The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-23

the use Of tho worshippers. Ono enters
and buys q taper, which he lights and
sots up before tho image OF some
saint, and then, bowling to the ground. performs
his dovotions. While we were there In tho
crowd, n large, elderly man who was posted
inside tho inclosurc. bent forward to our guide:
"Aro not these Americans T. he asked in Rus
slan. "Yes, sir" was tho answer. "Wm you
say to the gentleman and the ladies that II they
will como inside here, 1 can oror them seats !"
wo accepted most thankfully, and occupied
the three chairs no gave us rs tho ser
vice proceeded. When 1t was completed, our
hospitablc friend arose and, reaching his hand to
mo, said: Russia and America have always
boon friends Yes" I replied, and, please
God, they always will bel" As VIC won't out of
tho inclosnre to look through the interior OF the
church the guide whispered to mo: THAT Is
one of the great merchants OF Moscow"
This leads me to recount n circumstance that
illustrates q very aminblc popularity OF Russian
character, namely, kindness and generosity to-
| ward strangers. 1t occurred at u previous visit
to Moscow, but that makes no difference. Ar
irving at the railway station one morning after
travelling all night, tho compartment occupied
by my party in tho carriage was suddenly in
vaded by q number OF hotel porters. SoiEing the
small articles OF our luggage. thoy wcro going
out with them. and I vainly appealed to them in
tTllth anu III Il civ W 6tOsis hiiO thib NuiA
test was at its height n tall Russian gentleman in
military uniform, and wearing q sword, camo
from tho adjoining compartment and spoke to me
in French. 81 sec that you are in como trouble"
lie said. Twill you kindly allow me to assist
you - I thanked him most heartily. while tho
portcrs subsidized. Asking to what hotol we
wished TO go, he sent for the representative ofthat
house, who was waiting near by in the station,
COMMITTEES us to his care, saw that our baggage
and trunks were all safely packed in the car
riagc. and, when everything was completed,
shook hands with me and turned away. 1 could
hardly thank him sufficiently. especially as he
had spent fully half an hour in this politeness to
unknown strangers. who had no claim upon his
attention. / afterward caused inquiries to be
made. and ascertained that he was an officer of
very high rank and distinction; and I mention
the circumstance here because It corresponds
with all my observations elsewhere ms to tho
goodness OF the Russian people. They arc tho
most kind-heartcd people In the world. 1t Is i'm
possible TO eXaggcratc their benevo!encc toward
strangers. no matter who they may be. ASH
thought it over there on tho spot, l was ashamed
of myself; for l could not imagine devoting n
whole half hour to the service Of three or four I'M
known foreigners at the Grand Central Station,
for instance, merely because they had got into a
dispute with q lot OF hotel p~orters. But tho
spontaneous kindness OF a Russian, no matter
in what station of life, / have never seen APP
pealed to in vain.
Anothe. church which every one should visit
and study in Moscow. is the Cathedral OF st.
Basil in the Red Square, near the southeast cor.
ncr OF the Krcmlin. 1t was begun about 1850
and finished before the end Of the sixteenth CEN
fury. 1t is very irregular in it's design, has
eleven domes OF different forms. and contains in
the interior eleven different chapels. 1t is 80
strange that l will introduce here a little en-
craving OF it to give some idea Of its peculiar