The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-28

THE RACES ON THE NEVA

degrees below zero. From the tall SteepleS
of innumerable churches the bells of st.
Petersburg ring in the sacred feast. In an
exquisitely appointed room of a palace,
where tender lights filter through the
golden shadows of silken hangings, sits a
woman. Her attitude is one of repose,
deep, unruf1ed. From the crown of her
little fame coIored head to the tip of her
dainty shoe, she is perfect bit of dame
Natures art. If she were standing we
should call her tall, but she sits crouching
in her chair with all the abandon of a doz-
ing tigress. She gives a little yawn.
"Ahl late as usual" she says aloud.
As she speaks the door opens and serv-
ant enters.
"Capt. Repine," he announces.
He follows quickly on the mans heels
short, thick set, with a duh Cossack face
and kindly smile, wearing the uniform of
an officer Of the imperial body guard.
Pardon, my dear Elisaveta- Have 1
made you waltz"
She gives her shapely shoulders slight
shrug, but watches him with contempla-
tive eyes as he rattles on.
Imagine, my beloved, thought that
should not be able to take you to the races.
/ was so rushed at the last moment. Oh,
track been more perfect-hard as rock,
and not flake of snow"
Indeed" says the lady lGnguidIy. Put
ting out lazy. beringed hand she draws
back the curtain that hides her window.
''It is superb" she assents.
"You know how difficult it is to accom-
plish that" continues the young officer,
with this cursed wind drifting the La
doga snow. Still / must tell you that 500
men have worked all night at it. Brave
fellowsi"
"The journals say something of three
horse race
eyes; the event of the day. But Gomez
1--WE have still an hour" she answers,
and motions him to a seat beside her.
mo, no, at your feet, always at your
feet, Princess Veta," says the young man
gayly, flinging bis head back to better look
into the opal tinted eyes above him. With
her little pointed chin against the rose of
her palm she sits lost in a world of reverie.
''Do you remember Sergius Hotzka?"
she asks suddenly.
He shrugs his shoulders, accustomed to
the willful wanderings of the great city's
petted belle.
'How could i ever forget him." he says
In turn. "Was there ever man who left
more ipeffaceable traces behind him? He
was an original mailman"
"Originalp' echoes Elisaveta. "Ah! what
cowardly word. Original?" she repeats,
as though interrogating her own thought.
The young man frowns slightly, but she
goes on with calm retrospection. "Only
three years ago." she said, land he ap-
peared among US like some brilliant me-
teor; fabulously rich; astonishing the
world with his eccentric prodigalities.
Then all those clod roofing swine they
deserted him when ne was no longer
wealthy"
Her lovers white teeth are like wolfsh
danger signal as he turns to look at her.
"My DEAR" he says coldly, "you can't
expect the world to be faithful to a
proscript."
"Proscript2"
Exactly. They say that political COM
plications were his ruin. At any rate he is
banished from St. Petersburg"
"Then he is in Siberia9'
With all a soldiers diplomacy he says,
indifferently: 81 believe not. The peasants
tell story of hermit of the Steppes, who
mends kettles and plows for the farmers.
Many believe it to be Hotzka, with the re-
mains of his own famous stud"
"Farmers-kettles, echoes Elisaveta abb
sently.
Suddenly she turns on her moody swain
Come, Alexander, she cries; II can see
the crowds gather from here. Quick-we
must hurry"
1t Is scarcely half hour later and the
race course presents a brilliant spectacle.
The river Neva is now only a colossal road
way, between two walls of splendid rose
granite that line its quays. 1t is a mirror
of polished steel. Stands, richly decorated
with flags, occupy at least quarter of the
Enclosure, and over a hundred thousand
spectators surround the arena. In the CEN
ter of everything great pavilion draped
in purple and gold shows that royalty is
expected to take part in the city's festival
a huge figure in white uniform shows it
self The impassiveness of this counter
ance, with its eagle profile and small gilt
tering eyes, is unmistakable.
IT'S ne, the autocrat-the emperor Of all
the Russias.
From the human hive mounts and swells
a growing noise; cries, oaths, calls from
the Kras senders, all blend themselves in
formidable roar, Long live the czarP'
AT this moment a rosewood sled drawn
by white horses stops In front of the box
nearest the royal pavilion. The president
of the jury precipitates himself at the
horses feet and aids young woman TO
descend. The tall figure, with its long,
loose wrap of priceless blue fox and its au-
reole OF wonderful red hair, is well known
In St. Petersburg. She is the Princess
Elisaveta Palorna, the beauty of three sea-
sons. Repine follows her. Under her lit
tie fur cap, with his jeweled fez, Veta's
Ill Ill
sounds, and silence falls on the waiting
multitude. From open gates stream a
dozen or more horses harnessed to light
sleds of gilded osier. They are pure blood
ed Arabians, thick set mustangs from the
Steppes, and highly bred Orloffs with
sweeping names white and shiny as spun
glass.
The people watch these prelimiuaries
alphabetically. They are waiting for the
"piece de resistance" the three-ho race
with princes as drivers. Already four races
have been run. the track is cleared and the
five hundred workers take up their task of
sweeping away the powdered ice beaten up
by the iron hoofs. Once more the gates
open and three splendid bays appear with
the same sled of gilded osier, but larger
and more elegant. They are followed by
three black Finlanders, with shaggy coats
and tails that sweep the ground. The last
corners are Orloff stations, white and daz-
cling as the snow itself. Their short hair
glistens as though oiled, and silver refec-
tions shadow their smooth hanks and ele-
CANT necks; their mouths are black and
their nostrils immense, quivering and rose
lined; their eyes, tender, yet prominent
and full of fire, are circled by a 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