Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-07-31
II. WHITMORE,
Publisher and Proprieto
ST, PETERSBURG.

An interesting letter, in the Wor-
cester Spy, thus describes some of
the attractions of the Russian capi-
tai:
Friday morning we strolled out
to see st. Isaac's Cathedral. The
exterior Of fine proportions, with
gilded dome and polished granite
columns, is very imposing. The
ten splendid fluted malachite col
umns, and the two of lapsus lazuli,
and the beautiful porphyry steps
are very grand. The screen or mi
nor door, in front of the altar and
near the place where the service is
held, is very rich. 1t is covered
with gold, and has six beautiful
paintings on the outside. These
doors are frequently opened and
closed during the service, and you
look through them at stained
glass window upon which is very
large figure Of Christ after his res
direction.
We attended two services at st.
Isaac's. The singing is exquisite.
They use no instrument, but they
have choir of twenty men and two
dozen boys. They are dressed in
long blue gowns, trimmed with
broad gilt braid. The priests vest
ments are Of white silk and satin,
or brocaded silk with gold thread
woven in. | am surprised to find
the paintings in the church so
beautiful. There is a painting of
the Madonna there which seems to
me one of the loveliest | have ever
seen in all my travels. In the
Russian service they cross them
selves many times, and then pros
trate themselves on the marble
floor so as to touch their foreheads.
Saturday morning we visited the
"Winter Palace" passing on the
way the Alexander monument, a
shaft of granite, larger in hight
and circumference than Traian's
column in Rome. In the palace
we visited fifty rooms. The size of
the palace is immense-450 feet by
350-and during the winter it is
occupied by over 6000 persons be-
longing to the emperor's house
hold. We saw the chapel, which
is very rich and beautiful. We
saw there some exceedingly ancient
books, among them a bible dating
from the time before the invention
of printing. The covers of many
of the books were studded with
diamonds and precious stones. We
visited the "Salle Blanche" which
is all in white marble and gold,
The "Malaohite Room" has twelve
magnificent malachite columns of
great size, a malaohite mantel and
malachite tables and vases.
We passed through the suites Of
the Duke and Duchess Of Edin-
burg. The rooms are very elegant,
The walls hung with brocaded silk,
of pink, of blue and of gray. In
all the rooms we observed very
beautiful glass screens, some of
colored glass and many Of white
glass engraved. In the palace
| there are several tortoise shell
doors inlaid with gold. The value
of each door ia said to be nearly
$4,000. In another room we saw
four beautiful columns Of rare
stone called "Ribbon Jasper"
From the magnificent staircase of
the palace we gazed on the river
| Neya. This staircase is only
used once during the year,
when the annual ceremony takes
place of the blessing Of the Neva
BY the emperor We we're charmed
With the crown Jewels. We saw
the magnificent 0rloff diamond,
which is used in the sceptro of the
king. 1t exceeds in size the fa-
nous Koohinoor. The 0rloff dia-
mond is supposed to have beer
originally in the eye-Socket of some
idol IN India. 1t was stolen by
French dcserter, and finally came
into possession of Count 0rlotf, whC
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