The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-02-07 00:00:00

THE FESTIVITIES AT ST. PETERS-

BURG.
Tho Special Corresoor:-M of ThA Times wriling from St.

Peterst.ro, Lnder date Ney•
Th,n4h the honeymoon 4,f the illosttione pair at
Tz coigne Zelo will be cu shoet in its Met quarter, the
X+reeeclear day• allowed by 5p0,7111.1 graces' d CoDO,Psioll
to Eughlth Curt omo seem cry long to the people of St.
Peterenarg. Not all the dig+ and all the lanterns and
ali the belle can console them fe r the absence of the
idle of the hour. The great world does not think the
feast is properly kept if a day passes without • dinner
or sh ball, and the world in general desires ro see the
Duke and Duchess of Edentate-di driving to the Nevske
Pro+pe kr. every afternoon. Toe apartments which the
Doke and Duchess will occupy in the Winter Palace
e uring their stay iu St. Petemburer look out on the
Neva, and perhaps your readers will be interested in
a short de sedidion of the very luxurious and beautiful
rorems which will tie, till Deb. departure for Loudon,
the home of '' lea a•lgus'es nouveaux morales, " as they
are styled in the Cour, programmes. By the kindness
of Colonel Delsalle, Keeper of the Palace, I vlaited

them this morning.
After crossing many saloons, and priming many pairs
of doorway sentinels, infantry of the let Division with
fixed bayonets, and Din Cassocks with drawn swords,
you rill', first the Duchess of E linburgh's reception
room, an exquisite chamber in gold and malachite,
which was occupied by the late Empress. Here,
placed on • table in a handsome ormolu stand, is the
wedding cake, of Briiish baking, I believe, a tall
and beautiful confection of mouy stories, wreathed
with white flowers and _hung with white silk balmiere.
Tee columns at the room are veneered with
Sue malachite, and at one ride an immense
malachite vase is exalted above a thi kit of
greenery, starred with camellia blossems and bor-
dered round with hyacinths. A little drawiug-room
beyond in hung with grey silk and the air is taint and
sweet with the warm scent of Sowers arrangei in the
windows which command) the river view. Pegging a
"raspberry room," all in crimson satin, and with a fine
Murillo on the walls, you enter the Dusheee of Edit-
burg's boudoir a paradise of meetly and artistic luxury.
Fine piotures hy old masters hang on the walls, creep-
ing plants of delicate green rinib over • treltie-work of
carved wood, and a marble Veetas half hides her loved-
neon in a bower of ferns. 'rho furniture of the writing
table is malachite, and set thereon just opposite the
chair in which the young Dnohees will sit to indite her
notes, is an exquisite small shrine, also of malachite
The ceiling Is finely painted with etara and a tinge
of Ili mphs. Tee berir tom is in azure satin; the bed
in an alcove, closed by mart Ii column"' and silk cur.
ta vi'. The dreesing room is in gray satin and lesdi to
a small tathireom, dainty and beau•iful, wirh Mow iah
millers and enamelled decoration, and where is a sunk
white marble bath. One notices the great Russia
leather, brass-bound trunks, said the electric bats.
rhesus which ressmble email paper-weights, With silk.
covrred wires lea-hog from them, lie on every table.
Pawls* a miniature boudoir in II fevered gray eatin, you
enter the 1-velvet lit le winter settlers wham woos
you several netnas if with its cool grey n viet J. The is
open in the centre, and the deecent of a few steps brinss
you into a pintail, seclud d valley, etch, end of which is
the furthest bower of the lien, &Wallin and ohs lowy re-
treat, molt and luxurious, with satin sofas and deep
cushions. These were the apartments of the late
Empress of Buena, and sassing down is narrow etair-
case, used be the late Emperor, and which runs round
Sr e open Apace occupied by a lift, you come to the
Duke of Edinburgh's rooms, exactly uuder Wire of the
Duchess. His Royal Highness' drawing-room is
another paradise, not "of oriole." but of satin and
gilding and palms and greenery. The writing-room is
crime in and gold, and a ming and luxurious windows
c truer' looking on the Neva, is enclosed by gilt trellis-
work half covered with ivy. The next room Is is
blue and is abc fir writing, and here, on • bof., lay
a large photograph of the Duchess of Edinburgh, by
Bergamesco, a photographer of the Nevski Prosperi.
This picture does her Imperial Highnt ss more
judiee than any other I have seen, and I hope it
may find its way to toe Ilogitsh shops. A lithograph
hereof the Czerewiteti'e marriage shows us his Imperial
Highness and the Princes's D Ismer wo'king round the
shah carrying lighted tapers. na,, Cz ir is near, on
ex ctly the name t wrich he occupied in the
ceremony ou Friday. His Majeety's likeness is never
missed ; his well-cut feature* germ to lend themeelves
to every species of art, mud whether it be one of the
Calleal,es of his own Palace walls, or the dingy
print in an eating-house pail or, there is never any
mistaking the face of the Emperor. As one left the
Palace, one passed singers of the Imperial choir fel their
way to chapel. They wear a richly gilt maroon uniform
and swords.
Every Sunday there is a grand muster of Officers of
the Guard regiments and imam other corps in the
Michael Manege. The Grand Duke Nich lag Nic
laivitch c mniands the parade, and the Emperor is
usually preetnt, with his aides-de-camp-general, and
other Grand Dukes wih their suites. Their mere
uniforms are enough to make a magnificent
show, but the attraction of the spectacle is
the i erformance of the Goesacks, Lancers,
Circas-
state, and other troops of crack corps, who ride up
and down the arena of the vast ManSge at frill speed,
transtiliug pieces of paper with their lances or
swords, discharging pistil., and performing ther
feats of arms and horsemanship with astonishing
grace and dexterity. The Mod ese, I sheuld say, at
a tough 0104, ie about thirty times as large as the
Kuishtsbridse Riding School. Panties are held in it
in net or cold weather, and the while of the arena
is strewed with dark-coloured grind. The ffisers, at
least a thousand ssrong, stand in ranks all round the
walls, the Emperor, the Grand Duke Commanding-
in-Chief, and the Whet Imperial and Royal per.
images and their dazzling suites being In the centre
of the hollow square. Scanning the long line,
the eye en minters the most splendid en! pic-
turesque uniferms of the Ruesian army, while the
ribende and orders of all her knighthoods are repre-
sented on the backs aid breasts of the suite in the
centre. I saw the spectacle to day, and truly it was
worth seeing. The Mai 6ett teed le an enclose I pace
of marvellous size; whole regiments might monomer°
in it. The Circ saciasis, Cossacks, and Lancers who are
to perform the fest* of the day sit mutts less on their
curses at one end of the arena. All at faits a
pictureeque trooper dashes forward, careers at a gallop
down the Opell space, tires his plat 1 as he patens the
mark, and you know that he Li:titbit& The aimed of
the horse., the reverberation of tee reports, the grace
of the whole performance, would be f ascinat ng even
if this part of the scene was not set in a frame of
unparalleled glitter and gr. andenr. Besides the
Emperor and the Imperihl Family, the Prince of
Wales, the Prince Imperial of Germany, and the
Prince of Denmark were present to-day. When tee
feats were done, the ez ie walked down the dossing
I as of the officers of his Gsard r giments, followed by
his suite, and then the-, woo a presentation of com-
manders of corps to the three foreign Princes. A crowd
had gathered outside, and, as the emperor and Ger.
man Imperial Prince drove away, it gave a hearty
cheer.