The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-05-31

Russian Hotels.
EVEN in good hotels, when they are Of
the genuine Russian type, there are Ger
tain peculiarities which, though not ia
themselves Objectionable, strike = for
eigner as peculiar. Thus, when you alight
at such an hotel, you are expected to ex.
anime . considerable number of rooms,
and to inquire about the respective prices.
When you have fixed upon suitable
apartment you will do well, if you wish
to practice economy, to propose to the
landlord considerably less than he de-
mands; and you will generally find, II
" u have talent for bargaining, that the
rooms may be hired for somewhat less
than the sum first stated. You must be
careful, however, to leave no possibility
of doubt Is to the terms of the contract.
Perhaps you assume that, as In taking a
cab horse Is always supplied without
special stipulation, SO, in hiring bed
room, the bargain includes bed and the
necessary appurtenances. Such an as
sumption will not always be justified.
The landlord may perhaps give you u
bedstead without extra charge, but if he
be interrupted by foreign notions, he will
certainly not spontaneously supply you
with bed-linen, pillows, blankets and
towels. On the contrary, he will assume
that you carry all these articles with you,
and, if you do not, you must pay for those
which you borrow from lin. This an
cicnt custom has produced among certain
Russians curious kind of fastidi dsness
to which we are strangers. They strong
~ dislike using sheets, blankets and tow
v,,InS IN tos, -
property, just as we should strongly OBJ
already worn by other people. And the
feeling may be developed in people not
Russian by birth. For my own part, con-
fess to having been conscious Of certain
cisagreeable feeling on returning, in this
respect, to the usages of so called civilized
Europe. Evidently fastidiousness is not
an innate quality, but the result of the
conditions to which &C have been accus-
toned; and, as such, it may easily take
very curious forms. The Inconvenience
Of carrying about these essential articles
of bed room furniture is by no means so
great as may at first sight be supposed.
Bedrooms in Russia are always heated
during cold weather, so that one light
blanket. which may be used also as a
railway rug, IL quite sufficient, while
sheets, pillOw-cases and towels take up
very little space in pOrtmanteau. The
most cumf fcus object is the pillow, for
air-cushi' as, having always . disagreea-
BILE OdO , are not well suited for the pur-
pose. But Russians are accustomed to
this ncumbrance. In former days-as at
the present time in those parts of the
country where there are neither RAILWAYS
nor macadamized roads-people travelled
in carts Or carriages without springs, and
in these instruments of torture huge
pile of cushions or pillows is necessary to
avoid Commissions and dislocations. On
the railways-except perhaps the infamous
line which connects the VOlga with the
Don-the jolts and shaking are not dead
ly enough to require such an antidote;
but, even in uncOnservative Russia, GUS
toms Outlive the conditions that created
them; and at every railway station you
may see men and women carrying about
their pillows with them as we carry wraps
and hat boxes. A genuine Russian mer-
chant who loves comfort and respects
tradition may travel without a port.
manteau, but he considers his pill
low as an indispensable article de
r0yage. To return to the hotel. When
you have completed the negotiations with
the landlord, you will notice that, unless
you have servant with you, the waiter
prepares to perform the duties of c0let de
Do not be surprised at his
which seems founded on
the assumption that you are three fOurths
paralyzed. Formerly, every well-born
Russian had valet always in attendance,
and never dreamed of doing for himself
which could by any possibility
be done for him. You notice that there |
is no bell in the room, and no mechanical
means Of communicating with the world |
below stairs. That is because the attend |
ant was supposed to be always within |
call, and it is so much easier to shout than |
10 get up and ring the bell. In the good |
Did times all this was quite natural. The |
well-bOrn Russian had commonly a super |
abundance of domestic serfs, and there
was no reason why one or two of them |
should not accompany their master when
his honor undertook journey. An addi-
tiOnal person in the Tarantass did not in.
crease the expense, and considerably
the little unavoidable incOn. |
veniences of travel. But times have
changed. Fifteen years ago the domestic |
serfs were emancipated by Imperial ukaz
Free servants demand wages and on rail- |
ways and steamers q single ticket does |
not include the attendant. The present |
he legs and secured in a twisted knot be- |
hind. This served instead of trousers, and |
$ more graceful and picturesque. Pur- |
pie or white hose, fastened with carriers |
ust above the calf of the leg, completed |
he costume. The hall was ornamented |
With brilliant frescoes, and supported on |
ZACH side with large Corinthian columns. |
Massive crystal chandeliers hung from the |
middle of the ceiling. The rich cos.
umes, drapery and decorations were
pleasing to the eye, combining something |
If modern architecture and dress with bar.
baric splendor.-Cor. N. Y. Tribune.