Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-04-07


For two months before Lent we did little but
attend balls, parties, dinners, receptions,
routs and presentations, not going to bed tlil
next day most of the time. / get up at ~
and the balance of the family about noon. In
December the sun rose at 8 and Get on
not much of a day at best. At one ball at the
palace there were 2, 800 guests, l,90o OF whom
| sat down to supper at O'Clock IN the MORN
ing, and GOO took their lunch standing. 1t
takes As 900 candles to light this palace for
such ball. At this ball there were royal
persons more than ever saw together before,
the Empress of Russia, Crown Prince and
Princess of Prussia, Prince and Princess OF
Wales, Crown Prince of Denmark-the above
are all of imperial rank; of royal rank there
were the DIXIE and Duchess of Edinburgh,
all the Russian Grand Dukes and Duchesses,
Prince Arthur of England and fifteen or TWEEN
ty Princes from Asia and Europe besides.
We had had a separate presentation to them
all previously. They all danced and mingled
with the crowd. The new married Duchess
of Edinburgh, in whose honor the ball was
given, wore the celebrated Russian diamond
necklace, estimated to be worth $40, OO0, 900.
| The Empress dress was trimmed with soli-
| taire diamond buttons, each one of which was
worth $4,000 or 100000. All the imperial
ladies wore diamond crowns. 1t is thought
there were more diamonds worn that night
than ever before at one time, as they came
from the three empires of Germany, England
and Russia. 1t is of no use to try to describe
| the scene.
| A week afterward there was small and
select ball given there to 100 guests. At
this time the supper was lain in the large hall,
which is about 100 by $50 feet, and 40 feet
high. Forty palm.trees, twenty to thirty feet
high, had been brought from the greenhouse;
| round each was built table for ten or twen-
ty guests; 5000 candles lighted this room, so
we sat down to supper in real palm grove.
1t was magnificent beyond description This
| is latitude sixty, the same as that OF Green
| land.
Speaking of greenhouses, we visited one
the other day for trees and shrubs, ferns and
cacti only, not flowers, which has 10000 va
rietes in it, and 10000 pots or specimens.
All the corps diplomatique are invited every
winter. There appears to be no end to the
money this court spends on such an Occa-
sion. This, of course, is seldom done. The
Emperor is splendid man, very polite, and
tor that matter so are they all to US. There
is little or no middle class in Russia. The
few live like princes. The many work and
live like slaves. Very fine and handsome
people are the nobility; very low and degrad-
ed are the working classes. But it is vastly
improved under this Emperor, who is really
just and good man. Russia has its own
code of morals. suppose, which the people
live up to. From our point of view there are
no morals here. They all cross themselves
on going past church or shrine. There is
shrine in every house, in the presence of
which no one can wear his hat not even the
Emperor. So inside Russian door hats off
"a carpenters shop, saloon or palace-its all
the same. They keep Lent rigidly. Cir
cusses and theatres are full Sundays except in
Lent.
There are over sixty "proswicks" or fete
days is the year on which no one will work
Sunday is less cared for, though generally no
work in done on that day. Drunkenness is
more common than in any country in the
world. Common people drink all the 'bod-
ka" they can get. Their food is black,
sour, rye bread and cabbage soup mostly.
But they are a good-natured, laughing race
of beings. There is but little social life here
though, in fact, not much visiting as we do it
evenings. SO much social intercourse comes
from our schools and religious affinities,
which sre entirely lacking in this country,
that it makes the difference very marked to
an American. The French language is almost
as much used as the Russian; more so, in
fact, in the higher circles. Most of the Gov
eminent officers speak English also, and
more than half the Russians meet. All the
lish governesses. English and American
books are in all first-class libraries, Russia
having but comparatively little literature of
its own. Law and order here are as much
respected as with US. While the Emperor
appoints everything and every body, and can
do exactly as he likes, still he governs by and
through law. The knout is long since abol-
shed. and q trial by jury is regular and safe.
1t is no heather country by long ways, but
the Greek or orthodox church is strict in its
discipline and thorough in its organization.
| Divorce is almost impossible. Prisons are
few. Capital punishment is unknown except
for attempts on the Emperor's life. All con-
victs are sent to Siberia, the worst to work in
| the mines and others on the land. Their
families can 60 with them, if they like, so that
country is now full of pretty good people of
| this kind. This nation is growing rapidly in
all the directions of national greatness. Ed
ucation is being pushed slowly but steadily.
Most of the people see can read and write.
But the rich being SO rich and the poor so
very poor makes progress very slow. The
police regulations are perfect, though people
drive through the streets as fast as ever they
can 60. Those On foot have no rights which
the carriages are bound to respect. Hand.
some black Tartar horses 60 past one like the
wind, with little light harness, no binders,
and low, light sleighs, or sledges, as they call
them. Nobody goes out minute here with
out being fully wrapped up in fur, and no one
sits minute in the house with them on. In
the halls are servants to take off and care for
these wrappers. In this way they never APP
pear to take cold. In no other way could
they live in this very changeable climate.
Not one of us had a cold this winter. So all
the stories about this being so bad climate
appear to US to be hum bug. But great care
is necessary, and that everybody takes of
himself. So in this way we get along, and
on the whole, find the climate not bad. DO
like it? Well, some. Don't believe should
want to spend my life here though 1t is
great thing to see for time, and find my
colleagues pleasant people, and the social
life of indoors is enjoyed for time. In
all the elements of strength and greatness
America is so far ahead of Europe that the
contrast is painful. So my eyes constantly
turn toward Hartford after all. But read a
great deal of politics and write many letters,
and hear from home daily almost
Congressman Robert S. Hale Of New y ork
has placed in the hands of the Speaker his
resignation as Chairman ef the House Com