The Forrest City times., 1894-11-23


 In the center was gold palm which crossed the whole piece. The effect was beautiful.
 Hundreds of French artificial wreaths were piled from the catafaloue on the left of the altar, reaching great height.
 At 9 o'clock Holy John of Cronstadt, attended by priest, entered the ca thedral, and was engaged in prayer for some time. The attendants of the cathedral were in the meantime as busy as bees in putting up fresh can- dies and giving finishing touches to the draperies, wreaths and other decorations Prayers were constantly being said by priests upon the altar and at the head of the coffin, where the heavily craped imperial standard hung in silken folds The white silk window curtains had been drawn. and the windows were framed in black, through which a feeble light strug- gled. A silver wreath on black cushion stood in the center of the edi- flee fronting the altar. It was the wreath of Queen Victoria.
 The grave, five feet deep, was uncov. cred at 9:30 a. m. and entirely lined with flowers.
 At this hour the assembly began gradually to congregate, and brilliant uniforms and costumes could be seen on all sides. The Cossacks, who were assigned to the duty of escorting the imperial family, wore long red tcher. kers and coats and picturesque car fridge pouches with red sashes across their breasts. The rad hussars wore white and gold mantles. Nearly everyone present, even civilians, wore glittering orders, and white, gray. blue and green mingled with the ladies court costumes of black ano trains. Each of the court ladies wore silver medal upon her breast. A few gentlemen were in evening dress.
 The silence of the cathedral at this hour was only broken by the uneven voice of priest offering prayer and the responses of his two assistants.
 At $40 a. III. the candles upon the altar and around the bier were lighted. and the guard of generals assumed their places upon the dais near the foot of the coffin. At this hour the cathedral was half filled, and by 10 o'clock. within half an hour of the time fixed for the beginning of the mortuary services the edifice was packed, over 1000 persons standing in the closest possible space. leaving lane from the western door.
 At 10 o'clock the large choir, which, during service, is sometimes grouped on either side of the altar. or at other times retiring behind the ikonostas into the sanctuary, suddenly burst into an anthem. Such glorious music no instrumer tai music accompanied it-has never been heard in Creek church. The anthem, swelling. echo ing and diminishing until it was al- most silent, then, faintly at first, growing in volume, filled the grand edifice and silenced the subdued buzz of conversation which it had inter- rupted. A chant followed the anthem, and the buzz of conversation was re- sumed until the intonations of the priests at the bier again drowned it. For some time the chanting was the only sound heard, when prayers and | responses again alternated until l0:30. At this hour, the time announced for the beginning of the solemn mass for she dead, three guns announced the ar 'ival of Czar Nicholas II. and the inn oerial family. The metropolitan of St. Petersburg and the archimandrites of ;he holy synod received the czar and the other principal mourners at the west door. Prior to the reception of he emperor, the metropolitan and the other members of the Greek hierarchy, robed in white chasubles md wearing mitres, with jeweled iomes, walked, with lighted candles, three times round the bier Having performed this ceremony, they marched to the door headed by the grand mas- ter of ceremonies, Count Woronzoff- Dachkoff.
 The emperor and the imperial fam fly then walked into the church pre- ceded by the metropolitan and the holy synod, and were conducted to their places upon the dais before the altar. The clergy, who had conducted them to their places, went to the altar. the choir meanwhile singing an an them.
 When the ceremony of absolution was reached the metropolitan of St. Petersburg walked to the dais and bowed number of times. The Elm peror Nicholas stood upon the pave ment. and, the metropolitan making the sign of the triple cross, and bear ing that emblem, pronounced the for mula of dissolution as follows:
 ''The Lord Jesus Christ, who gave divine commandments unto His holy disciples and apostles to bind and loose