The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-04-16

his eagle profile and small glitterinp
eyes, is unmistakable. z
Ills he, the autocrat-the Emperor
of all Russians.
From the human hive mounts and
sWells q growing noise; cries, oaths,
calls from the Kras senders, all blend
themselves in formidable roar.
"Long live the Carl
At this moment q rosewood sled
drawn by white horses stops in. front
OF the box nearest the royal pavilion.
Inc president Of the jury precipitates
himself at the horses feet and aids q
young woman to descend. The tall
figure, with it's long, loose wrap of
priceless blue fox and it's aureole of
wonderful red hair, is we'll known in
ST: Petersburg. She is the Princess
Ellasaveta Palorna, the beauty of
three seasons. Repine follows her.
Under her little fur cap, with it's
leweled fez, Veta's eyes look out.
serene, impenetrable. A bell sounds,
and silence falls on the waiting null
tltude. From open gates stream O.
dozen or more horses harnessed to
light sleds of gilded osier. They are
pure-blooded Arabians, thick-set
mustangs from the steppes, and highly
bred Orloffs with sweeping names
white and shiny as spun glass. -
The people watch these preliminaries
alphabetically. They are waiting for the
piece de resistance" the three-horse
race, with princes as drivers. Already
TOUR races have been run, the track is
cleared and the 500 workers take uD
their task OF sweeping away the pow
dered ice beaten up by the iron hoofs.
once more the gates open and three
splendid bays appear with the same
sled OF gllded. osier, but larger and
more elegant. They are followed bv
three black Finlanders, with shaggy
coats and tails that sweep theground.
The last corners are Orloff stations.
white and dazzling as the snow itself
Ihelr short hair glistens as though
oiled, and silver reflections shadow
Their smooth fanks and elegant necks;
their mouths are black and their nos
trlls immense, quivering and roseined;
Their eyes, tender, yet prominent and
full OF fire, are circled by sooty ring
like those OF the Asiatic women. They
are the pets of the hour.
There they stand, the nine
superb creatures, controlled by a
splendid discipline that does not per-
NIT themost timid paving of their i'm
patient hoofs, and with over two hun
dred thousand eyes admiring their
matchless perfection.
Ihree sorry horses, emaciated and
sad, splashed with mud and covered
with a ragged harness, half string, half
leather, advaced slowly into the arena;
behind them trails clumsy vehicle,
made from the bark of Russian fir
tree and shaped like the Laplander's
hunting sled. With dropping heads
and dragging limbs the weary beasts
come forward and place themselves
besides their aristocratic predecessors.
A cry OF horror rises up from the
crowd. Leaning back in her box Veta
watches the late arrivals with fixed in
tentness.
The bell rings noisily. The race be-
gins.
The bays led by several lengths.
The middle horse, an old favorite, lifts
his feet with all the alluring charm of
a star of the nations hippodrome.
HIS companions, brothers from the
Don, thin and ardent, run without ef-
fort. After them come the Finlanders
tearing furiously on the reins. Suffi-
GENTLY in the rear to astonish their
hackers are the Orloff stations VERT
able wonders of beauty and breed.
Finally, following at a long distance
behind their royal leaders, are the
three strange beasts with their Laplan-
dish sled. They run irregular, and
their little thin belts give out a mel
ancholy sound. 1t is in this order
that the sleds pass for the first time
in front of the judges stand.
Halfway on the second round the
Finlanders fling out their sturdy heels
with such velocity that they look like
the halfcircle of a bounding hoop.
They pass the bays. A quick swell
ing of their massive chests and they
forge ahead.
"Hurrah!" shrieked the people.
ravished with the success OF their
favorites. At this moment the I'M
known peasant straightens up his
giant frame. Pushing back the heavy
hat drawn down to his eyes, he grips
the reins with an iron hand gives a.
curious prolonged whistle. His skele-
ton horses are strangely metamor-
phosed. AS though in answer to some
superhuman command, they give one
gigantic leap and fairly fly For a
moment they run beside the white
stations.
'"The Orloffs leads!' screams the
multitude, then shudders.
Beyond the shapely heads Of the
city's favorites stretched six dark,
pointed ears, to be followed by three
heads with glaring eyes, and foaming
blood-hecked jaws.
With her body stretched half out of
her box Veta watches them with fas-
chatting eyes. Her chest heaves, her
limbs tremble, and her face takes on
the anguish of the laboring brutes.
Don't worry" whispers Repine.
'"They will lose" ~ ~. ..
They will win!" she answers hoarse-
ly. II know them" @.ss .s.s.z =
""The Orloffs GAIN" says somebody
in the next box. sss- a..... .. 49,. W.
"Ahn' groans Veta, and bites her
lip to the blood. masaS 81
Once more the PEASANTS whistles
startles the still air, and with q pro-