The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-05-02

{ III robes OF stamped gold anu silver, breast
: plates of jewels and ornaments radiant witt
e diamonds. But how would it be possible I.
: dance with the contents OF a goldsmith
t shop upon the body? Bat do not imar
inc too primitive simplicity. Those sian
D pie robes are Of paint dAngieterye, and
. the two or three skirts are more costly than
, tunic Of gold or silver Those bouquet.
t on the tarIetan or gauge dress are fastened
with diamond brooches; the clasp of tha;
velvet ribbon is composed of a stone which
, you might imagine t. have been detached
. from the Cars crown. What can be con
ceived more simple than white dress Of
tulle or MORE antique, with rows Of pearls,
|, and corresponding head.dress But the
pearls are worth one hundred thousand
rcubles; for never have specimens of finer
shape or water been brought to light from
the depths Of the ocean By simplicity Of
dress the ladies pay court to the Empress.
who prefers elegance to splendor but rest
assured that NIsmnon is no loser 1t is
only at first sight, during the hasty glance
of Z rapid defle, that Russian ladies appear
to display less luxury than the gentlemen.
InIs IS an error. Like all women, they
know how to make ;heir gauze dearer
than geld When the Polonaisc promena-
ders have passed through the saloon and
the gallery. the bail commences The dam
ces are by no means characteristic they
are quadrilles, waltzes, redowas-the same
as at Paris, London, Madrid, Vienna-in
fact, everywhere in the grande monde if
we except, at least, the mazurka, which is
danced at st. Petersburg with an elegance
and perfection unknown elsewhere Local
peculiarities are fast disappearing, and they
always quit first the higher ranks of socie.
ty. To trace them, it will be necessary to
leave the centres Of civilization and descend
into the masses Of the people The coup
dGiI, on the whole, was enchanting. The
figures Of the dance formed symmetrical
circles in the midst of the crowd receding
to make room; the rapid evolutions in the
whirling waltz swept the dresses, and caused
the diamonds to glitter and shine like MIN.
ic flashes Of lightning. The small gloved
L".a@, rl.eol -re- Tho ~r-"'~..or ~f a..
walters, looked like white camelias rest
Ing on vases of massive gold. Amongst
the groups, two grandees were especially
remarkable, viz. The First Secretary Of
the Austrian Embassy, in his splendid
dress as Hungarian magnate, and the am
bassador of Greece, attired characteristic
ally in Grecian turban and costume. At
ter an hour or two spent IN gazing the eye
transported itself into another apartment,
from whence the sounds Of the orchestra
and the vague murmurs of the assembly
were but family distinguishable. Com
parative obscurity reigne. in this hall of
gigantic dimensions, in which the guests
were to assemble for supper. Many ca
thedrals are of less extent. At the further
end We're to be seen, through the dimness,
long white rows of tables, at the corners
of which gigantic masses of silver reflected
an uncertain light In silent activity the
footmen aud waters, in full livery, moved
hither and thither; the major domos and
head cooks were giving the last touch to
their gastronomical productions. a few
lights glimmered in this vast expanse here,
like s0lltray stars; but innumerable wax
lights loaded the chandeliers and lined the
irises and inches of the arcade. Contras-
ting, in all their whiteness, with the branch.
es that bore them, they looked liked pis.
tils bursting forth from the calyx of a flow.
er, or stalactites frozen in cave; but as
yet no appearance of flame glimmered al
their points \ murmuring noise, as Of
overtiowing waters, was heard it was
the assembled guests approaching the ban
Guet room. The Emperor appeareared
on the threshold, and the instantaneous
1t was as if magical command had
gone forth - fiat luz A subtle fame
spread from taper to taper with the rap
idity of lightning; light burst forth il
an instant, and the immense hall was bril-
liantly Illuminated, as with uoonday sun
This sudden transition from penumbra tC
the most dazzling brilliance resembles wha
We read Of as occurring in fairy land. Ii
our matter-of-fact age every prodigy, how
ever, must be explained. Threads Of cot
ton stepped in an inHammable liquid raj
from Jet to jet, and these, ignited at vari
Gus places caused the fame to spread in
simultaneously The same method is EN-
ployed in kindling the lustres Of the Churcf
Of ST. Isaac, where the connecting threads
wave over the heads of the faithful like ;
spiders web. Gas, so common in Pari
| and London, is not used in Illuminating th'
Winter Palace there the pure wax taper
alone are tolerated. 1t is only in Russi;
, where the bees contribute SO largely to th'
to the production Of light The Empress
with several personages of high distinction
took her seat at the principal table erected
on dais. Behind her giided chair burs
forth, like gigantic floral frework, al
immense bouquet of white camelias and 70
ses, the color Of the latter subdusd by re
, fiectiDg against the surrounding white mar
ble.. Twelve negroes of imposing stature
chosen from the finest African race, an,
dressed Ia Mameiuke, ascended and de
!, scended the steps Of the dais. returning o
i receiving plates from the servants, an
e moving about with an agility and grac
! peculiar to the Oriensals, even when en-
r gagged in servile Offices Othello, havin
! forgotten his Desdemona, played his par
4 msiessically at this European feast, an
! lent to it peculiar stamp of pure Asiati
), character. The guests, in the meantime
+ seated themselves promiscuously at th