Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-05
THE OLD WORLD.
THE RUSSIAN AIrHABIr-xxAsrsEA.
TING AND UHrHrELLrarBLE srons.
Americans Welcome in the Land Of tns
csars- Honest Examination OF
Effects.

csars-H Honest Examination OF
Effects.
tef. Petersburg correspondence OF the 'ou''
nsl OF Commerce.
The Russians play their alphabet OF
of thirty. six letters for all it is worm.
Having plenty OF letters they string
these out into long words. How our
German friends, with their addiction 70
polysy tables, would enjoy such alpha
betical resources What tremendous
law. breakers they would manufacture :
Our first acquaintance with the beauties
of the Russian language was made
from the window Of sleeping-car ~
daybreak. We were then in Russian
territory far from the frontier. As the
train logged along without stopping We
could see the Russian names OF sta
tons. At first, perhaps, there would be
four or five regular English letters mixed
up any how. Then would come Greek
character. Next would occur an I'M
mistakable figure 8. This would posi-
bly be followed by an N or an X or an
L turned upside down or otherwise dis
torted. And in the midst Of these capt.
tai letters there would be sprinkling
Of lower case" as printers say. The
whole effect was that Of "pi" OF the
most exaspersting description. / can
imagine no mental exercise more de-
bilitating than that Of trying to spell
out Russian signs with the misleading
help of the English letters on them.
Even if all the rest were smooth sailing
there are fatal snags in the shape OF
gridirons, double saw-horses and other
symbols Of unknown import.
On the tongue Of q polite Russisn
this language is musical and fluent.
We heard its accents first at Wisbsllen,
where the baggage inspection takes
place. 1t is no joke for persons who
have been travelling for fifteen hours
from Berlin to be walked at midnight
and put through custom-house ordeal.
As stepped off the train into the cold
and damp Of the Wisballen station q
pleasant voice saluted my ear with 8
long sentence, of which | caught only
the word passport" Looking up, |
saw, by the dim light Of lantern,
Russian officer Of gigantic stature.
He was most becomingly dressed in
blue tunic, flowing trousers tucked into
highly. polished boots, an Astrakhsn
fur cap with red top and white pom
pom; and a long sword trsiled from
his side 10 the floor. His large healthy
face besmed benevolence. If he had
asked for my pocket-book | believe |
should have given it up to him with
out hesitation. | handed him Mr. Bay
ards valued certificate Of my citizen
ship. with the single word, " Ameri-
can" You should have seen the smile
on his face stretch into positive laugh
Of welcome. He bowed profoundly and
motioned me to enter spacious room
which had been depicted to me as a
torture chamber.
We had been told that the Russian
examination was most inquisitiye and
merciless. We had heard that they
confscated all English books and news
papers. Having read our stock Of these
on the way, We were ready to surrender
them cheerfully to the Russian censor.
But we were expecting to have great
fun out of certain bottle half full Of
lemonade and tightly corked. We had
painted TO ourselves the disappointment
and disgust Of the officials when they
opened that bottle in pursuit Of brandy
and found only water. | confess VISA al
most sorry when they did not smell or
even look at it. AS for the books and
papers these gave the worthy men no
more concern than the wisp broom and
slippers. Mind you. the search was not
pure farce. Those engaged in it did not
look at you all the time as if they itched
to be bribsd. They did not examine
some trunks and chalk " others with
out opening them, and then expect
you to pay for their forbesrance. 1t was
a strict and honest business all through.
But there was q liberal construc-
ton in favor Of travellers. | had some
paper roubles in my vest pocket fof an
emergency. But slight observation Of
the men at work convinced me that
they did not look for a gratuity from
me, and that, possibly, they might be
afIouted if | offered them one. We
have undergone many custom-houss in
ouisi;ions, but that at Wisballen is the
only one in which there was not some
thing strongly suggestive of brides or
gifts.
1t was this same national politeness
on the part Of Russian to Americans
that first induced us to try the rail
route from Berlin to St. Petersburg.
At Dresden, when We took train for
Berlin, the only other occupant Of our
carriage was a gentleman Of middle age,
with a fnely.sh4 ped head and shrewd,
kindly face. Some trivial incident
started a conversation and he soon
learned that we were Americans. 1t
was at once evident that this fact
thawed any little fragment Of ice
that yet clupg TO our intercourse.
Our fello~-trayeller then proclaimed
himself Russian, and spoke With feel
ing Of the friendship that had always
existed between his country and
America, and hoped it would be lasting.
We echoed his sentiments every time,
you nay be sure. These international
comities having been exchanged, we
proceeded TO extract from our friend
some much.needed information about
the facilities for travelling in Russia.
the best hotels and shops in st. Peters
burg and Moscow, and great deal else
in respect to which our guide-books are
imperfect or stale. His noSledge Of
all these matters was full and exact,
and took mental notes Of his advice
which has been Of great value ever
since. A talk which was certainly
very profitable for us-and in which be
manifested the utmost interest and
willingness to assist us-was abruptly
broken by the arrival Of the train a.
the German capital. Rising to take
leave, be shook hands with US heartily
and then informed us that he was
Count Paul Schouvaloff, Russian