Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-03-31
VOL. XXXVII.

THE CARS WINTER PALACE.-A queer
story is told of the winter palace OF the
ear, which may be given rs Illustrating
the great extent of the place, and the
possibilities of mischief it affords In the
llmc of Nicholas. the father of the present
ear, "A number Of sentrirS were posted ON
the rcof to guard against fire or foes.
Finding the climate up there not altogeth
cr 50 comfortable rs could be wished, this
permanent watch ut length cOnlrived to
convey on to the roof the mstcrials for II
numhpr of huls or cabins. which in course
of lime tuey erected under The shelter of
the chimney stacks. So snug and coy
tid they manage TO make themselves, that
it ut length occurred 10 the married men
among them that, US there was plenty of
room up there, they might us well enlarge
their establishments. Accordingly wives
and families one after another, found their
way out on to the imperial leads. Several
of the single men Of the guard, finding
such II tempting opportunity of setting up
hou, ,ekeeping economically, took wives to
themselves, and after while quite a con-
siderable colony had sprung up. How far
the development might have gone on if
the individuals composing the parasitic
little village had been reasonably cautious
and careful in their behavior it is difficult
IT, guess; but the establishment of families
among the chimncys OF the palace led
q actually to the accumulation OF domestic
animals. Fowls multiplied amazingly,
and goats became numerous and ilourlshcd
so well in the bracinG atmosphere that ut
| length ii was suggested that It COW might
conveniently be added to the farm stock.
| How the animal WAS elevated we are not
informed, but it is stated us Il fact that it
was by some means hUisted to the roof,
and was eventually the ruin of the COM
munity. The lowing Of the cow came TO II
certain officials ears, and led to an InveS-
tigaton and the total breaking up of the
queer little society. Even ut that time it
is said that the Russian emperor felt so
little confidence in his personal security
that nobody ever knew in which bed room
he was gong to sleep. a large number
were always kept ready and unoccupled,
and ut bed time the car would quietly
Slip into any one OF them selected ut the
moment. The winter palace is described
Us the largest palace in the world, being
one-lhird larger than that of the. emperor
of Austria, and unsurpassed in point of
splcndor 1t is the residence OF the czar
on the eli bank of DE Neva, on the site
of Il mouse which, in the reign of Peter
the Great, belonged TO his high admiral,
Count Apraxin, who bequealhed it TO
Peter IL l. was SO completely destroyed
bv fire in 1887 that it was necessary to
rebuild il. and one of The not least re-
markablc ficls connected with il is that its
present form was the work of two short
years. The palace is four stories high, or
about eighty feet The frontage Is 455
feet in length and the breadth is $50 feet.
rne principal entrance is from the Neva
and leads by II magnificent tllghl of mar
bic steps to the state apartments OF tnc
ptlace a gate way, in the centre of the
building facing AleXander'S column, opens
into II large court. The most magnificent
apartments are the throne room OF Peer
L., where the diplomatic corps generally
present their congratulate ms on New
Years day; the White Hall, the Hall OF
st. Georgia. plrallelogran of no feel
by 90 feet; thr Gallery OF he Field Mar
shals, and the Alexander Gallery The
interior is most gorgeous, suites of splen-
did halls being filled with marble, mala-
chitc, vases and pictures; whilst the crown
and o her jewels are Of almost lneslimable
value.