The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-01-28
THE &ETGH RgDE OF An EN-
PRESS.
* EDWARD WICKET.

Twas IN the month Of December
lTol. Empress Kaihrina II sat on is,
thfoae Of Rassia- King Frederick Ii
. ~ Prussia, lad sent his brother, Primo,
l5esry. 10 g. f'eiersbnrg, ostensiLlv on
eslslly visit. but in reality to ma.
lrn biz f'isss f.sr a descent on Poland
= ree'sstleh wiftt's the Empress offer
= Prfase Henry on this occasion
sF magaiiicent. Among the
IS spectaeles got up for hi-
1as sleigh ride by moon
=. , hicA deserves minute descrip-
account sofiis novel splcndor
y aeish ID which The Empress was
" with her visitor had the appear
Of large saloon, furnished with
fosf superb luxury. The walls as
h lhc ceiling were composed en-
'N If glass, 50 that everything hap
mig .onisiste could be perceived
glsf the interior. glasses
q. noreorcr, placed here and there,
D multiplied the ever changing
IS along The road, presenting them
crcs Of lie spectators in always
recurring PICTURES This imperial
y, ssith Is splendid ornaments,
- drawn By sixteen horses. 1t was
resi i,y moro than 1000 sleighs, ex-
Nv built FOR this occasion at i'm
l>~sssf. ans-64ted out with the ut
mot luxury, in which were seated the
entire nobility of Russia. They were
draws by four six, and eight torses
earh. All the ladies and gentlemen.
with the exception of the Empress and
Prince Henry, were masked, 4 circum-
stance offering fine opportunity for
the exhibition Of 2 iruly unheard Of
and quite fabulous luxury and extrav-
agance.
The night was mild and clear. Not
a breath of air was felt, and the full
moon shene nils splendor amidst my
RAIDS of bfigi iwiilkling stars The
. r.,ad. oxpressf iconstructed by thous-
snlsofaabors passed through plains,
, VALLEYS. forest and mountain gorges
AS soon as twilig6t appeared, the mag
niicent casaldsde started and passed
slowly throrS fhe streets of St. Pc
tersburg .Atahe distance of half Il
mile from The &iiy. great triumphal
arch had been Erected, which, illumined
by thousa...a.. l.nlored lights, shone
he colors of The rain
bow. ETc1 &C courtiers, although
|, used to siGTaiiaf scenes, we're struck with
the extreuas,alliancy-ofthis spectacle
Every miic.ofthe road was marked
in the same manner by some such mag
n6Cent structure; the grand illumina.
iions and witty devices. appearing in
colored flames, caused perpetual and
, innumerable cries of delight and admit
lbTnion. There were palaces, temples,
colonnades, aud pyramids, which shed
such an ocean oflight on the surround
ing country that night was changed
&into day Tor miles around. Opposite
70 these buildings immense dancing
tails had been erected, the sides of
which consisted Of double glass walls,
That everything going on inside OF
hem could be plainly seen from the
pad. In these halls, hundreds of coun-
q ymen from all parts of the huge en-
se-offen hailing from places a thous-
Ind miles distant from 81. Petersburg
. E-were gogected, dressed in their ma
Itional costumes, and engaged in dan
Fcing their national dances. The sleighs
drove slowly past these dancing halls,
10 give the spectators an opportunity
lsfsc1ns the multilarious party-color-
fed dresses and strange groteSque amu,e
ments pf she country people. Outside
of these balls gyWnssiic games were
, played Everywhere the Russian Ma
ltional Hy pa was sung by the best sing
lers, accompanied by the most eminent
musicians
Through -ach ever changing scenes
drove BE imperial sleighing party, I'M
I'll it ar-,s at a high mountain. the
side Gna smmit of which had been
made vjsr TO the spectator. all the
trees having been cut down for this
= his mountain fire.
kged, so skillfully
skcently exhibited,
ad seen anything halt
They represented