Telegram-herald., 1889-05-14
AN IMPERIAL RECEPTION.
Ds sefiPtioa Of a Co@rs B.u AZ ths wtsts
FalaoS a. 50 FetsgsGsr.

De seriPgioa Of . C0@rg B-u AZ ths wiGssr
FAlssS az 50 f~tsssesrs
TIE Vloo@ts Eagsns MsleAg-r ae NeSae,
Describing EZssl@1 aga lie la H4rpsf
Magazine, writes -uolg ot2er th.ags J.
tAe maruiag, tie serge4ats of TIE lfePer--I
household have gols through t1s town
VITA their lists 70 TIE houses q the e-ecf
who hzye been conSoked for that evening
Al inyI-atlen l. tAs eur - a. erdeg gwen
on The very d4y Il the fete. According u
reserved esig4stte u lber4ses from a. ca
terror eng2s <I-lsnts vita private persons
u ADeFates even from duties toward the
dead, toF mourning sOss u % dispense oae
from tbs obi Eation - appear 70 court
ceremony, and IL must BE lad aside w1en
one eaters the palace. A woman j. not al
lowed 70 present herself Ia black before the
sovereign. unless she IS wearing mourning
Tor one OF the severe gn's relatives. Dlnuer
has been taken hastily, Tor the b2A opens
- nine o'clock, and you must be there wei
before the hour IN tue salons, where YOU
wait for the arrival OF the kmperor Hun
dreds Of carriages fall in line End deposit al
tAo different entrances Of the Winter Pal
ace shape.ess bundles OF furs, aud then TO
turn 70 take their position on tho square.
The cOachmeD, who pass = part OF the night
standing In the snow. gather around large
trcs lighted In CRATES, which are placed
there for these occasions. IL Is pictur-
ssqus biyogac. They LOOK Ike eifs assembled
IN the darkness on this field Of ice 10 guard
the enchanted palace where 4 magician Is
calling 10 the sweetest visions in a mirage
Of spring.
The doors close behind the bundles OF fur
aud Immediately after they have entered
the yestibu.e they are metanorphosed by
ouch OF the magic.aRs wand The fairy
spectacle begins. The heavy cloaks fan
rom bare shoulders, and beautiful butter
flies issue from these chrysalides in the
midst of the are flowers that cover the
mar ole steps, and IN the mild June atmos.
pherc. A cortege reminding one Of the
Arabian Nights mounts the stair-cases;
trains OF lace sweep over the pOrphyry
steps; diamonds and gems shine in tho
tlOw OF the lusters, there Is 4 brilliant ar
ray OF many-co!ored uniforms; sabers and
spurs clank over the floors. The guests
Geiile between pickets Of Chevalier Guards,
chosen from amongst the handsomest m.n
IN the regiment-giants in armOr, who
stand as motionless as statues. The com
pany assemblies ia the White Room, IN the
Sale de Trone.
Here IN the front rank arc considerable
personages, the old portrait ladies'" SO
called because they wear IN their corsage In
frame of briliiants a miniature OF the En-
press; severe guardians OF ancient et-
quette, living chronicles of the court, they
teach the traditions 10 the swarm of young
women over whom they keep watch, name
ly, the maids OF honor, who may be recOg-
nized by the monogram in diamonds Of the
reisning Empress, which they wear bucGled
with a knot OF blue RIBBON on the left shOul-
der. The celebrated beauties OF Petersburg
are all there. They cross the room with q
picturesque indolency and pliancy in their
walk and bearing. There Is something
languid in their manner, as though their
looks and words were absently following
a long dream that leads them to the eX
treme limits OF their interminable father
land. Amongst the men who press around
them we remark first of all some aged peo-
pie aud high dignitaries, old servitors who
have grown white in the service Of the
court ever since the reign of Nicholas; (;
aids-de-camp of his Majesty, Ministers, Am
bassadors and Chamberains with the
golden key on their backs; and all these
worthy bosoms are bedecked with grand
cordons and consolidated with decorations
which do not leave a square inch of sur
face free on their breasts. Then como tho
young officers, most Of them belong 10 the
two crack regiments of the Chevalier
Guards and the Horse Guards. They carry
IN their hands heavy helmet surmountcd
with a silver eagle with open wings. Here
beside them are lancers IN red jackets,
Grodno Hussars in green, COssacks draped
in their long tuuics belted wI,h cartridge
cases in nielle silver. The Hussars OF the
Guard look peculiarly elegan. in thcr short
white dolmans embroidered with gold and
bordered with sable fur, which hang loose
IL over their shoulders In this crowd tho
pages of the Empress moved about dis
creetly, and finally the servitOrs OF the
palace, the runners, with their hats with
long plumes of the time of Catharine,
and negroes dressed in rich Oriental cos
tune Tho gloomy note OF the black
dress-coat is banished from this brilliant
symphony of color. One single swallow
tail may be seen-that OF the honorable
Minister OF the United States.
Nino o'clock The doors of the private
apartments of the Winter Palace open. I'm
mediately there is deadly silence. \ voice
announces: ''The Emperor" The Tsar
advances, followed by oil the members Of
his family, each one in the rank assigned
to him by bis degree Of relationship. II you
wish to comprehend at glance the social
secret OF this empire, turn your back 10 the
door through which the sovereign enters
and look at this entrance by Tefection-if
may so express myself-On the faces Of
those present. At the same moment
all these physioGnomies put on. as IL were,
the same uniform, tho same solemn express
sion. az once grave and smiling. The whole
vital force of these men and women is con
centrated in their eyes, which scok those OF
the master. We have never contemplated
this spectacle witfSut having been re
minded OF the first appearance OF the rays
ofths sun on the crests OF mountains az tao
instant when It. rises. 1og have no need
10 look behind you 20 know that the sun has
riser ven are Informed Of Il DF tins CULVER
ing lizht ca the opposite SUBMITS. IL Tie
same way. when you arc Itte accus'oue 4
% the court, you have Only 10 look a. fho
faces Of the courtiers 70 DC able 70 SO.
vyith,.t posslbi. = Of mistake. that TIE Em.
+ uoror - about % come. that tae Emperor ia
coming. or that the Emperor has come
And his coming is ia realty a rising n tha
sun which brings favor and dispeuses life
70 al these persons
TIE first bars of the poionaise immediate
IL re-ech0 through the rooms. l. "a net a
dance, bit cscenced march, TIE traci
tionai promenade which opens the bslL
F The Grand Marshal ard the Grand Mistress
take TIE head Of the procession. GeueraAg
tais veuersbls compile represent betweeH
F them pretty nearly two complete centuries
f Tie Emperor gives hIs hand 90 che q thf
Grand nnchesses. the Empress % ore oi
TIE foreign ar hassadors, sad o.her coupIe'
fo~-, IN their suite and proceed srcand th'
room After this obligatory ceremony thf
ss-s~asza e-es 20 chat win the diplomats.
corps ar with hs grand diguitsries. an