The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-05-17
The Plaything OF an Empress.

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Russia, was ruled by the Empress Anne.
1t is very cold country and the winter
is very long. The capital is st. Peters
burg, and through it the river Neva
runs. This river freezes in winter, and
the ice is frequently SO solid that it will
oeaf IA army of several thousand men
WIN all their heavy guns and mortars,
AMI these be discharged without so much
as cracking the ice.
At the close of the year 173S, during
an extremely cold winter, the Empress
ordered one of her architects to build
an ice palace. The great square in front
of the royal palace was chosen for its
site. Blocks of the clearest ice were
selected, carefully measured, and even
ornamented with architectural designs.
They were raised with cranes and care
fully placed in position, and were &C.
mented together by tue pouring OF water
over them. The water soon froze and
made the blocks one solid wall of ice.
The palace was fifty-six feet long, seven
teen and one-half feet wide, and twenty
one feet high. Can you imagine any
thing more beautiful than such build
ing, made of transparent ice, and spark
ling in the sun?
1t was surrounded by balustrade, be-
hind which were placed six ice cannon
on carriages. These cannon were exact
ly like real metal ones, and were so hard
and solid that powder could be fired in
them. The charge used was q quarter
of pound Of powder and ball OF oak
UNI. At the first trial of the cannon an
iron ball was used. The Empress, with
all her court, was present, and the ball
was fired. 1t pierced plank two inches
thick at distance of sixty feet.
Besides these six cannon in front of
the palace, there were two mortars which
carried iron balls weighing eighty pounds
with charge of one-quarter of pound
of powder. Then, too, there were two
ice dolphins, from whose mouths flame
OF burning naphtha was thrown Mt night
with most beautiful effect. Between the
cannon and dolphins, in front of the pal
ace, there was balustrade of ice orna-
mented with square pillars. Along the
top of the palace there was gallery and
a balustrade which was ornamented with
round balls, In the center OF this stood
four beautiful ice statues.
The frames of the doors and windows
were painted green to initiate marble.
There were two entrances to the palace,
on opposite sides, leading into square
vestibule, which had four windows. All
the windows were made of perfectly
transparent ice, and at night they were
hung with linen shades, on which gro
tesque figures were painted, and illu-
minated by great number of candles.
Before entering the palace one natu.
90 10 81 d.
ers on the balustrade and the orange
trees, on whose branches birds were
perching. Think of the labor and pa
thence required to make such perfect imi-
tations OF nature on ice
Standing in the vestibule, facing one
entrance and leaving another behind, one
could see door on either hand. Let us
imagine ourselves in the room on the left.
1t is sleeping-room apparently, but if
you stop to think that every article
In it is made of ice you will hardly
care to spend night there; and yet
it is said that two persons actually
slept on the bed there for an entire
night On one side is a toilet-table.
Over it hangs mirror, on each side OF
which are candelabra, with ice candles.
Sometimes at night these candles were
Lit by being dipped in naphtha. On the
table is watchpocket and variety of
vases, boxes and ornaments of curious
and beautiful design. At the other side
of the room we see the bed hung with
curtains, furnished with sheets and
coverlid and two pillows, on which are
placed two night-caps. BY the side CT
the bed, on foot-stool, are two pairs of
81. a. l.. = /. ~
place, which is beautifully carved and
ornamented. In the CRATE lie sticks of
wood, also made of ice, which are some
times lighted like the candles by having
naphtha poured over them.
The opposite room is dining room.
In the center stands table, on which is
clock of the most wonderful work.
manship. The ice used is 80 transparent
that all the wheels and works are visible.
On each side of this table two beauti-
fully carved sofas are placed, and in the
corners OF the room there are statues.
On one eide we see sideboard covered
with variety of ornaments. We open
the doors and find inside tea-set, glass.
es and plates, which contain variety
OF fruits and vegetables, all made of ice,
but painted in imitation of nature.
Let us now go through the opposite
door and notice the curious things out
side the palace. AT each end of the
balustrade we see a pyramid with an
opening in each side like the dial of a
clock. These pyramids are hollow, and
ct night man stands inside of them
and exhibits illuminated pictures at the
grand openings.
Perhaps the greatest curiosity of al
is the life-like elephant at the right O,
the palace. On his back sits Persian
holding q battle-ax, and by his side
stand two men as large as life. The
elephant, too, is hollow, and is 80 con.
structed that in the daytime stream Of
water is thrown from his trunk to q