almost as sultry Us before. |
70 dined together, and then adjourned to all |
ad compartment Of another carriage lamp
nd been lighted in it, and there was cur
in, which, when drawn over the lamp, rem
eIed the carriage almost dark. Soon after wo ]
It the station where wo had dinel q sudden | |
are of light burst upon us; We felt the train
its speed, and a moment or two We !
ere oyeEpowoEed By 6uffocating smoke. .
a closed the widows, and found that
q forest on each side Of us WIS in flames,
ong tongues of fire darted out here and there,
I'd scoFehed the cqrriages. r I were an. adept
Q scene. but it WAS fur beyond anything 1
pld make you feel or understand. quarter !
c milo or 50 Of this, aud We left the fire be-
nd us, onlG too thankful to have escaped 30
silly.
And now we began to make our preparations
r going to sleep. NY two fellow-trayellers
re evidently old hands ut this sort Of thing.
Icy took Oft their coats, and folded
am into pillows; their collars and ties 1
re neatly pinned to the wall OF
, carriage; slippers replaced their boots;
d after spreading lurGe silk handkerchief
nr their coats by way Of pillow-case, and get
e ont. their travelling rugs, they we're ready
: bed. In the netting over my head WAS placed
mall carpet~bag belonging to the latter man
the two, whom will call Douglas. He and S
ookes, his companion, lay down on tho scat
posite to me, thus leaving me the other seat Il
to myself; Brookes With his head next to y
window, and his face towards me; I with | b
face turned towards hun, 30 close that I o
could almost have touched him. | q
uglas Icy on the opposite eeat, 81
h his head next the other window, and also c
lug me. This prolix statement is necessary d
make you understand my story. Under M B
ID was an oyercoat, in the pocket OF which re- P
led q six-barrelled revolver, an old travelling q
npaniou, go that by merely putting my hand n,
Ter my head, I could place my finger on the IL
3ger. However, scarcely 4 feeling Of sua- ~