Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-05


and dainty Russian dishes, Of which
Am most happy to recall mutton and rice
crowned In . brown sauce that would
k'ndls IN appetite under the ribs Of
dsa'h. Such comforts and snch luxu-
RES made the long ride from wisbsllen
to St. Petersburg unfstiguing. The
country is Cat, With large allowance
oil forest and swamp, and ID sparsely
settled. The little aisle Of the car was
common meeting-ground for psssen-
gers, who were amisble and laxative.
And so the time did not drag badly
till We rolled into the Petersburg sta
ton they oil say Petersburg herel
little before 9 O'Clock p. NJ. IL wa
broad daylight in effect, and IS we were
driven TO our hotel we could see and
enjoy all the outdoor life Of this great,
modern-looking, wonderful city - well
as if it bad been high noon. There were
signs Of business enterprise and
prosperity on every side. The drosch-
kies burn the pavement, IS the French
say. but the drivers held their horses
well in hand. These "cabbies," by
the way, are almost the only class here
whose dress il" not European. Their
long wraps, like bathing robes, bucklod
about the waist, and their little hats,
which look like the stovepipe pattern
badly crushed, are the only marked
oddities of attire in tho streets. The
pedestrians, although through the bust
ness of the day, walked rapidly. The
general aspect Of the city, as Of the
people We saw, WAS more American
than French, German, or English.
But for the msddening inscrip-
tons on the shop-fronts and
the golden domes and peculiar
crosses Of the Greek churches, the city
Of Peter the Great might pass for .
compound of Chicago and Washington.
The wide, straight streets-the Pros
pekts, or psrspsctivss, as they are
callsd-remind me Of the latest type Of
American cities. On arriving at the
hotel again surrendered my passport
(which had been countersigned and
stamped BY the Russian Consul-Gen-
eral at Berlin and handed back to me
after a brief detention at Wisballeu).
II was returned next day further en-
bellishsd by stamps and signatures.
The famous st. fssac's church, about
which so many writers rave, does not
impress rs as much IS we expected.
Nothing could be simpler and nothing
richer than its outside aud inside. 1t
is immense, but it looks small. It's
great dome is Q sheet Of pure gold. Its
interior has columns Of malachite and
laps lazuli, massive shrines made Of
precious metals by the hundred-weight,
and blazing with diamonds, sapphires,
rubies. and smeralds. You know that
millions Of dollars have been lsvished on
all these things, and etthe whole effects
not magnificent. The money is not put
where it shows on casual inspection.
For q repetition of visits l prefer the
Kszsn Cathedral, Of which less ado is
made in the guide-books. This is the
church beloved Of Petersburgers. While
it is not lowered with as much mals-
cbi,e, lapis lazuli, gold, silver, or
gems IS fall to the share Of st. lsaac's,
it is very rich in all these gifts, and 1t
has one shrine OF Incompatible splen-
dor. This is our Lady Of Kazsn.
You know the Greek Church
does not favor images among its
symbols. Reverence for the Saviour or
the Madonna and child, or any OF the
saints, is expressed by hesping up
riches upon their portraits. Our Lady
Of Kazan appears in gold frame about
three feet square. You see only her
face and hands. The rest Of her is
buried under solid gold and silver crust
ed all over with the costliest jewels.
She is a special object Of veneration.
Princes and generals, Opulent merchants,
beggars, old and young, women and
children. all sorts Of people, may be
seen at almost any hour ofthe day strug-
ing TO kiss her hands. Before doing
this the more devout bow and touch
tie cold stone foer with their foreheads
and cross themselves repeatedly. They
bring little votive candles which they
light and stick in places provided for
them. Priests and women, ell dressed
alike, in black robes and high hats
minus the brim, stand around with
dishes TO receive donations. | have
heard the service intoned by lay read
ers with deep bass voices, but not yet
seen a priest performing his sacred
functions. The religion Of the people
seems very real, so far as outward signs
reveal it. Shrines are set up at the
street corners and in the fronts of shops
ard houses, and no Russian fails to re-.
move his hat and cross himself and bor
deeply in passing one Of them.
The most remarkable curiosity in this
city is the perfect skeleton of man.
moth dug out Of an icebank in Siberia
nearly one hundred years ago. 1t is in
the m museum Of the Academy Of Sciences.
and lost no time in inspecting the
bones Of the colossal beast. lie stood
in bis original full dress, as high as the
lsmented Jumbo at least. his general
appearance as to head, tail, trunk, legs,
ard chest was that Of an elephant. But
his tusk-. ten or twelve feet long, curved
outward and upward, as il they were
trying TO tie knots in themselves. Re
mains Of uammoihs have been often
dug up in Russia, but this skeleton is
the only one to which some Of the flesh
and skin and hairs still adhere. The
hide is about An inch thick. The hair
is half foot long, Of whilish brown.
At what q remote date this monster
was browsing around in Siberia, what
use he made Of his queer horns, and
how be got frozen up in mass of ice
and mud, are questions which l leave
to the lively fancy of Jules Verne.
Ishall never take the least interest
in the band.chariot Of circus after
having seen the forty or fifty gorgeous
state carriages of the Czsrs. The best
artists and artisans not only Of Russia,
but of all Europe. have contributed to
the production Of these wonderful OBJ
iects, in which expense is Of no account.
They are deeply gilt all over, and each