St. Paul daily globe., 1891-04-19
\ PRINCESS TALKS.
A Glimpse at Russian Customs
and Aristocratic Prejudices.

anu ArlStOcfatiC PTSJuOlceS.
An educated visitor from a foreign
country is always greeted with interest,
especially when he is a representative
of royal household, and more especi-
ally when he is in the guise of faif
woman. The Russian princess Engalit-
chef is a pleasant person to meet, and
proves a delightful conversationalist.
She has been travelling in America dug
ing the last two or three years, and
gives entertaining lectures upon Rus
sian life and doings, from an aristo=
cratic standpoint. She is the possessor
of vast estates in her native land,
which, however, are heavily incum--
bered. On the death OF her hus-
band, few years since, she desired
to remove her only. son from the evil
influences attendant upon court life and
secured position for him in this coun-
try. He is now in New York city and
she has crossed the continent, making
friends wherever .she journeyed. She
came to Minnesota after a visit in Cali
fornia, and gave two lectures in Mime
apolis Wednesday and Friday after
moons last week. In person the princess
is tall and slightly given TO embonpoint.
Her hair is of Medium shade and
waves across high brow above brown
eyes that tighten and glisten is conver-
sation. Her hands are not small, but
are well modelled and have cordial
grasp. She wore a black velvet and
silk costume made after the prevailing
style, and on her head black and gold
bonnet. She has a pleasing address,
and talks in an interested way, till one
fOrgetS the marked accent and listens
only to the woman. Acknowledging
the Introduction of a MinneapolitaD
with an affable smile, the princess made
herself and visitor at ease, and gave a
ready response to all inquiries. To the
first question.
How do you like American" she re-
piled.
81 do not like California at all. If
you ask me that, | do not like the coun-
try or the people l would rather live in
Siberia. but 1 have enjoyed America
very much, and have many pleasant
friends
"Do you think you will ever make
this country your home?'
"Oh no, like my own country best,
as you would yours, of course. My son
Is settled in New York, but hope TO go
back before long"
''Does the climate of st. Petersburg
differ greatly from that of Minneapolis"
II never have been here in winter but
l.
the river remains from November till
April, and while the mercury never
falls below %, the surrounding country
is so low that the winds blow very
keenly across the sea and mOraSs. At
my home, Moscow, which is farther in
land, the mercury does not go lower
than q or 2S degrees. We do not call it
Fahrenheit as you do, but you could
easily estimate for yourself the tenn
perature."
care the Russian ladies as accom-
plished as we have always learned and
believed them to be?''
"Ah, you wish to fatter little Oh,
yes with a shrug of the shoulders,
they know great deal and speak flu
emily several languages"
Are you referring at all to the middle
class people?"
I'VE do not mingle with the middle
classes. They are very distinct, and l
do not know about them. Although the
serfS are out of bondage, great changes
cannot be wrought in short time. and
it will be several generations yet before
the peasants cease to bow before their
lords and masters as they have done for
SO long"
''Do the mobiles gambler"
ZACH, yes, they gamble great deal.
They always have done it. We do not
go to Paris so much as we used. French
was the court language, but since the
present emperor, Russian is spoken en-
tirely at court,and while there is yet
much travel, we do not resort to other
cities for our gaiety. / hope we respect
the czar, and it is not so that only those
expecting emoluments from his hands
are his closest followers. He is univer-
sally regarded and goes about the
streets with his family without a guard.
l have met him many times. His life is
not in danger"
"HOw do you regard Tolstoi?''
AS writer, we think much OF him:
he is a great friend of the common peo-
pie, but he is a crank now."
When asked if she visited England,
the pricesS shrugged her shoulders
again, and said: Il have been there.
but England and Russia are not on the
best terms, and do not enjoy much
from each other" Happening to ask
if she knew a family a member of
which was court Dentist she replied
emphatically: lone never meets a
dentist. He has no social position. A
physician is different, and frequently
mingleS among the aristocracy. but
never dentist" 1t was like waving
red flag, but one more question was
not to be resisted.
"What do you think of Remnants ex-
pose of the Siberian exile system? Is
there any truth in his reports?''
Princess Engalitcheff turned quickly,
her eyes flashed, and her voice grew a
trifle harder as she said: Every coun-
try has its good and bad side, and what
right has man to speak only of the
one and not the other? How would it
do for one of US to treat your Indian
question in that way? Kennan does not
to learn about the people. and Gen.
Butterfeld says he would not look at
Remnants book. People who have
heard him know how silly Kennan's
talk is"
And with this the princess rose to
greet another visitor. Certainly all her
opinions, as we'll as her lectures, are
pixpn from an ariStOoratio nOiDt of