, 1874-09-28
AN IMPERIAL WEDDING.

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| EchSyortns
ST. 1't''''ar0 A a2t q 1r",M GS,sse'at"o* f tn Ss''
Ats O'Clock this morning ii;c ::,otB from tho
cannon Of tho forsrehB vllero Peter tho Uleat
lies buriol announced, M tho ofticinl programme
Las 1t, ''La celebration du marriage de Son
Ailessc l,nperia'a !Monsefgneur le 0rand-Dac
Vladin.ir Aicrandrouitch ark. Son AKesse
Grande- Ducate Madama ID Dtchcssr Mdrtc dc
| Mecklenboure.Sc Sch,ceyis1." About II o'clock the
pcraons invited to THO wedding began 10 aBsom-
bic at tho pafnco, and as did not want to como
late MAS thcro ahead Of the crowd Gen.
Pomutz, our energetic and patriotio Consul
Gonoral kindly undertook to secure mo good
position. About {, 900 persona wera present, Of
both aoxcs aud various &gca, and the
rules IN regard to dress nero Vigorously
Pataco were used on thia occasion, aud tho ell
trance for oaca guost Was doYiguated on lis
tlckot Of invitation. Furthermore, tho halt whore
| oach person should 60 was designated, and co"-
! soquonsly tharo waa none of tho crowtliug, push.
| Ing, aud misunderstanding consequent upon
grand hssemblago II, America. The members Of
| the Holy Synod and the High Clorgy wefe to as
somble In the chapel, the members Of tho Coun-
to meet III tho Alexander Hall, and thence thoy
would 10 invited to pass Into tho chapel before
tho arrival Of the Imperial family, In order to
assist ut tho marriage coren,ony. Tho Hall OF
Concerts was TO be tho rallying point Of tho
ladies Of honor, tho mistrosaca Of tho courts, Of
tho Grand Duel cheasos. tho Msids OF Honor, Sem
atorp, Socretarcs Of State, and all other persons
OF equal grado. ln the grsas hall dedicated to
tho Emperor Nicholas tho of1lcors of tue army
and navy aud Of tllo suite aud stan OF tho En-
peror woro to meet. Persous having tho right
to 20 to court but holding no official position
wero to moet IN the Solo des Armorics, md tho
notable Russian and foreign merchants wore to
meet In tho hall at tho marahala.
tho fortress. There ID buzz and hush Of
silence, aud thon along comes tho Mastor OF Cor
omonies with llis STAFF of Office. Tho asHom-
blage opens to tho right aud left; In stately dig
nifty comes tue Imperial family behind. The
cannon was fred at l:lo, and was tho signal that
tho Imperial family had left it's apartments. A
goutlotnan who stood outside tells mo that he
saw tho Imperial family standing near tho will
dows. The Emperor MAS chatting and laughing
with those around hun, and among them wore
the Emprcss, tho bride, tho Czarovna. tho Grand
Duke Alexis, tho Czaravitcll, and tho two
younger sons OF tho Emperor. Just before the
gun was fred they moved away from tho wiu-
dowa, and ho saw them no moro.
Between tho Master OF Ceremonies and the
Imperial family thoro is All, army Of gaudtlY-
drosscd cha,nlerlaius. marsla1s OF tho house,
hold. gentlemen OF tho chamber, and tho like.
Behind them walk the Emperor and Empress.
Guard and wearing tho Grand Croas OF st. An
drow, aud tho lattor in Russian costume with
yolloW train, ,--Bltls woven with gold,-suppolted
By four chan1berlains. Then comes tho Minis1er
Of The household ot tho Emperor and an Aido-do
Camp General, and then tho Czsrevitcb ard hs
graceful wifc, then tho Grand Duke aud
Grand Duchess OF 1Iocklenburg-S -Schworin, and
then tho bridal pair. Tho bride wore her Grand.
