From Plotzk to Boston | Page 9

to utter more than faint gasps of delight, we
were again in Eidtkunen.
The gendarmes came to question us again, but when mother said that
we were going to Herr Schidorsky of Eidtkunen, as she had been told to
say, we were allowed to leave the train. I really thought we were to be
the visitors of the elder Schidorsky, but it turned out to be only an
understanding between him and the officers that those claiming to be
on their way to him were not to be troubled.
At any rate, we had now really crossed the forbidden boundary--we
were in Germany.
There was a terrible confusion in the baggage-room where we were
directed to go. Boxes, baskets, bags, valises, and great, shapeless things
belonging to no particular class were thrown about by porters and other
men, who sorted them and put tickets on all but those containing
provisions, while others were opened and examined in haste. At last
our turn came, and our things, along with those of all other
American-bound travellers, were taken away to be steamed and smoked
and other such processes gone through. We were told to wait till notice
should be given us of something else to be done. Our train would not
depart till nine in the evening.
As usual, I noticed all the little particulars of the waiting room. What
else could I do with so much time and not even a book to read? I could
describe it exactly--the large, square room, painted walls, long tables
with fruits and drinks of all kinds covering them, the white chairs,
carved settees, beautiful china and cut glass showing through the glass
doors of the dressers, and the nickel samovar, which attracted my
attention because I had never seen any but copper or brass ones. The
best and the worst of everything there was a large case full of books. It

was the best, because they were "books" and all could use them; the
worst, because they were all German, and my studies in the railway
depot of Keebart had not taught me so much that I should be able to
read books in German. It was very hard to see people get those books
and enjoy them while I couldn't. It was impossible to be content with
other people's pleasure, and I wasn't.
When I had almost finished counting the books, I noticed that mamma
and the others had made friends with a family of travellers like
ourselves. Frau Gittleman and her five children made very interesting
companions for the rest of the day, and they seemed to think that Frau
Antin and the four younger Antins were just as interesting; perhaps
excepting, in their minds, one of them who must have appeared rather
uninteresting from a habit she had of looking about as if always
expecting to make discoveries.
But she was interested, if not interesting, enough when the oldest of the
young Gittlemans, who was a young gentleman of seventeen, produced
some books which she could read. Then all had a merry time together,
reading, talking, telling the various adventures of the journey, and
walking, as far as we were allowed, up and down the long platform
outside, till we were called to go and see, if we wanted to see, how our
things were being made fit for further travel. It was interesting to see
how they managed to have anything left to return to us, after all the
processes of airing and smoking and steaming and other assaults on
supposed germs of the dreaded cholera had been done with, the pillows,
even, being ripped open to be steamed! All this was interesting, but we
were rather disagreeably surprised when a bill for these unasked-for
services had to be paid.
The Gittlemans, we found, were to keep us company for some time. At
the expected hour we all tried to find room in a car indicated by the
conductor. We tried, but could only find enough space on the floor for
our baggage, on which we made believe sitting comfortably. For now
we were obliged to exchange the comparative comforts of a third class
passenger train for the certain discomforts of a fourth class one. There
were only four narrow benches in the whole car, and about twice as

many people were already seated on these as they were probably
supposed to accommodate. All other space, to the last inch, was
crowded by passengers or their luggage. It was very hot and close and
altogether uncomfortable, and still at every new station fresh
passengers came crowding in, and actually made room, spare as it was,
for themselves. It became so terrible that all glared madly at the
conductor as he allowed more people to come into that prison, and
trembled at the