Wichita eagle., 1888-12-02

winter immaculate snowdrifts take the place
OF all vegetation, and one might fancy ones
self being carried over rolling sea of sud
denly frozen waters
But what could not fail to interest any
western traveller is the diversity of types in
fellow travellers one meets on every railroad:
and, If one is acquainted with the language
the conversations one overhears between to
tal strangers are as entertaining as they are
instructive. since il stands TO reason that peo-
pie meeting for the first time III their lives
must needs be given to generalization, to the
discussion Of social and economic questions
OF the foundation of each ones personal OBJ
serTations and Appearances at houe.
The Russian IS very coniGing b. nature,
the more 50, Of course. tie less educated
he is, the less he had lived in large centers Of
population, and in the course Of twe1tY-four
hours OF travel IL railroad car an obser-
want foreigner is apt TO learn more about the
condition Of the country than ne would
gather from books in the course of as many
months.
There exist three classes on Russian rail-
wars. Ali are more comfortable than the cor
responding cars Of western Europe the first
class differing from the second simply in the
depth Of the seats and the texture OF ths ma
t5rleI with which they are upholstered. Few
people travel first class; mostly invaIlds, sin
gle females OF shy or retiring dispositions,
people who want 70 show that shey can afford
taseZpense Of travelling in the first c.ass cars,
or else professional men, lawyers for instance,
who want 10 secure privacy for working on
the cars
Is 70 the second and third class cars they
are well ra-ronized n the central parts OF
the empire, though never crowded Most Of
the railroads, besides, being run mora for he
convenience Of the people than Cor profits,
the conductors On every hand are instructed
to discriminate between passenger and keep
the PEASANTS with their saeePsEiEs and tar
sLneared boots n separate cars FROM the''claan
public" Il is quite the thing for people Of
moderate means 70 travel in the third class
from st. Pe-ers5urg to Moscow, 4 distance
CT some so miles; they take a-long their trav-
cling s-aHls with pillows strappect-f,1 them,
and make their own coi-cles on the bare
planks that serve as beds il the sleeping cars OF
the third class, for which accommodation they
pay & couple # roub.as il addition to the regu-
lar fare OF SIX roubies. making the whole trip
for sons three and : half or four dollars, all
told
Such Of tie peasants and lower grade NOR
chants and trldasr1ea as are neat IL their al
tire are readily finding places among the
clean public IF the great democratic third
class. Here you VIII often ind & petty trades
man seated beside a learned professor Of the
university; Il student taking perhaps politi-
cal economy to bricklayers returning 70 their
native village; a widow or wife Of some
noted military civilian WAC. having maybe
several children to transport 70 her country
estate, travels third class, not fearing any
bad language 10 be overheard by the chill
drsn, since all nisbehaved persons are sum
marty elected by the staIwart conductors
dressed Il the picturesque Russian costume