The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-11-28
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1 'SyAOdJ tu6- sACdQ9lly OF science, and
many other scientific and administers
tive Boards, might by the initiated have
been recognized by the pattern of the
Iembroidery and the number and Clfsno-
sttion of the significant lines on their
velvet coIars.T The more deeply Versed
! nlthegs science Of uniform, this modern
successor of herald's lore. would have,
distinguished one Is puzzled to think.
now many hundred degrees in the offi-
| c1al hierarchy; to me it was a heavinp
ocean OF radiance, unintelligibie IN its
composition Snd beautifully bewiIder-
ing TO the eye, but affotding many
points of attractionrlfor a reflectiVe
mind. This, superb assembiaee con-
sisted OF the men that govern Russia. 5
AS the crowd began to thicken the
hrst ladies' made their appearances.
Nearly salF OF them were clad in white
silks, with trains exhibiting every hue
ana shade; stripes of coIored velvet
trimming the bodies, and in many cases
the skirt also constituted the peculiar
element of the "Russian dress: :i1 AM
other GESTURE of the national costume
prescribed for the occasion was the ka-
koshntk or diadem worn by all the la
dies, excepting the BRIDE 1t is a semi-
circular band covered with velvet and
studded with pearls and jewelry SO
l graceful and becoming that 1t reflects
no little credit on the taste of the peas
ant girls the original devisers OF this
ornament. The ladies had magnificent
robes, but the grand display OF jewelry
was reserved for the ball In the even
Leaving the Field -Marshal's hall be-
fore the arrival of the Imperial prOces-
sion, j threaded my way to the Chapel
Royal: The whole suite of the State
apartments were similarly occupied as
the one In which 1 had SO long tarried.
| In some there were only ladies, in 9TH
ers, gentlemenS all, as a matter of fcourse,
in the uniform of their various ranks
and callings.- Merchants, even, If thew
are Russian subjects, and invited to
Court, are obliged to put on blue coats
with standing collars, and grid clank-
ing swords Fon their pacific bodies.
Detachments of various troops of the
Guard were drawn up here and there,
ana every door watched by the cuIrras.
siers of the body guard. Gigantic men,
in scarlet uniforms, with buckskins,
top; boots and steel helmets, crowned
| with the tWo-headed! eagle, stood like
SO many mute statues in the places as
signed to their care. They are the Rms
sian Horse Guards, and though an eve
accustomed 10 the sight Of the two silent
horsen1en holding watch and ward in
Whitehall may be excused for preferr-
ing the familiar to the foreign, it must
be admitted that the latter, too, are no
bad specimens OF strength and elegance
| combined.l ,T7E4 s4.5 .s1=-4,s - q =
The Chapel Royal, in which the cere-
mony was to be performed, already
swarmed with the cream of the aristo-
cratic company invited. It is hall of
moderate dimensions, in the French
styte7of the last century, White walls,
copious1y studded With bronze gar
lands, festoons, and diminutive angels,
tmpart to it courtly. rather than a re-
ligious air. To this part of the church,
destined for the congregation, and, like
| nFthn6nH nf
devoid of stalls and seats, there is join
ed d dome containing the altar. It is of
considerable height, and separated by
gilded ikonostos from another dome,
the interior of which is only descried
through the aperture of the Royal doors.
A low-arched coIonade, appearing inn
mediately behind the Royal doors and
leading into the mystical depths of the
lower dome, has a peculiarly solemn
effect from the grandeur and width of
the adjoining portion of tho church.
| In the tirst dome; which, according to
the orthodox architecture, is the church
proper, the clergy were already in at
tendance. At their head was pointed
out to me the Archbishop Metropolite
of Neygorod and st. Petersburg, than
whom there fs only one greater eccIesf-
astic, the Archbisop of Moscow, in the
empire. With him were four other
Bishops, old men all Cwearing( the sill
yer tiaras, and ample mantles of their
rank. Archpriests, with uncovered
heads.and long flowing hair, reaching
to the shoulder, stood beside them in
violet cloaks; other priests were seen
stationed in the. background. In a
niche on the right stood the Court sing
ers-boys and men of all ages, Close
to them, in the front part of the chapel,
I saw. Prince Menschikof leaning
against the rail. A friendly old gen
tIeman, with bright eyes and re-
| n % fn1
look like one who but twelve years
| ago caused a sanguinary war. Sir An
drew Buchanan, in British diplomatic
uniform, with the order of the Thistle
round his neck, was talking with his
fellow ambassadors of Prussia, Aus
tria, Denmark and France. Lord
Hamflton; Mr. Clay, the American En-
voy, and M.5Yaluyeff the Minister of
the Interior, passed by, with others.
Mr.. Fame and Mr.. Mitchell, of the
British Embassy, stood. by. the side of
the Danish and Prussian officers who
had come to add eeLGt to the festivities.
ASGreek General in, loose jacket and
Oriental CATERS, was Noticeable by
contrast, and French Marquises, Ger
man Grats, and Italian Contes wed
with Russian Princes in the profusion
of Orders and the elegance of garb:
Suddenly the hum is hushed. A
master of eefemonies, bGtO1 IN hand,
| has entered to announce the approach
of the marriage procession. While the
same message is being given to the
town, by Y-the-guns outside, the equeries
and! !fotlrters deLd eobr enter the chapel.
The smaBters OF CereIno onies, the CHAM
berlains, and the various charges of the
Court follow in due succession. And
now the Emperor and Empress comein
sight, preceded by Count Schuvaloff,
the Grand Marechal. His Majesty is
in the uniform of General, and leads
his Royal Spouse to. the Metropolite,
standing in the center of the church to
receive them. AS the aged dignitary
slowly and gently waves his cross to
and fro, the Emperor stoops to kiss the
| sign of Salvation, and to cross himself
on forehead and chest with holy water.
The Empress repeats the sacred rite,
and places herself beside her august
husband. The Grown Prince Care
witch is the next to enter, to kiss, bow
and cross himself in accordance with
ther devout forms, of the Church,
After him walks in Princess Dag
mar, or, as she, has been lately called,
the Orthodox Grand Duchess Maria
FeodoroWna Of All the Russias. She
looks as though he had stepped out of
the frame of some ancient picture of
the church, inclines himself to the
blooming girl as she conforms to the
requirements of the national creed.
Her Imperial Highness steps back to
the three pfincipA A1 members of her fam-
ilyJ who have already entered the sa-
cred e1ificeI The four stand together,
and the eyes of all present center upon
ent and future or this Immense empire.
of comtSand and the dlspostion to
kindness clearly legible ON his manly