The Far and the Near

Every teenager knew: it’s forty-seven versts to the city; the hardest place on the way is the winding Shemanaev climb; and in the city itself there’s the “iron circle” and the “station-side muddy road.” For the “iron circle” and the mud at the station, a noticeable extra charge was taken for the fare—yet each hauler of iron cargo tried to grab a profitable trip, “snatching a ride to the shop”…