The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-10
We've Cut Prices TO
Pieces TO Close Them Out.

and not only by the men. Several of the
/ ladies smoked cigars, which were handed
70 them by the gentlemen during the
/ dances. Even at the court ball there Is a
room where ladies' can smoke as well as
men,
/ We also attended two Of the smaller
/ dances given at the Winter palace In
these the empress and all the imperial
family took an active part No royal
/ circle was formed, and the royalties
danced with their guests rather than
among themselves, and, but for the mag
nihcence OF the scene, one could have
hardly realized that 1t could be a court
ball with such conspicuous want Of formal-
| lty On these occasions supper was served
In the long white room called the Nicholas
hall, with little tables placed under num-
| berless fine palms, from the branches Of
which hung endless colored fairy lights
We all sat down together as before the
emperor again walking among the tables
10 see that every one was comfortable
before going to his own, and on these
occasions his own private band played
the music, and very we'll they did so.
] was told that he frequently played with
them himself, although not In public, be-
Ing keen musician
Now I come to the private life and char
acter of the woman who was a most de-
voted wife. although she married the
brother OF her deceased hance, as was the
case with the Duchess of York, and the
marriage might in consequence have been
put down as merely one Of convenience.
and of the monarch who IN spite Of
soldiers, police. aide de camps and de-
tectives went in daily, and evenly hourly,
dread Of suddenly, without a moments
warning, being taken from life and all
that he held so dearly. / saw much Of
them in st. Petersburg, and heard more,
and I believe that there Wtas never =
daVofad In,
life. was told that he allowed no even
ing 10 pass without going to kiss his chill
dren after they were IN bed. that, In spite
Of the notions which American and Eng
lish people have Of the cruelty Of the great
Russian despot, he and his wife had very
strong philanthropic leanings.
The following story has, perhaps. al
ready appeared In print but not to my
knowledge. II was told me by one OF Her
Imperial MaJesty's maids Of honor The
empress had been out for a walk alone
in her own private garden, and In the
meantime the sentry Of the Imperial
guard had been changed at the inner gate
communicating between the palace and
the private garden. 1t was the first occa-
sion on which he had done duty at the
palace. and not only had he very vague
notion Of the empress personal appear |
ance, but when she approached the gate |
Unattended he was convinced that she
@pNANA Aoi bS ~ AACHiDcI VI the royal family. [
He in consequence challenged her, and /
blocked the way across the gate with his |
rife, so that some one had to be fetched I
to Identify her. The soldiers confusion /
may be well imagined but his royal mis-
tress took care that no harm should come /
to him, and herself personally assured l
him that she fully realized that what he
had done was In the interests OF her own
safety.
The two principal winter amusements
in Russia are skating and tobogganlng.
In London there Is nowadays no place