"Where is it?" asked Lincoln. "On the road to Moscow, just outside of the city. It was erected in honor of the Russian armies that fought in Persia, Turkey, and Poland. The Triumphal Arch of Narva, on the road to the Baltic provinces, is also a beautiful work, and commemorates the victories of the Russian troops, who returned in 1815." "There's a village," said Lincoln. "I should think it was a collection of pigsties," added Scott. The houses were of the rudest construction, and looked more like shanties than the abodes of human beings. They are built of logs generally, some hewn and others just as they fell, with roofs of boards, the ends in many instances not squared. There was nothing like order in their location. After running over two hours the train stopped at a station. Like all the others on the road, it was a large and substantial brick structure, with everything about it kept in good condition. The trains stop from ten minutes to half an hour at these stations, and most of the students got out of the cars, anxious to see what they could of the place and the people. The principal room was a large hall, in which was a table set for meals. At one end was a bar, and in other places were minor stands for other refreshments. One was for dispensing tea, which may be said to be the national beverage of the Russians, though they drink _vodka_--a strong liquor, not unlike the _finkel_ of the Swedes--to excess. A woman usually serves the tea in the station. In front of her is an array of tumblers, in which the people drink their tea, with a bowl filled with square lumps of sugar. Little pitchers of milk are available, but the Russians seldom use this article. There is also a plate of thinly sliced lemons. The traveller takes one of the glasses, puts about three lumps of sugar in it, and the woman fills it with the beverage, upon which is placed a slice of lemon. The tea is quite yellow, and its flavor is excellent. It is brought from China over land, and without doubt is the best to be had in Europe. The Russians drink their tea very hot, and in enormous quantities. In the course of his journey to Moscow, a passenger often drinks half a dozen glasses of strong tea before he goes to sleep, and then the mystery is, how he can go to sleep at all. The lemon is not squeezed in the beverage, but is simply stirred about with the spoon. One not skilled in the art of tea-drinking would hardly know that the lemon had been added. Coffee may be obtained at the same stand, but not one in twenty calls for it. The tables are well supplied, and excellent roast beef is served, with a variety of other simple dishes. At another station, similar to the first, the students had their supper, or more properly their dinner. "Can we eat Russian provender?" asked Scott.