The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-12-04
ON A SIBERIAN TRAIN.
How to Find Berth in Crowded
Sleeper.

Sleeper.
My problem was to get out Of Siberia.
I had no difficulty in getting in. My
friends had warned me that traffic on
the Siberian Railway was congested, and
that it would be necessary for me to
book my place in the Great Siberian Ex-
press a fortnight beforehand at Moscow
did not find it 50, however. did not
book place Mt Moscow. | went to see
the fair at Mini Novgorod, and then
sailed down the Volga to Samara, taking
my chance of place being vacant there.
was fortunate, and IN little over two
days supremacy comfortable travelling
reached Klirgan
But the return journey was another
matter. The express only runs on sew
eral DAYS of the week, so, as | wished
to break my journey at Ghelyahinsk and
visit Ekaterinbug, the mining capital
of the Trails, chose the ordinary postal
train. II is a peculiarity of Russian
trains that they mostly leave in the
middle of the night. My train left Kur-
gan at Il. NJ Russian travellers gem
orally spend the night in the station
waiting.room, making themselves COM
Portable at q hotel and to drive to- the
station about half-pas two.
1t is hest to be at least half an hour
early in Russia, as there is often trou-
BILE at the hooking Office. When / arrived
however, the booking Office was closed,
and no one seemed to know when it
would be opened or if ever it would be
opened. ssNe Znayou'-I do not know
and an indifferent shrug Of the shoulders
were the only answers / received. Az
length I bearded the station master in
his den. The booking office would not
be opened, lie told me. The train was
full; there were no vacant places;
must wait till next day. there was d
waiting room and a buffet
was in despair. The prospect Of
waiting twenty-for hours for d pos
sible train was not pleasant one. Fas-
cinating as Butteropclis might be, | had
seen enough Of it, and | was anxious
to reach Ekaterinburg. | thought vague
liz Of returning to Bogdonaif's =, but sudden
ly an idea came 10 me. IN st. Peters
burg / had been told that the guard on
certain train had grown wealthy by the
practice of letting people travel without
tickets and accepting a small gTatuity
for his comnlaisance. | had heard much
in theory of the potency OF tips in Rus
STA. and now resolved to test that
theory by practice.
The train was standing at the platform
land every one was busy. | got porter
to take my luggage on board and pack
|it in a corner Of dark passage. Then
sat down near it and waited events.
An officer boarded the train with an mn
nense auantlty Of luggage and man
servant. and forced his way into a com
partment. had seen him in the station
masters Office violently expostulating
about something, and I strongly s,ls-
peeted him of getting INTO the train by
IilIegitimate means. NY heart burned
against him. and against two indlyi-
duals standing out on the landing board.
Too many stowaways spoil the business.
Presently the train started. and | felt
more at ease In any case, w were Of,
In about ten minutes The ticket collect.
or. accompanied BY the conductor, Varie
round to inspect tickets. In Russo II
always takes two officials 10 10 one
mans job. They did not seem nearly 50
surprised as | had expected. 81 have nc
ticket | said, and they both smiled
knowingly. / explained the situation
and added that | was willing to give
something ana chat" "a tip; literally.
sfor tea")--if they could make it all
right for me. How far was ] going ask
ed the collector. To Chelyabinsk. Then
they left me, shaking their heads in
conference. In few minutes they re.
til w Would I follow them9
Notlri'ig very dreadful happened !.
was led through several second class
wagons crammed with sleepers. AT last
we came to halt before vertically va
cant top berth. The conductor laid his
hand upon it. "You may sleep here,
he said, " and later YOU may pay"
| How came that berth to be so con-
veniently vacant? AT various stations
along the route | observed that our con-
ducfof seemed to have many friends and
many quiet little conferences. It was
between the intermediate and not at the
terminal stations that his business was
ldone.
! The legitimate fare was 6 rubles,
which represents about rs. Cd. in Eng
iisls money, travelling being much cheap
er in Russia than in England. | gladly
paid him the rubles, and when added
an extra ruble for his being SO excellent
rogue he took off his cap and bowed
i ~ Al <<,sx4.s.a zT s,y.1nx. fthrny,sola