, 1874-04-11
LIFE IN ST. PETERSBURG.

ell--.Eais Impressions OF the People
md tho Climntc-~.A Hall at tho
pnlncc. :.
A lotser from tho Hon. Marshall Jowoll, United
statos Minister to Russia, to . lady rolativo in
Rochester, is published BY tho Democrat OF that
city. It Is dated at st. Petersburg, March 5,
and roads as followa:
~ wonder whether you don't think I ON lost
sometimes. am not, hut am quito firmly an
chorod up in this so-callcd cold o1imate. It has
not boeu cold at all this winter, though UNDER
stand 1t is exceptional. Wo have had about ton
days Of zero woather, not more md thoso run
five to ton degrees bolow only fow days and
nights down to ten degrees above zero, but most
OF the timo twenty to thirty dogroos abovc,
cloudy, sour weather but now 1t ia bright and
sunny-n foot or two Of SNOW only. No trouble
y, and costs about So por cord.i plenty Of coal,
but all from England, and costs about $40 per
ton-Hoft coal. Houses aro perfectly comforta-
bio, all with double windows, and fitted in closo
and tight, 80 we suffer most from want OF venti-
lation. housekeeping is both troublesome and
expensive. Wo have q Russian foot1nan who
speaks English, French. and Germsni Cor
man butler who speaks English and Ffonch
Hs1ian snessinr mo- nohipT eao
boaidea dd thoao aorfs, or Augiks Or servants of
tic lowcr order, who do tho noat Of the work, in
fact. Oh yes, and q "1ampisto," OF man to nt-
tond tho door, look aftor tho flros, and trim
lanps,-n Russian who apoalks q little English
and Fronch. Besides those, we have one or two
coaohmon, man pnrt Of tho timo to bring up
wood and coal, 1nan once Q week to brush and
polish the waxod floors, md q man ovory other
day to como in and water tho flowers, Of which
every ilne house must haYo q lot s1Bn't this a
crew, besidea French lady's maid, which No al
ways hayo. Tho houses nre heated by stoves
and grntcs. We hnye ffteon fires NIL told IN cold
weather and twelve or ten always in wiuter.
''Tor two months before Lont we did littlo but
attond balls, parties, dinnors: recepttons, routa.
and presentations, not going to bod TIL next day
Ai+--o nrz1& &t,H hal
nnce Of tho famtly about noon. In December tho
sun rosc at 9 and aet at 2:50-not much Of o day
at best. At one balt ut tho palaco thoro worc
$500 guests, 1000 Of whom Bat down to supper
lunch standing, Il takes $4,000 candies to light
this palace fur ruoh bail. At this ball there
wcro royal persons more than I eyor saw together
before tho Emprosa OF Russia, Grown Prince and
Grown Prince fDenmark--the above are all Of i'm
peral rank Of royal rank thero were tho Duke
and Duchess Of Edinburgh, all tho Russian
Grand Dukes aud DuchesaeB, Prince Arthur Of
Asia and Europe besides. We iad had aepa-
ratio presentation to them al previously. They
oil danced and mingled With tho crowd. Tho
new married Duchess Of Edinburgh, In whose
Russian diamond neoklaee, estimated to be
worth $20000000. Tho Empress' dress was
trimmed with solitaire diamond buttons, each
one Of which was worth $780, or 100000 All
tue Imperial lA@lea wore ulAuQQu EIuWuas IL III
thought thoro wcro more diamonds worn that
night than ever before at ono time, rs they ca1no
from tue three Empires Of Germany, England,
and Russia. It ia Of no use to try to describe
| tho sceno.
IA week aftorward there was 4 small and
| select ball given thoro to 100 guests. At this
time tho supper was laid In the large hall which
ia about 100 by $50 feet, and 40 foet high Forty
palm-trees 20 to so feet high, had boon brought
from tho greenhouse; round each was built q
| tNGntv HI
lighted this room, 30 re Hat down to supper In q
real palm-g grove. It WAS magnificent beyond de-
acriPtion; This is latitude 60, the same as that
"spoaAing Of greenhouses, we visited one the
other day tor trces aud shrubs, ferns and cacti
only, not flowers, which has so, 900 varieties in
it, and 10000 pots Or Bpecimous. All tue corps
.diplomatique are invited every wintor. ThoIe e
This, % Of Course, sp is seldom done. The Emperor
is splendid man, very polite, and for that
n,htter 50 arc they oil to us. , There is little OF
Princes; the many work and live like slaves.
Very flne aud handsome people arc tho nobility;
| worry low aud degraded arc the working olasaes.
But it Is vastly improved undor this Emperor,
its own code Of morals. suppose which tho
people live up to. From our point OF view there
arc no morals hero, They all crosa themselveB
on going pass church or shrine. There is .
1
no ono can wearh his hat, not oven the Emperor.
80 inside Russian door hats of-a carpenters
shop, saloon, Or palaoe-its all tho Same. They
keep Lent rigidly. Circuaos and theatres aro
"There arc over sixty 'proswicks Of feto-
days ir the year, on which no ono will work.
Sunday 10 less carod for, though generelly no
work is done on that day, Drunkennese ia moro
mon people drink all tho 'booka they can got.
Their food ie black, sour, rye bread and cab
"nut they arc q ,good-netured, laughing race
of beugs. There ii hut little social Life here,
though in fact not much yiaitipg, as wo do It
| evenings. So much social intercourse comes
from our schools and religious atinlties. which
are entirely, lacking in this country that
an American. The French language ia almost aa
much used as the Russian; moro so, in fact, In
the higher circles. Most Of the Government
officers speak Engllah, also, and more than half
It, as thoY all have English goyor1iesaes. Eng
llsh and American books are In all hrHt-olass
libraries, Russia having but comparatively littlo
literature Of its own. Law and order hore
arc NJ much respected as with us. While the EN-
can DO exactly as be lkoa, still ho governs by
and through Law. The knout Is long since abol-
ished, and trial by jury is regular and safo. Il
ia no heathen country BY long ways, but tho
plino aud thorough In its organization.
Divorce is almost impossible. Prisons arc
few. Capital punshmeut Is unknown oxcopt
for attempts on tho Emperor's life. All con-
ycts are sent to Siberia, tho worst to work in
tho mipos. and others on the land. Their fam
lilies can 60 with them, II they like 40 that oou,,-
try is now full Of pretty good people ct tha
kind. This country is growing rapidly In all tue
being pushed steadily but slowly, Mott ct the
people 500 can alroady read aud write. But
the rich being 30 worry rich aud tho poor SO worry
poor makos progress very slow. Tic police reg
u1atona are perfect, though people drive through
foot have no rights which tho Carriages are
bound to respect. Handsome blaol Tartar
horaon go past Que IKE the wind, with little
light, harness,, no bltndcrs, and low,- light
goes out q minute here without being fully
wrapped up 10 fur, and no ono aitB minute In
tho hnuRo with khhm on. In tho hulla ara scr"