Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-29
MRS. UpToDATE.s sLEDGE.
A Young MatrOn's Passion for Novel;
ties the Subject of Il Joke.

A Young MatrOn's Passion for Novel;
ties the Subject of Joke.
From the New York Sum-
In one of the neighboring New Jersey
towns. inhabited chiefly by fashionable
commuters, lives a young married woman
who has passion for always possessing
the latest thing out, from belt buckles to
the newest fad in accents and idiom. This
propensity, which has earned for her the
nickname Of Mrs. Uptodate, recently let her
in for practical joke on rather a large
scale, and her suburban neighbcrs are still
laughing over the way she fell into the
trap. The practical joker was supposed
friend of hers who is now abroad This
friend wrote to her from St. Petersburg
early in the winter, and in the course Of
the letter said:
"You asked me to let you know Of any
thing in winter turnouts particularly fetch
ing that might see. I've found the dear
est thing that ever went on runners. say
I've found 1t, but it has been in use for
years here in ST. Petersburg. and I've seen
these turnouts al almost every great house
In the city. I inclose a picture Of one and
diagram which Frank drew for me- This
one is small one, a single barrel"d, to par
aphrase the Russian. They call them single
barreled or double-barreled, according, be-
lieve, the box part behind the high seats
has capacity You can fill that up with
| rugs or anything. I've seen it filled with
used in Russia mostly for after-dinner
rides
Just as the writer of the letter had reck-
oned. Mrs. Uptodate went straight to a
carriagemaker and turning over to him the
picture and diagram ordered a turnout
made at once. He should have known bet
ter, but he didn't, and he went ahead and
made the thing. 1t was low-running,
high-seated arrangement, with a very large
open box space. On the occasion of its first
appearance Mrs. Uptodate set her coach
man and tiger on the high seat. and with a
friend Of hers curled up on low seats in the
box part, which was filled with furs. 1t
was quite uncomfortable, but it created a
sensation, which was all that Mrs. Upto-
date asked Of 1t. All went we'll until Mrs.
Uptodate's brother. who has travelled
great deal, came out to jersey for some
sleighing during the recent cold snap. She
told him with great pride about her fancy
Russian sledge. He should so out in it
with her the rext day.
In the afternoon, with great juggling of
bells and display of fancy plumes. the s'edge
drove up to the door, where Mrs. Uptodate
and her brother were waiting. The minute
he set eyes on it he gave gasp and ex-
claimed:
Good Lord! Jessie, where did you get
that thing?''
'Thing!' Indignantly responded his sister.
That's a Russian sledge that Mrs. +
wrote me about from st. Petersburg. And
try" she added complacently.
Il should think SO, indeed" said he,
struggling to repress his emotion. i say,
Jess, l should like to that letter."
The letter was produced, and before that
wicked brother finished it he got black In
the face and finally lapSed into howlS and
roarS of laughter, and refused to be COM
forted At length, weak and GREATNESS,
he gasped:
It's game on you Jess. and lovely one,
too. In use for years in Petersburg, the
letter said. Seen 1t at every great house in
the city, has she? .Single-barreled and
uble-barreledr Oh. dear. I'm sick from
laughing Filled with all s.anner of
things Ell? Well, should think so! And
used mostly for after-dinner rides And
YOU took it all in. Oh, great. glorified Scott!
NV sides are SORE Why Jess. do yon know
what that thing is? It's a garbage sled
They make the rounds of the houses in
Russian cities to cart away the garbage
Single-barreled and double-barreled! They
have 'em both, and you've got the SINGLE
all but the barrel and the filling. After-din-
ner rides! And you fin de steele young
woman. Oh, take that letter away before
1 have apoplexy."
Mrs Uptodate and her brother didn't go
driving that afternoon. Mrs. uptodate
went upstairs to cry. Her brother went
ont for walk. OF course, the story leaked
ont Those things always do. Before the
thaw came, one dark evening, strange
horse was led to the Uptodate stables. and
a iingling of bells was heard coming from
the stables and dying away in the distance
The Russian sledge hasn't been seen since.
Rut there's warm welcome awaiting That
correspondent when she returns from st.