New-York tribune., 1891-05-03
AN IMPERIAL FUNERAL.
QUAINT CEREMONIES AT THE
PAULOvSKY FORTRESS


family since that of the Emperors father, AleNan-
dor IT The deceased lady was. like so many wives
=, pussian Grand Dukes, of German origin being
dauob,er Of the Grand Duke of Baden. She
was married in / s57 to the Grand Duke Michael
- of the present Gar. She had been
lutheran. hut at the time of her marriage en'ereu
a., Or+bodox Greek Church. She was regarded
~, all who knew her model wife and mother,
"a ,ha bore with rare grace her almost Imperial
,orors az tho Court Of the Caucasus, where her
t,,,rhord ,vas yiceroy. As an indication OF the
.,o-,n1orv manner in which her children were
brorrht nm II is only necessary TO mention that
h attb son Alexander, Is presently TO DC nlarIled
% +be Czar's eldest daughter, the Grand Ducness
Yenia II is, therefore, the more remarkaoie "
record that her death was caused. more or less
d,roctlv nv the conduct of another of her children
Tb;s was bor third son, Michael. His offence was
his ,,or,iage n granddaughter Of the illustrlous
noot Pousbxin Elsewhere than at the Russian
Court the enormity of the young mans crime can
scarcely be appreciated. 1t is true that the
rorno lady Is of the highest possible character
morally and intellectually, and Is in all such re
snects fully her husbands peer But sne
.,escandopt of Poushkn which is in itself an
unpardonable crime. Then she has In her veins
the faint of African slave-bood. whlch IS Juso as
bad as the former Circumstance. but worS' V'i'r
ali is the fact that she is not OF fmperiai or roS
blood. The late Grand Duchess. however. was
sensible woman If she did not aiuoee'heI "P
prove her sons marriage, she was hou III any
rate. seriously affected by 1t. 1t was lts results
that killed her. For when the Gar hearu Vi
Il bo flow into such passion as only Russian
Autocrat can display. With DIS own n"nu =.
strncl, the Young mans name from the Owl LiSt
of nc
n veor Moreover he deprived him of his COM
nand in the army, dismissed him from all military
serv;ce whatever. and exiled him forever from inc
Frnnire This il was that drove the unhappy
mother to take her life Her heart was orokeh'
Sbe fed at once from the Imperial capital 10 hcr
old home IN the far South, and there shc kiileu
herself r. ..,oa for
II cannnt he added that the Car atoncd lor
his brutal conduct even by giving his unfortunate
relotive n splendid funeral; for her ooScd"i'''
,,orooons nc they were, were only such as are
nrescribed bv the etiquette Of the Russian Oour''
. law more immutable than those OF the Meues
ond persians Even the most minute de'all VI
tho ceremonv was regulated by precedence ine
o+titude Of the Emperor through 1t all was 'luO
of man participating in pubic 1uhc'ion II,
which he has chiefly spectacular interest," anu
fronn which his personal sympatmes are idi IL
ronved So far as his wife and children "ie con
carnod Alexander III Is man OF tehaer ne"i,
ord leenest susceptibilities. He Is faithful anu
devoted husband and almost model tatner' n"U
70 the rest of the world, and even to Ills o'n,I u,
,o,o+,,tes be is capable of exhibiting reonly
finty hardness. 49, 1y,or,,otY
THO nrooress OF the funeral train from hnarNoH
.o tho canital tvas marked by Imperial honors'
A. ovor,, town the civil, military and eocesiasu-
oo1 or+bor;ties came out TO meet the cor'ege' uhu
.oI,,,iors sorvlces were conducted at the railway
stations. At Moscow these ceremonies "eic p''
+iculorlv elaborate and impressive. buu "le" w
funeral tain reached the station at oV 10
buro the stately function reached It's cilin'N'
Tho Gar was there to welcome his aun's o noric
coming. attended by all the great nooies VI ln'
Court and the chief civil, military ana
cal officers of the capital. 1he mosU soie"' -,
vices OF the Greek Church were conouc!eu "O Wv
stotion and then a splendid procession was formed,
In this were the cavalrymen OF .no i"rN',.S "1',S
| Guard draped in orange and black; numerous
80 oourt oficials: the Imperial Arms, carried
| a. tra hands Of q General: the arms, medals anu
decorations Of the deceased; all the retired gen
orols of the Russian Army: and great hosC oi
| clergymen and chOristers. A.,
| All these and many others marched peiolo U,''
funeral car Immediately in front OF which was ,ii'
nrivate confessor of the deceased carrying III LIS
| hands the sacred image which was given W ne'
and blessed at the time of her entrance liiOo .n'
Greek Church, and which, throughout her irie n,
| served as her icon or household dlv,nlty' 'H'
oatafaloue itself was such Is scarcely 10 NC seei
| outside of Russia There was about IL hoV ,
trace Of funereal black. The coffin was gloeu al
ovcr and was covered with pail of cloth OF gold
| Over IL was stately canopy OF siVer oio'i
| ornamented with white ostrich pluines ana sur
mounted by gilded imperial crown triunpha
chariot could scarcely have been more respiehueh'
The Emperor himself walked behind the funero
cor. ot his left hand the Grand Duke Michael
the husband of the deceased This position th
Fmneror maintained during the entire distanc
70 the great fortress-church, where the imperia
+onohs are found This distance is scarcely les
than four miles and about two hours were con
sumed in the march, brief stops being made a
all the churches the route for religious services
There were no unusual precautions taken nor an
extra guards placed along the way, and 1t wa
really surprising. II view of the current impres
sions of the Cars life TO see him thus openl
display himself to the public and expose himsel
TO the Nihilist attacks winch are supposed to b
rife in Russia. Benlnd MN came vast multi
tude of members of the royal family, Ministers an
/, | dinnitaries of the Court. Then came the Empres
and Grand Duchesses, all dressed In black, thu
furnishing the only really sombre feature of tn
whole occasion: , -
At the sepulchre another elaborate ritual wa
; gone through by the clergy, and again apother Q
O'clock that night, at which all COURT official
were commanded to be present All night lon
, number of court officers and ladies of the coni
stood on guard at the head and foot of the coiil
G and ali night long great dignitares Of the Churc
read and intoned an interminable liturgy A
night long, also, the public were admitted to vie
R%ssap bpp custom, kissing the face and hand Of Il
corpse Usually this lying in state lasts f, +,
The urgent wish of the Grand Duchess herself
lasted only one night The burial took plat
the next day. AT this ceremony only interestc
pprised chiefly the members 0f the imperial fami
IT and officers Of the Court. At o'clock the gre
# church was crowded and the doors were sh9
~ air wns heavy with the smoke and odor of coun
10 less tapers and censers Of incense After two hop
y 90 rnlirinns seryices al the members OF the II