HEARTY GREETINGS. 229 



the same day threw ourselves into a first - 

 chiss carriage on the Poti-Tiflis line. I admit 

 as a rule I consider second or third-class 

 carriages quite good enough for me, and much 

 better suited to the capacity of my pocket 

 than the o'oro;eous and becushioned firsts, iDut 

 on this occasion the cravino; for comfort was 

 so strong on me that I plunged to the extent 

 of a first-class ticket to Kutais. 



At Rionski, the junction for Kutais, the 

 first person I met was Prince A., chief of 

 the jeunesse doree of Kutais, on liis way up 

 to Tiflis with his bride. His hearty greetings 

 made the officials stare a good deal, and 

 secured me more civility than my rags would 

 otherwise have commanded. And I was 

 indeed no fitting inmate for a first-class 

 carriage. My feet I had vainly tried to get 

 into a pair of shoes, and failing that had to 

 content myself with ragged sandals and Imen 

 swathings. My stockings had no calves to 



