They travel all day and all night, besides several hours of the next day. As they near the end, the weather grows warmer, the trees are larger and the grass greener than at home. For they are farther south. They are too tired to look out of the windows any longer. Petrovna is dozing away, and dreaming of her loved ice-hill, when she finds herself gently shaken. Mamma is smiling at her and saying, "Wake up, my darling, we are here at last."
The train has stopped. Every one is getting out. Our little cousins are helped out of the car into a comfortable low carriage and are driven to a grand hotel. A good dinner is served, and Petrovna and Ivan are put to bed. They must get rested and prepare for the excitement of the coming week. They are both so tired and sleepy they are glad to rest after the long, hard journey.
Perhaps you do not know that this great fair is held every year for the benefit of the people of Asia as well as Russia. After a long night's sleep our merchant's family go out into the streets of the old city and see many curious sights. Men of many nations are gathered together. Chinamen with their long queues and big sleeves are jostling Persians in flowing silk robes and gay turbans. Here are Cossacks mounted on fine horses acting as policemen. There are some gypsies on their way to the fair. They expect to tell fortunes and make much money out of the curious peasants.
THE GREAT FAIR OF NIJNI-NOVGOROD.
What a bustle and commotion! What a discord of strange languages on every side! What variety of costumes, and, above all, what dust!
The fair grounds are about a mile from the hotel. Our little cousins are in as much of a hurry to get there as you would be. It does not take long, however, for the driver of their carriage hurries his horses onward through the crowd.
Now for the fair itself. It is arranged in the shape of a triangle, and covers a square mile. Not an inch of space is wasted. Everything is in order. Every trade has a street of its own. Many of the bazaars have signs in front. These bear the names of all the goods that are sold inside. Petrovna's papa is, of course, interested most in the tea. He wishes to buy a large stock of it for his trade at home. There are many kinds to choose from. But he must be sure to get some of the delicious yellow tea, which he will sell for fifteen dollars a pound. It is said to be made from the flowers of a certain kind of tea-plant, and is quite rare. The wealthy people of Russia like it so much that no one else in the world gets a chance to buy any. So I have heard, at least. If you should drink ever so little of it, you might be kept awake all night. Yet it looks very weak.
Besides many expensive teas, Petrovna's papa orders a large supply of tea-bricks. They are made out of the refuse of the tea, and can be sold to the peasants. Poor creatures! they are glad enough to get this poor stuff, if they cannot afford better.