The Washington times., 1902-10-05

polonaises and long robes who appeare
luxurious in their travelling carriages
But stiffness and solitude brooded o
the land. From Cracow to Warsa'
wide reaches of forest darkened th
level, Any open circle was bette
around the horizon with woods. pine:
frs. beech. birch, and small oak'
Few cattle fed on the pastures. an
stunted crops Of grain ripened in tn
melancholy light.
From Cracow to Warsaw Is distanc
Of one hundred and thirty leagues, IL tn
position lied not. yet on that road W
met but two carriages and not NOR
than dozen carts. Scattering woode
villages, each line of novels, appeare
at long intervals.
Pesthouses were kept by Jews, VIII
fed US in the rooms where their fami
lies lived. Milk and eggs they had non
to offer US; and their beds we're piles o
straw on the ground. seldom clean
never untenanted by feas.
Beggars ran beside US on the wretchet
| roads as neglected as themselves. Wher,
our horses did not labor through sand
the marshy ground was paved witt
sticks and boughs. or the surface wa!
built up with trunks Of trees laid cross
wise.
In spacious, ill-paved Warsaw
through which the great Vistula flows
we rested two days. l knelt with con-
fused thoughts, trying to pray in the
Gothic cathedral. We Iwalked past Il
into the old town, OF high houses ant
narrow streets, like part Of Paris.
In Lithuania the roads we're paths
winding through forests full of stumps
and roots. The carriage hardly squeez-
ed along. and eight little horses attach
ed to it in the Polish way had much ado
to draw us. The positions were young
boys in coarse linen, hardy as cattle,
who rode bareback league upon league.
Old bridges cracked and sagged when
we crossed them. And here the forests
rose scorched and black in spots. be-
cause the peasants, bound to pay their
lords turpentine, fired pines and caught
the heated ooze.
Within the proper boundary of Russia
our way was no better. There we saw
queer projections of boards around trees
to keep bears from climbing after the
hunters.
The Lithuanian peasants had few
wants. Their carts were put together
without nails. Their brides and traces
were made Of bark. They had no tools
but matches. A skeepskin coat and
round felt cap kept a man warm in cold
weather. His shoes were made Of bark,
and his home Of logs with penthouse
roof
In houses where travellers slept the
candles were laths Of deal, about five
feet long, stuck into crevices of the wall
or hung over tables. Our hosts carried
them about. dropping unheeded sparks
upon the straw beds.
In Grodno, town Of falling houses
and ruined palaces, we rested again be-
fore turning directly north.
There my heart began to sink. We
had spent four weeks on comfortless
road. working always toward the goal.
It was nearly won. A speech of my
friend the marquis struck itself out
sharply in the northern light.
you are not the only Fretender,
ny dear boy. Don't go to Nit
tau expecting to be hailed as a
novelty. At least two peasants have
started up claiming to be the prince who
lid not die in the Temple, and have been
,ast down again, complaining Of the
reatment of their dear sister! The
,ount d'Artois says he would rather saw
wood for living than be king after
he English fashion. l would rather be
he worthless old fellow I am than be
ing after the Mittau fashion; especially
'hen his Majesty, Louis XVIII, sees you
oming!"