The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-09-29
PICTURES OF STRANGE LANDS.
WHAT THE TRAVELLER SEES IN THE
HEART OF RUSSIA
The Gilded Towers, Gorgeous Churches and
splendid Palaces Of Moscow.

(Le:ter to the Davenport Dcmocrlt.)
: The other sights consist of churches,
, palaces, ard treasured things within the
+ Kemlin. This is the old time fort
walled stoutly about. This was in early
days the entire city. Here were the
palaces, churches, the troops and arsenal
the heart of Russia. Here lived the
czars, the priests, the generals, the sol
diers. Here within the church was all
the treasure kept-an old-time oriental
; custom of the pagan age; here, too, were
people judged and executions held-here
the heart and central strength OF Russia.
As the city grew more walls we're added,
but the old Kremlin walls were kept in
tact: and now, as you enter there through
the holy gate, beneath the emblems of
the church, you must remove your hat
so does the emperor-so all his subjects
all who visit here.
The palace here is very grand-has
many rooms and lofty halls aglow with
polish, glass and gold. To take you
through these halls, and rooms, and cor
ridors would be to travel for miles and
miles and write for months and months.
They cover many acres-flled with
furniture and curious things; with beds
and bedding costly, inlaid floors,
arabesques and gilded work-with carv-
ings, tiles, armorial shields; great stables,
carriages and luxurious outfits Of all sorts;
a winter garden far above the street lux
uriant in palm and vine, exuberant tropic
plants-agloW with tropic heat here in
this frozen realm-a playroom for the
queen, who comes not often here-al
this for the imperial home, but very
rarely occupied. The treasury is very
spacious s-very rich in richest gems, IN
crowns and scepters, hits and jeweled
clothes that here are gathered up to
make a museum for folks to come and
see. A czar is crowned-his crown and
scepter, all his costGest things and gems
find lodgment here. Even the corona
ton clothes of Mr.. and Mrs. Gar are
worn no more, but hung up here to look
at all the ages. Here in this regal show
many a costly coach and sledge, built
for the coronation pageant-to be used
no more-no end Of costliest luxury of
which you tire very soon and wish for
something good and plain.
Here in the Kremln churches lie the
royal bones of all the czars and wives
down to Great Peters day-here stored
away in great stone cofins cumber the
floor, o'ercast with purple Yelvets
trimmed with golden cuffs, fenced up
with gilded posts and rails, waiting in
royal state amidst the masses of the
church, among the relics of the shrines,
among the pictures of the saints-the
tally ceremonials- waiting in state the
Judgment day. Most people have ceased
to bury human beings in the public
shrines, but here they do Just as was
done in the days of yore. These mon
archs are the Greek church popes-
agents of Heaven upon the earth to do
the will of God. Their word is absolute
have in their hands to make or break
at will; have in their hands the fullest
power, coming to them as divine right.
You don't believe in such things-not of
present hngs-its not your interest to.
We can believe that Saul and Solomon
and such old-time barbaric jewish kings
were really called of God to rule and
have no end of power and gold and
wives, but we have to draw the line some
where, and draw it before We come to
Russian days.
The churches here are miracles Of
jewelers. art. The domes without, the
altars, shrines and tombs within, abound
in beaten gold-gold wrought in count
less shapes-gold counted by the hun
dred pounds-up over the dome and un-
der domes of this Saint Savior's church,
built here in way of thanks to God for
victory in 1872 over the troops of
France, greets you from miles away as
YOU aoproach this Moscow town. First
thins Of all you see in the bright sun
light coming across the plain is this
sharp CLINT and gleam-a costly diadem
suspended in the air-refulgent corona.
What makes it so? You see no gleam
like this from the gilded State House
dome of Iowa, only dullish glare. But
this is different. The State House dome
is gilded very thin and plain. These
domes we see-you may stand upon the
lowest and count them by the score-are
of thick plates, and FURNISHED till it
CLEANS like finest polished jewery, daz-
zing your eyes. This outdoor golden
wealth is here prodigious. To gid San
Savior's dome took half ton OF purest
gold.
The whole church is cleaning glory
of polished granite, marbles, costly
malachite and lapis luzuli; masses Of
finest porphyry, such as is used in Ro-
man churches only sparingly; masses Of
Finnish granite; columns Of Siberian
verde antique, black marbles of the finest
grain, light violet and gold line grays,
with altar work Of pure Carrara white.
These regal stones mount arch on arch,
the columns, walls, the arches, piers and
floors afash with polishing. The pious
pictures Of the Almighty Savior, saints
and sacred scenes of heaven and earth
are works CT hands most skilled-you
move about mid golden bronze and sill
yer things, midst gems and all IN earth
most choice and rare-all stone and
metal, not q piece Of wood in all the
work-not large like great St. Peters
church in Rome-only pendant you
may say, yet costing twerSy millions
the finest gem in all this land Of costly
shrines; the finest In the world, they
say.
Twelve Hours With Salmon.