The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-07
TEA DRINKING IN MOsCoW.
boiling water Poured Down Cast-Iron
Throats-Mysterio Etiquette.


Throats-MysteriousE Etiquette.
Moscow Russia, Feb pa glamour Of the
East hangs ovor Moscow. Tho water carriers
still ply their trade about the streets. Armenians
Persians. and the dwellers Of far-nway khnnates
may be seen among the crowd Mt the markets.
and really looking moro at home In their quaint
garbs thnn do the Western traders. in hats and
trousers Nowhere else does the Illusion grow
upon one so much as In the numerous traktirs
which surround tho markets. Tho Oriental
hangings the dvans. the lamps swinging con-
scr-likc from the ceilings all have on Arabian
Nights mir which IL heightened by the appear
ance Of the mute servants gliding silently about
/ dropped in the other day at the Rreat Mos
kovski Traktlr. to wait for n friend who was to
accompany me to the markets to see the pens
ants. or Moujiks. selling their household goods
The Moskovsk Is one Of the largest. II not the
largest. traktrs in the city. and is the place
where the tca merchants Of Russia rendezvous (:
for almost every calling or gum here has its
particular traktir. whore it's members meet to
talk over business. rs well M to supply the
wants Of the inner man. II Is not exactly ros-
taurant nor yet exactly an exchange. but par
takes something OF tho nature Of the two; eat-
ing. perhaps. being the principal object. and
business secondary consideration. In the
establishment.
The entrance to the Moskovsk ia up broad
flight OF stairs, beading from street intersected
with ruts and dotted over with holes. liv-
cried servant throws open large folding doors,
as soon as the formal knock is given. and you
find yourself In n temperature which IL a de-
ightful contrast from that you have Just left.
Servants are waiting To take your overcOai and
wraps. Looking about. you see q long apart
mcnt with arrhed ceiling. md with its polished
floors thoroughly filed with sofas and tables
tho latter Of different sizes 10 accommodate pro-
portonate groups At the far end Of tho room
stands an immense organ. perpctuay grind
place with oil its accessorcs-the vnultcd roof,
the rich hanRings Of silk and brilliant woods.
the swayinR lamps, the many spfns. the music
and warmih-all contribute to the glamour Of
novelty. You have entered upon civilization
OthOr tam your own.
The Illusion IL Increased too by the stealthy
movements Of the servants all dressed exactly
alikc and potable for their silent and swift ODE.
dience. Unlike the dnpper serving men Of all
| the other restaurants you know the servants Of
the hoskovski are tall. athletic men. apparclled
in white tunccs and full white troueers, and
with their long hair brushed smoothly back
! from their forcheads and parted in the middle.
nifty of the tall-coated. white neck tied English.
| tho oyer-zealcus French. and the slam bang
| American walters All their movements are
moreover. they don't talk. Indeed. no one
seems To talk much or loudly; and the some.
what boistcrous entrance and conversation OF
my friend was greeted with AN unmistakaPle
stare Of astonishment and annoyance by the
other guests 81 the traktir. Neither do the poo
pie about disturb you with that incessHnt clat-
Ter and Jingle Of knives and plates which OBJ
tains in other places Tho Russians among
themselves. are not laxative people and am
told 10y those knowing them we'll that the peas
ants sit habtually silent when ut homo. To tho
enr the Russian language sounds Nv no means
harsh. being somewhe; like English. with all
the hard sounds taken out
The cuisine Il the Moskovski ranks among
the first in the cii, and the list Of vandsto be
mad runs the gamut from the national pot.
pourri OF cabbage soup to the most elaborate Of
made dishes, The principal article OF con-
sumption in the traktir however, is tea You
cnnnot pass day in Russin without learning
the Russ for n cup OF tea. pronounced, as nearly
rs can convey the sound. Sthckan trhay. y
Indeed. rs soon rs you take sent upon one of
the divan-. and have atable drawn up before
you. the tall servant brings tea at once without
an apparent doubt IN his mind that you would
order y any way ~ You only knew how. In
some Of the SINAI Ter trakt the metal ca kettles
stand upon ths hre III iull view. and you can
son. Here. however. two white teapots are
brought one large and one small. the larger
containing hm water. and the smaller one
the tea. In place Of the ordinary teacup glass
lumber II placed before you. Now. II you fol-
low the native custom. youeslowly oil the tum-
bier half fun OF hot water. in order 10 warm it
thoroughly: after which you empty the water.
place the requisite amount Of sugar in the bot
tom. then pour in the tea, and weaken with
wator TO suit the taste. II you like stick in it,
n slice OF lemon accompanies the tea. and i'm
parts pleasant flavor.
This done. YOU are ready to drink-that Ia. IL
mouth and throat are suih:ienily ilreproot 70
T native s%R M drink % not
fairly bOlls in the glass and does IL without the
passing trace OF tear in his eye II you can
follow, the custom, You are likely to get bettor
70 drink again. There is one ', great
difficulty, however. in doing it. The glass has
no handle. and TO pick up In 'ha ordinary
manner ia Ike handling live coal. The only
way TO obyiate the difrcu''y is either TO hold the
your hand or bend low enough to drink from II
as 4 stands upon the table. Neither OF these
home. | am aware. hut one or tho other you will
probably adopt u you drink tea in the native
much time. ms the < ass retains the heat much
longer than porcelain or crockery cup would.
very necessary accessory Of tea drinking in
guests Of the Moskovski were smok ng between
their sips OF tea, and nearly everybody made the
sign OF the before raising the first glass to-
his lips. Cigarettes were used Tor the most part
though one cnn buy cigars Of good en- ugh quail
ity II willing to pay an extravagant price. Al.
cigars beyond the reach otthe average patrons OF
the traktir. passable one costing about half a
up the illusion OF the East. however. you in
dulge in the more luxurious mode OF smoking
a rod color. and having "a long cherry stem. Az
inevitably as no brings you tea the servant
brings one Of these pipes. He illls it in you
lights II with coal, draws few whiffs to fairly
set set. it t.ri gSilpIs then wipes the mouth.
judicious smoking one pipxul will last half
an hour. during which You can sip tea watch
the tea MERCHANTS bargaining. and study the
graceful effects OF the semi-Oriental costumes
they wear
All this time the great barrel organ at the end
OF the room Will be plaintively reciting the woes
OF Faust or the lively msdemeHnors Of TraVi-
alta or La Belle Helene. Indeed the hum 81
such other conversation ~ you might chance TO
hear will be lost in tho great paals of the nsru-
ment. No Russian traktr would hold its aus
tom for moment without music Of some kind;
and the patrons Of the Moskovski would leave
in a body and transfer their custom to another
establishment If i boosted abetter organ. This
one was built ut Wurtcmberg expressly for the
MoskOvski. and cost the proprietor about s15,-
900. IL plays. am told. airs from about twenty
operas
MR. WINTERs'S MOLLIE MCCARTHY.
Ia. inh leIl