RICA'S GRAND WELCOME 21 



of which photographic representations and de- 

 scriptions in book form were presented to me. In 

 conversing with a member of the club I asked him 

 the meaning of the club's name. Not being well 

 versed in English he said, "It is a widowers' club." 

 Expressing my surprise that so many young men 

 had lost their wives, he said that they had never 

 had wives. Then, in answer to a question, I said 

 that we in America would call it "The Bachelors' 

 Club." 



Among the educated classes of Russia the speak- 

 ing of French and English as well as their native 

 tongue is not unusual. As I understood only our 

 native language, care was kindly taken on all 

 occasions to keep me in touch with English- 

 speaking Russians. It would be well for students 

 in our colleges to acquire knowledge of the lan- 

 guage of other nations, particularly those scholars 

 who may become foreign missionaries or who may 

 contemplate a business vocation in the line of 

 development of American commerce. 



Mr. Fraser, in his book Russia of To-Day, says: 



It is a punishable sin to speak German within the 

 Russian Empire. It is, however, the keen ambition 

 of every young Russian lad and girl to speak English. 



