es are of
a festive nature, but some, like that which is made on the 19th of
May to the monastery and cemetery of the Don, have a penitential, or,
at least, a mournful character. The samovar, however, is present even
in the churchyard. I never joined in one of the funeral pilgrimages
to the Donskoi convent; but in other cemeteries outside Moscow and
St. Petersburg (intramural burial not being tolerated), I noticed
that the custodians kept in their lodges a supply of samovars for the
benefit of visitors. And, after all, what can be more appropriate
than an urn in a cemetery?

Between St. Petersburg and Kovno or Tauroggen, there are upwards of
fifty "stations," at each of which tea can be procured. Travellers
whose route does not lie along the government post-roads, take
samovars with them in their carnages; and small samovars that can
be packed into the narrowest compass are made for the use of officers
starting on a campaign, and other persons likely to find themselves
in places where it may be difficult to procure hot water. Small
tea-caddies are also manufactured with a similar object. Each caddy
contains one or more glasses; for men among themselves usually drink
their tea, not out of tea-cups, but out of tumblers. Not many years
since it was the fashion to give cups to women and tumblers to
men in the evening; but the tumbler is gradually being banished,
at least from the drawing-room.

The Russians never take milk in their tea; they take either cream,
or a slice of lemon or preserved fruit, or simply sugar without
the addition of anything else. They hold that milk spoils tea,
and they are right. Tea with lemon or preserves (forming a kind
of tea-punch, well worthy the attention of tea-totallers), is only
taken in the evening. Sometimes the men add rum.

_HOW RUSSIA AMUSES ITSELF_

_FRED WHISHAW_

If I were asked to state what a Russian schoolboy does with his
spare time after working hours are over, I should be much puzzled
what to say.

Unfortunately young Russia has not the faintest glimmering of knowledge
of the practice or even of the existence of such things as football,
cricket, fives, rackets, golf, athletic sports, hockey, or any other
of the numerous pastimes which play so important a part in the
life of every schoolboy in this merry land of England. Therefore
there is no question, for him, of staying behind at the school
premises after working hours, in order to take part in any game.
He g