The sun., 1910-07-10

matter how trifinG Open boxes are not
kept in a case from which one or tao cigars
can be purchased Cigars are done up in
boIes of iOo Of fifty. ot twenty-five. Of
ten. of Ave. Of three of two. % one. each
bearing the proper excise stamp The
smaller packages are of pAsteboard With
an iainglAss top. through which the con-
tents can be inspected knew no French
and the tObacconist no English. but IL
soon developed that most % them knew
German Speaking generally English and
German are the business languages Of
the Continent. The reflection that
vas under no compulsion 10 learn the
Russian language was a frequent souros
% satisfaction.
My hdus Achates in ~ Petersburg
vas Madame verleaGin. who has been the
clerk at the American Consulate for elgh-
teen years She knows Russian. German.
/ French. English and Italian. and knows
them veil She attends To about all 81
the routine business of the consulate.
makes the necessary translations and
drafts many Of the rsports Her duties
/ there occupy her from . 20 ) O'Clock: after
o clock and on indefinitely through the
| night she N concerned with the trans
lAting and typewritins estAbllshment
which she maintains in a great stone
building With walls three or four feet
! thick that was erected an q Jesuit college
In the siHteenth century Madame YER
leasin accompanied me 90 the Ministry
a. my interpreter. and the Cabinet Minis-
tsrs all - whom seemed u know her.
received her With profound respect She
knew Just What books and documents
needed % consult. procured and trans
lated them for me Al the establishment
in the old Jesuit college typists turned
out work in German French and English.
and two or three 81 the machines had key
boards with the Russian characters. There
ve worked afternoon after afternoon and
night after a!ght The through train To
Berlin runs only twice a week leaving 81.
Petersburg sunday evening and Wednes
day evsuing On Tuesday night at
half past u my work Was done | asked
Madame verleAgin Who played the
piano: the presence Of a SteinwAy grand
had made me curious After her modest
admission that she played sometimes I
urged her 10 make the sacrifice that would
sooths my weary brain She ordered a
CESSATION of the clicking of the half
dozen typew ritsrs still at work in an
adjoining room and sent for Spe of her
COLLEAGUES. a masculine looking woman
With short hair. an expert translator. who
had Just done sven Hedin'- last book
into English Madame yerleagin played
the piano and her colleague the violin
Any music would have been welcome but
this was a treat After the hrst number
I asked Madame verleagin where she had
learned 20 play For many years she
had been a pupil Of Rublnstein Families
Of wealth lose their fortunes in Europe
an in the United States. compelling their
children there A. here % face the world.
II 10 my last day in 81 Petersburg
and there has been no sightseeing. The
Consul obligingly takes me 20 the oathe-
drals. with their receptAclss of gold and
brass and their great columns Of onyx.
porphyry and AlAbAstsr. that seem To
realize the descriptions in the book -
Revelation AZ the dooip are rows
Of bezgars. shattered and crippled. in
picturesque and unoAnny variety Of kArb.
Zach With q regular place In the line.
Although ws are both accredited by the
tinted States Oovernment, the sentries
at the various entrances of the Winter
Palace play pingpong with W. and finally,
although the CIAr and the Imperial
Court are not in the city. tell us that we
cannot be admitted We arrive at the
Art Gallery az twenty minutes To , and
Il closss at O'Clock Useless said he.
How far do you suppose it 10 Around'-
said I. AT least a mile. said he We'll.
can walk mile In fifteen minutes. Can't
your why certainly We saw the
Art Gallery.
Throughout my stay there has been al
the hotel an hnglish woman with her
maid She II tall. slender. quite hand
some. % vivacious manner ana she has
been the recipient of no end Of attention
Half a dozen Russian officers swarmed
around her in the tea room. at dinner. and
have been lavish with carriages. while
obtaining my passport, which. suspect.
has been in the hotel all the time instead
Of at police headquarters. and paying my
bill. this popular lady interrupts the cere-
mony To ask the clerk a lot Of questions.
A. I take q droshky abe is ushered by G
general. or two or three. into a carriage
that 10 laden with flowers. A. the sta
tion tho party Is reinforced by a grour
of three or four distinguished looking mer
who have como 70 bid her adieu. That
Nbrh ~ INV OAI
there 10 but one vacant seat. and that AZ
a small table opposite the raging belle
A. the dining car conductor leads me q
this seat she smiles. and when I have
pulled the chair To the table remarks thai
look as though I spssk English. IT,
conversation 10 brisk and I I,arn her story
that 10. the story which she tells. HeT
husband is an under officer Of the British
Ministry and has been assigned . mission
that requires his presence for six mouths
in South Africa. where she could no,
accompany him. So che bundled up he's
maid and herself and has gone around
the world. stopping in Sc. Petsrsburs
where she has many friends. As the con.
ductor distributes the checks I have q
gallant inclination. but hesitate. recol.
Letting that both Mrs. Sherwood and
Ruth Ashmore agree that IL 10 not eti.
quetts for q gentleman 20 pay a lady,
travelling expenses. The hesitation lasts
not longer than q second and . half. tol
| abe hands me the bill for harself and hs,