Ducal crown, aud WAS dressed like most bridos,
in whito, with mantle Of pink volret-or, as
Nussian lady called it, pelours cran,oisi double
d'hermIne, aud with lain III which silver took
tho p1aco OF tho gold in that Of the Emprcss. The
train waa supported by four Chnnaborlains. aud
boruo by tho Master Of the Court Of tho BRIDE
xvii tkn Fs.,,&r = 4,
Czarorna. had protusion OF the finest point
laco about her head, and there waB enough laco
in tho party to make tho fortune OF an ordinary
denler.
behind theae important porsonages came Alexis
aud the other Sons Of TIM Emperor. then tho
Grand Duke Constantine aud his aons, then tho
Grand Duke Eloholna and his aon8 and tho Grand
Duke Michel and hia Sous. The Grand DucheBseB
Alexandra, Olga. and AnastaHio arc IN .hoir
proper placcs, md 60 hro tho Grand DucheBsos
tla Russian family, came the relatives Of tho
bride in their proper order, and then several RUS
Sim princes. whose relation to tue Romanon fan'i
ly ontikIed tlom to places Behind these por-
aud tho Mecklenburg- -Schwerin Courts. While
VIC aro gazing about, tho masters OF ce1emonios
gfyc warning that tho procession is coming and
We settle quietly INTO our places. The chapel is
small, no Tint no moro than dfth OR . sixth Of
the persons invited to tho palace ablo to wit
noss tho ceronony. Everybody stands ia d RUS
Sim church, Emperor and peasant alike. While
tho ceremony gooa on it would be impolsto to
move, and, no matter how great the fatigue, we
must endure 1t AS best ne can,
Tho Metropolitan Of tho Holt Orthodox Church
OF Hussa meets The Emperor in front OF tho altar
AT rho latter aoparateH fl ON tho EmpreYg who
steps to the right hand while he steps slightly to
the left: It IL tho duty Of tho Emperor to kisa
fully, aud as be docs 80 tho high priest Of tho
church klsses the Emperor's hand iu return.
Then tho Emperor mnkaa tho cuatomory bow
bofors the altar, and the marriage follows after
leads tho coupto to tho elevated place before the
on tho floor Of the chapel. The
aoryico bcgins ut onco, and proceeds Hololmu'y
to tho end. TLe prayers nre road and intonod,
aud rolls away through tho halls of tho palace
until lost III the distance. at the proper momont
atop forward the araud Duke Alexis and tho
brother OF tho brido. The former holiB tho
crown over tho head Of Marie and tho latter the
work, nnd tho Grand Duca1 arms soon chow
aigua Of weariuess, aud there a shiftiug OF
hands. But not for moment do tho croWns
got, out of position until the time comes for
1cstinE them OH tho heads Of tho pnir.
During tue services tho members Of tho Turk
ish Legation removed the foz from their heads,
an incdont which was observed by nll prcsont.
According to tho Mohammedan theory the fez
~ noFtf fauloRtut ana tn1 action OF tHegG EGn-
t!enen must be regarded AZ very great conces-
zion to Occidental custom. ",rhis IL tho second
time ever Hau them do It" aatd Con, Pomutz;
- tho llrst occasion was at tho funoral Of our
Minister. Alr. Orr. All Of them atood with their
heads uncovered, and thero was groat deal of
comment on their dolng 3d." When the Te
Doum III reached the cannon OF tho fortroBs arc
ngain hoard, mud lUl shots are fixed. Tue man
aud vito return their thanks to tho Emperor
and Empress, aud. at the end Of the Hervices, the
congratulations OF tho High Clergy aud the Holy
Synod aro extended to Valadnir mud hia bride.
Near the end OF tue prayesa tho mas-
te.B Of ceremonies requoat tho
CorpR Diplomatiquo to proceed to the Alax-
andor Hall, whore the Lutheran sorvco Ia to bo
celebrated. Tho bride has not changed her ro-
ligiun In otdcr to outer tho Russian family aha
is not expected to bo tho mother OF Prince who
can eyor inhorit tho throne, mud therefore the
sumo necessity did NOE exist iu lor caHo aB that
Of tue Princess Dagmar when about to u,arry
the Czhrovjtch. Sho remntna Lutheran, and,
theratore, tho coromouy Of to-day waa douhlo
oue.
Wo wait some time In tho Alexander Tall.
which contains Hmple altar placed there during
our absance. Our waiting IL causeu by the con-
gratulations to The married pair and 10 we ontor
INTO conversation once moro, md move about