Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-29
SHORTEST WAY HOME
Experiences Of Two Washing
ton Women in Russia.
COMFORTS AND BOTHERS
CHARMS OF THE JOURNEY MORE
THAN DANISH THE LAST.
Ceremonies Attendant Upon a Bath
and the Good Things to Eat
Easily Found.
COMFORTS AND BOTHERS

written for The Evening Star.
It causes one quite delightful sensation
to be told that the shortest way home
(Tifis for the time being) is by the Caspian
sea route. but such Is the case when the
starting point Is Vladikavkaz. the Other
side Of the Caucasus, all the dligences
"complet" for three days to come and no
extra horses to be had on the mountains.
The trains in south Russia are few and
far between, quite apt to miss connections
and very far from being comfortable SO
that journey OF two nights and day Is
to be dreaded rather than looked forward
to. The 4:35 afternoon train from Vladi-
kavkaz was due at Tif1is at 9 in the morn
ing of the second day, two changes being
necessary on the journey; and as the first
change was only one hour from Tiais we
decided to take the second-class tickets for
that hour to see what it was like The car
riages are more like third In Ireland or
fourth in Germany, open all the length and
with cushionless seats; and the sleeping
carriages, we found later on, had a row OF
small rooms for four, divided by a narrow
aisle from the seats which are used by
those who prefer to sit up all night and
save expense.
For an hour it remained very interesting
but for a long journey it would prove very
uncomfortable undoubtedly. We succeed
ed in getting seats by the window, fortu-
odoriferous, and were greatly interested in
the other occupants. who included Turks
Persians, Jews and Caucasians. Next me
sat a Russian peasant woman who under
stood English, and who told us, when she
found out that we were Americans, that she
had lived in America at one time for some
years and loved it. Russians love Amer
ica," she said, land I more than all-more
than Russia. Living is easy there and
there Is money: but 1t Is strange, few chill
dren are born there to Russians. The good
God prefers that we should live in ones
own land. My sister. she lived in Philadel-
phia for fifteen years and had no children,
but the year she got home son was born;
and 1, lived for eight years In your great
back to live in Russia The good God
knows best" and she crossed herself. She
seemed to regard us with very anectiouate
interest. and 1 daresay that her memories
of America were sweet and that she had
lived there life of greater ease and COM
fort. She insisted on carrying my rug-bun-
die to the door for me when we left the
train. and kissed my hand with fervor at
parting.
AS the train for Baku was very full, and
for no amount of tips could We get car
rage to ourselves. we were put into
"damsky' as the detestable danes
seules" are called. and found ourselves in
the company Of a Caucasian princess on the
way to Baku with her maid. AS a princess
she was a disappointment, for she was not
at all imposing and very far from being
clean; spoke very bad French with de-
testable accent, and spent the greater part
of her time eating watermelon the seeds OF
which she swallowed with great ease. The
night was one of anything but comfort, as
the smell of petroleum was very strong,
and the princess not being fond OF air, and
possessing first rights, as first occupant Of
the coupe, would not allow the window to
be open even on crack, so there was little
sleep to be had. The next day We came
suddenly upon the Caspian sea, which
looked at first. across the desert, like coun-
try Of Daghestan, like an aqua marine, ly-
ing on a piece of tan colored velvet. All
that day we were quite near it and were
charmed by it's lovely color and the Gu
rious effect made by the very fat land end
ing suddenly in the very green sea
The Caspian glowed In the sunshine with
scarcely a ripple on it's surface and we
found 1t hard to believe what the Caucasian
princess assured us was the fact, that 1t
was the stormlest of seas, and that the
prospect of a voyage on it could only be
dreaded.
The country around Baku abounds in OIL
wells, and is anything but picturesque, its
sun-drled appearance made uglier by the
high. clumsy towers Of the wells. Camels
are the beasts Of burden and seem made
purposely for that desolate spot. They
roam at large on the plains and what they
find to eat Is hard to imagine AS we had
been told repeatedly that Baku was a most
uninteresting town, with nothing to be seen
except the oil wells, we concluded not to
stop over there but to leave our train at
the station before Baku, In which case we
could catch the night train for Tiflis We
were assured that we could get compart-
ment to ourselves that night and quite will
lngly left the princess in her stuffy solitude
Being late as usual. we found the Tifiis
train already arrived and had Just time to
rush frantically with Leon into the restau-
rant, hastily select bottle Of wine, cold
roast chicken and some fruit, and board
our carriage just as the guard was blowing
his last whistle.
More Troubles to Bear.
Much to our disgust, we found the train
to be as full as the one we had left and
we had once more to share a Damski. this
time with a rather clever-lookinE Russian
woman and her child. a girl of eight They
both spoke perfect French and proved for
time very interesting companions. They
welcomed our entrance with JOY as they
had been entirely alone for two DAYS and
were really afraid. The mother, who was
clad in short black skirt and blue and
white checks calico sack, and looked at
first sight like a peasant, told us that
only the week before a dreadful murder
had been committed on that same line: that
very rich woman had been travelling
alone, having sent her maid In the second
class to save expense, and that one morn
ing she was found with her head cut entire
ly off. the door locked, the window wide
open and all her jewels gone. The guard
had key to all the doors, but 1t seems
that he was not suspected, but that It was
concluded that some one had come In by
the window and killed her. The story did
not alarm US as much as she hoped, but
she seemed to have been very much upset
by 1t and all that night behaved in the
most mysterious manner She prevented
our sleeping by opening the door and shut
ting 1t again loudly every five or ten min
utes. and we could hear her talking to some
man in the passage and his Inexperienced
replies, and at times their voices became
muffied. and I thought I heard whispers
Her actions were SO mysterious and her
black eyes SO glittering that we began to
feel little alarmed. especially when re-
membered that during our talk of the
afternoon she had said she had heard that
all American women were rich and that
they possessed the most beautiful Jewels
In the world. and then had cast q glance
casually toward my dressing case: 30
I took my small silver dagger out Of its
sheath and put it under my pillow. which
added quite feeling Of security
We slept very little. however, and when
she came In for the fortieth time or more.
and that time very softly, said to her In
French. you need have no fear. madam.
a. have q dagger with me and my friend
has q revolver. and we are both very liRht
aSlsepeFs. We never carry anything of
value with US. but we think Il safer to
be protected in this way" thought, but.
Of course, It may have been inaRination
( - ~. 49, Al -