276 THROUGH RUSSIA ON A MUSTANG. 



cheese, sardines, etc., that is set out in the little rear 

 room. 



Everything counts. Shrewd Moscow and St. Pe- 

 tersburg merchants make a point of sending with the 

 goods and staff of clerks to Nijni, one or two of their 

 handsomest young women clerks, who are expected to 

 " look their prettiest ' and attract custom. There is 

 said to be no sentiment in commerce. Perhaps not, 

 in a world-wide sense. But one has only to attend the 

 Nijni fair and watch one of these lady saleswomen from 

 Moscow'selling a bill of goods to a rough, half-civilized 

 merchant from Central Asia, to shatter his faith in the 

 maxim. How can this rude denizen of a distant mud- 

 built town, inhabited by unwashed men and bedraggled 

 women, bargain on fair terms with this dainty young 

 saleslady, gotten up for the express purpose of wheed- 

 ling such as he into making purchases? 



Rent is higher in Nijni Novgorod than in any other 

 city in the world. Persons who invest capital in build- 

 ings to be rented must get a reasonable return on the 

 outlay, whether it be in Nijni Novgorod or in New 

 York. And since in the former city the shops, hotels, 

 theaters, restaurants, etc., are unoccupied for ten 

 months in the year, twelve months' rent has to be 

 charged for the other two. In other words, the mer- 

 chant who rents premises in Nijni for the two months 

 of the fair has to pay as much rent as if he remained 

 for a year. 



The utmost precautions are taken against fire. The 

 electric light had about driven from the streets and 

 shops the old system of petroleum lamps, and in 

 another season or two will probably be the only illumi- 



