The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-06-13
Life in st. Petersburg.
LETTER FROM MINISTER MARSHALL
JEwELL-H1s IMPRESSIONS OF THE
PEOPLE AND TIE C1lMATE-A BALL
IT THE PALACE. "

4EofLE AND TIE III lMATE-A IS ILL
1T THE PALACE.
A letter from Hon. Marshall Jewell,
United States Minister to Russia, to
lady relative in Rochester, is published
by the Democrat of that city. 1t is
dated nt st. Petersburg, March 5, and
reads as follows:
] wonder whether you don't think I
am Lost sometimes. l am not, but am
quite frglly anchored up in this so-callcd
cold climate. It has not been cold at
all this winter, though understand it
is exceptional. We have had about ten
dnys Of zero weather, not norc, and those
run 8 deg. to 10 deg. below, only;
few days and, nights down to 10 deg
below zero, but most of the time 20 deg.
to 30 deg, above, cloudy, sour weathcr
hut now it is bright and sunny-a foot
ar two of snow only. No trouble in
flesping wnrm at all. Wood is burned
mostly, and costs but SO per cord !;
plenty of coal, but all from England,
and costs about $40 per ton-solt coal.
Htrsrs are perfectly comfortable, all
with dculle windows, and fitted in close
aid tight, 30 We suffer most from want
of Ventilation. Housekeeping is both
troublesome and expensive. We have
Rsssian footmnn who speaks English,
French and German; u erman butler
Who sIeaks English and French; G er
man cock, speaking Russian and G er
man; Russian chan bermaid, speaking
itthing else, besides these scrfs, or
'Alreikf, or stryants Of the lower order,
who do most oftheHork in fact. Oh
yss, and a 'lanpistc, or man to attend
the door, look after the fires, aud trim
lampa--a Russian who speaks little
F,glislf and Z French. Besides these,
VIZ hnye ioae@ or two coachmen, a man
part Of file time TO bring up wood and
c.al, o man once a week To- brush and
Iolish the wuxcd floors, and a man every
other day to come in and water the
flowers, ofwhirh every fne house must
hare lot. Int this crew, besides
French lady's mnid which we always
have. The. houses are heated by stoves
and CRATES. We have fifteen fires a II
told, in cold weather, and twelve or ten
always inswintsr.
For Two months before Lent, we did
little but attend balls, partles, dinners
routs .rd presentations, not going to
bed till next day, most of the time
got upiaat 10, aud the balance of the
funily at IL. In December the sun rose
at 8 and set ut 2:5O-not much Of day
at best. AT one ball at the palace
there were $500 Gu, sts, 800 of whom
sat down to supper at 2 o'clock in the
morning, and 600 took their luncl,
standing. 1t takes $4,000 candles to
light tho palace for such ball. At
this bah there were more royal persons
shan ! ever saw together before, tho
Empress of Russia, Grown Prince and
Princess Of Prussia, Prince aud Princes
OF Wales, Crown Prince. of Denmark
the above are oil Of imperial rank Of
royal rank, there were the Duke and
Duchess of Edinburgh, all the Russian
Grand Dukes and Ouch, sses. Prince
Arthur Of England and fifteen or
awenty Princes from Asia aud Europe
hesides. We had separate presentation
10 them all previously. They all danced
aud mingled with the crowd. The new
married Duchess OF Edinburg, in whose
honor this ball was given, wore the
celebrated Russian diamond neck lace,
worth 2o,0OO,OOO. The Empress
dress was trimmed with solitaire diamond
buttons, each one Of which was worth
$4,000 or 81 90, ,0OO-all the imperial
ladies wore diamond crowns. 1t was
Thought there we're more diamonds worn
that night than ever before at one time,
.as they game fron the three empires OF
'Gernany, England aud Russia. It is
,oi no use to try TO describe the scene.
IL week afterwards there was small
and select ball given there to 100 guests.
Al this time the SUPPER was laid in the
4 Il n.