St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-03-10
A FIVE MILLION DOLLARS SLEIGH
RIDE.

Winterhas its joys. unsurpassed by
any which summer can afford. Who
can forget the merry sleighrides of
his youthful days; young men and
maidens crowded together. the moon
light, the fringe of the forest, the vast
expanse of snow, the jingle of the
bells, the shouts of laughter, per-
chance the OVerturn into the feathery
drift. the country tavern with it's
blazing, cracking fire of wood, the
stamping of the young men beating
the snow from their boots, the table
spread with all luxuries, the music
and games, the return long after
midnight.
There was sleighride in Russia,
more than a century ago, of such
magnitude and spIendor as to have
been deemed worthy Of historic COM
memoration. Russia's immortal
historian, Karamsin, has devoted to
its record several pages.
1t was the month of December,
1869. The celebrate empress Cath
arine II. was upon the throne. Fred
eric of Prussia and Catharine were
conspiring together for an attack up
on Poland, that they might divide
that kingdom between them Fred
eric sent his brother Henry to St.
Petersburg, ostensibly for a friendly
visit, but in reality to mature plans
for the treacherous invasion. Dur
ing Prince Henry's stay Catharine
gave in his honor moonlight sleigh
ride.
The sleigh which conveyed Catha
rine and the PruSsian prince was d
beautiful parlOr, capaCious and
furnished with every luxury of the
time. 1t was covered and enclosed
by double glasses in large plates, so
that every object without could be
distinctly seen. Mirrors were also
ingeniously arranged so as to
multiply and reflect all the scenes
through which they passed. This
imperial sledge, with its gorgeous
decorations, was dra wn by sixteen
horses. A retinue of two thousand
sledges of the nobility followed
These were also constructed for the
occasion, at a vast expense, and EN-.
bellished in the highest style of art
The great dignitaries of the empire,
costumes, crowded these vehicles
which were drawn by four, six and
eight horses. Expense seemed to
have been utterly disregarded in the
preparation of the pageant Every
person except the empress and her
guest was dressed in fancy costume
and was masked
The night was clear and calm, not
a breath of air was stirring, and the
full moon rode brilliantly through
the starsprent skies. The road, upon
which thousands of laborers had been
employed to remove every obstruc-
ton, wound along through valleys
and forests and mountain gorges
Early IN the evening, and with mill
tary precision, the brilliant pageant
swept from the palace through the
streets OF st. Petersburg. When two
miles from the city, the train passed
through triumphant arch, blazing
with variegated light
Every mile Of the drive was thus
marked by some grand structure,
which, with its blaze of light, out
shOne the splendor of the moon; and
in the ingenuity of it's devices, with
flames of every hue, extorted inces-
SAINT EXPLANATIONS of wonder and de-
light. Theregwere shafts, temples,
pyramids, co1umnades, illuminating
the wintry scene. Opposite each of
the structures bathrooms were reared,
the sides composed of double glass,
so that everything within could be
distinctly seen. Here the peasantry
were assembled, in each one a group
of a few hundred, from some particu-
lar province of the empire, dressed in
the gayest of their provincial garb
and engaged in their rustic games
and dances. The variety of costumes
and of sports was infinite and often
grotesque and amusing in the high
est degree. The sledges went slowly
by, that all might witness the enter
tanning spectacle, and then passed on
to the next theatric show. All the
games and national dances were
thus witnessed. The national airs
were sung or performed by the best
trained bands, and all sorts of gym
nastic feats, such as vaulting, tum-
bling and performances on the tight
and slack-rope, were exhibited.
Through such scenes, necessarily
repeated, the imperial pleasure-party
rode, until a high mountain arose
before them, which was opened to
their view through a broad avenue
cut in the forest. The mountain was