The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-02-26
THE RoYAL MEDnING.
How the Bridal lsalT Behaved-No En-
fhnsiasn1 In ENGLAND.


A close observer of the mari iage Ger
emony In the English church, st. Pc
tersburg, by which the Duke of Edin-
burg and the Grand Duchess Marie
were united according to the Anglican
rite, sends the following account to the
London News:
Dean Stanley began the exhortation
IN 1oud voice, which, ON account of
hoarseness, he was soon forced to aban-
don. As the ceremony proceeded the
duke seemed rather nervous, but looked
pretty steadily at Dean Stanley; while
the grand duchess cast her eyes down
now at the carpet, now at the boduet
that she carried-and regarded the
dean closely only during the usual in
terrogabories. In giving the vow, the
duke answered IN a very loud voice, IS
viii, which was audible all over the
church. When Dean Stanley asked,
$ Who giveth this woman % he looked
significantly at the emperor, who sim
ply bowed. In giving her troth, the
grand duchess repeated the words after
the clergyman in clear, audible voice,
and with excellent pronunciation.
The presentation of the ring was not
effected without some embarrassment
The duke received the ring from Prince
Arthur, and passed it to Dean Stanley.
who looked at it with the eye of a con
noisseur, and then returned It to the
bridegroom. The duke was somewhat
embarrassed by the prayer book which
he held, and tried to hand it to the
train-bearer behind. That functisnary.
apparently not understanding what was
required of him. did not take the prof
fered gift. The grand duchess, who
was waiting, then offered to take the
volume, but the duke finally mastered
the difficulty, and gracefully slipped the
ring Oa the outstretched fipger. The
dean Joined the hands of the bride and
bridegroom with great deal of empba-
sis, and held them pressed together
longer than is customary, but not even
this triple union of hands prevented
them from shaking with very obvious
agitation. Instead of the usual exhor-
tation at the end of the service, a spe-
cial prayer was substituted, the felfci
tous language and sentiments of which
left no doubt about its author. The
dean delivered the prayer in a very i'm
pressive manner, though he somewhat
marred the effect by trying to raise his
voice too high.
At the conclusion of the ceremony
the bridal pair turned round to receive
the salutations of the empress, who had
been standing with difficulty, and who
looked very pale and feeble. She en-
braced her daughter, and gave her a
long kiss. At this moment the guns
from the fortress beloved forth their
more boisterous greeting, and the splen-
did Russian bells shook a hundred
spires.
Slowly and solemnly the cortege took
up once more its march. The bride
looked pleased that the long ceremonial
was over, and both she and the Duke
of Edinburg walked out of the hall with
a quicker and more elastic step.
I eInnot help feeling somewhat
amused at the enthusiasm of loyalty in
the British correspondents at st. Peters
burg. Their verdict on the bride is
exceedingly pretty" 1 remember
having seen the lady, in Russia, some
four years ago, and although her per.
sonal appearance at that time may have
improved, / am bound to say that there
was room for it. There was a certain
gracefulness and simplicity which de-
noted culture and good nature, and no
one who has these can be without some
loveliness; but fear the correspondents
are preparing for the public which
Br6otSu AleAauoIa as q DeauSlIu1 Dflue,
n disappointment. There is one curious
fact about this marriage, that is the
double (Anglican and Russian) marriage
service. When the czarevich married
the Danish (Protestant) Princess Dag
mar, that lady had to join the Russian
church aud in doing so she had to
curse Luther and invoke the divine
vengeance upon all persons, including
all her relatives, who adhere to the
Protestant church. I have read the
form throu2 h which she went, and speak
advisedly. It is singular that Iinss the
next marriage with Protestant occur
ing in the cars family we should see
an English dean imported to retie the
knot, and pronounce the benediction.
When grand people are concerned hea-
ven must accommodate itself.