The sun., 1910-07-10
SIDELIGHTS ~ EUROPE.
~. PrtersbarE.

SIDELTGHTS ~ EUROPE.
~. PrtersbarE.
A foreigner cannot gam admIttance %
iIs~ia without passport or without that
asaport beinK vised by a Russian Con-
al In this ceremony a. the consulate IN
ondon AAk 81. viii I have any trouble
, ~ Right there the Deputy Consul
,phed. you will II you mix up in poll
- assured him that nothing could
> further from nay intention and that
y few Words we're but the beginning of
,s question. .wul I have any trouble in
nding . good hotel IN So Petersburg
10 Aaid there vas one very good hotel
DlAlly patronized by foreigners. and that
you'd 10 wise To telegraph from the
'ontier for accommodations
A. the tourist once in Berlin I remarked
vas my understanding that the russian
always we're of a different gauge and
opposed that a change of cars would be
The man behind the counter
.sured me that tho train dc lure runs
trough, and his statement 10 confirmed
y the PORTER % the hotel. uho says that
,e Wheels are automatically adjustable
pom the AEles and adapt themselves to
ther the German gauge of four feet eight
"a one-hah inches or the Russian gauge Of
~ feet This appeals IN me A. a bit of
! enuIty not known in the United States
: awakens a lively curiosity At the
B ttier. however, il develops that the only
Astmsnt for passage from the Ger
m To The Russian rails 10 by adapting
m~n feet to the walk % thirty yards or
so,m the German 10 the Russian train.
ih Nch a corresponding compartment has
oes>es~rved for me Later learn that
the ssiAn gauge uas established at hve
teet etAccordAnce With the practice Of the
Cnr States, where the gauge % many
OF tntrly railroads vas Ave feet. When
our c,try adopted four feet eight and q
hAii hes - itA standard Russia did not
chang II IL well she did not, for masters
OF tra,ortation in the United states
toreseae time when our railroads must
he reo' With a wider gauge. IL is not
praetIce 10 use either locomotives or
cars thsre higher. wider OF longer than
the Arg no~ in service, and therefore
sooner o1teT radical measures will have
to be tai 10 move the lncreasinE tram c
of the fte
IL IL n dificult 20 get into Russia
Every Pisof baggage has 20 be opened,
ana u 10 ifnined thoroughly hut With
out mus-i % the contents. The ON
GERS speaSnRlish and are politeness
Itseh- On gistsrinG at the hotel my
passport Surrendered TO be fled in
the ofice ohe inspector Of police until
the time departure. % which forty
etght hours Ice must be given.
The hotel of modern construction
the rooms ~ssurnlshed. clean and com
Portable ~ II past on this seven
teenth day oDecember 10 - twilight
and AZ o'c'k quite dark Outside
The window - mounted policeman; a
sword hangs ans side and a rife reets
over hrs should IL would seem from a
yak through \ streets that the able
bodied men aranostly in soldiers uni
forms
! In the counts 81 western Europe
the signs above - shops are in Roman
letters. ~ tina, Though the lAnGuAEs
MAJ be unfamilathey do not seem alto
getAer strange Holland there IL q
difference, ihs p,ximity Of the | and
the J having a ~culiar effect. whic
pAs-es "a sou lem that the combina.
ton - protounce a. and arrive Al
tho deduction TIA tho genesis Of the
letter ~ ne slaaing Of the | into the
j. but the tissiAI signs in the Russian
chAracsrs ave pronounced foreign
naVor. Iher are the droshkys just q,
in The picture. yIth high arched yok'
over the hons neck. the driver clad
IN fur caD an a coa, With skirt Rirdlec
around hs vet and reaching quite tc
Ms ankles SaeNhsre I have read that
these drivers extraordinarily polit.
TO each Other. ting their hats a. they
pas This II mother illusion They
| try % outdo sacother To secure a pas
sengsr. just a. Aer cAbmen do. and a
they bowl along;e~p up an incessani
! yelling tn clear way AZ night thsir
patrons are largslShicsrs IN re.plendent
uniforms, and | fin,y surmised. mAyb,
wrongly. that they'ere making round,
of inapection ~ they. Although in thi,
week before Christm IL is not very cold
certainly not below degree. Fahreu.
heit, the Se1ring by y men of fur can.
and fur c0ats is quite neral This make.
the lobby " the hotel ok something hk,
n bear den.
The dining room of y hotel - a Rrea,
whits arch. The noOas covered with
blazing rcd carpet. the tables ar.
large lamps With Ereaahad.s that ar.
alternately q flaming Il and AAmins
yellos. The two or thn head waiter,
are IN the evening dres that is con.
| ventIOnal for walters III gsntIsrner
the side WATERS and ths,mnibus bow,
wear bright red coats 4 the table.
are hsavy black eyed wo.n and on,
c~rs in gorgeous uniformsull snokins
cisarettss and drinking coLe from th.
glass braziers IN which II his in from
% thsm very good orchsSa 10 play.
ing TschAik o~ skylike thinkAs ith bar.
baric rhythm and gypsy tang
Many ~ the under walters h.e brown
faces Of a dark copper tinRs. Nh larg.
appealing eye-. and they are w d.lib
crate in movement askedN h.ar
waiter. who says they are 4 t...
which he prunounce- just an the mari.
canism that means -sood-by for h,tl.
while and he tells rne that tn. ar.
sought as ~ alters because although u all,
somewhat stupid they are thoro,hl,
honest What a revelation My idesf ,
\