Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-02-13
LIFE IN RUSSIA.
Wealthy Subjects of the Car are
Satisfied.
LITTLE ATTENTION TO COMFORT.
No Particular Place to Retire in-But
outwardly the Home Is a YER
table Palace.

An American the circumstances of
whose life compel her to live in Russia
writes in the Baltimore Herald: 1.-The
housekeeping here is very expressive OF
the real character of the people. When
I first came all my preconcelved ideas
seemed to be quite upset. The first
dinner we went to was the most beau
tiful thing ever saw. Such flowers.
such gold and silver plate, such exquis-
tie porcelains and such beautiful SER
vice. The table was square OF oak
as black as ink and as polished as
marble. Very wisely they had not
hid its beauty under cloth. It's only
covering was two strips of splendid old
altar lace laid along each edge under
the plates. Up the middle of the table
marched twelve candlesticks, two and
two, and these were of that lovely
Venetian glass which has the milky
green Of shallow sea water thickly
powdered with gold dust. They were
made in those fantastic dragon shapes
of which the Venice glass workers are
SO fond, and the shades we're of deli
cate gold filigree, hardly heavier than
cobwebs, set over pale violet silk.
There were thirty or forty tiny gold
vases set about the table everywhere,
filled with white and purple double vio-
lets-just careless little clusters with
long stems, and few leaves. At each
plate stood a small forest of wine
glasses, each one gem of the Venetian
factories, making a charming mass Of
translucent color, milky green, anne
thyst and gold. All the forks and
spoons and knives were works of art,
with handles of gold, Of carved ivory,
of porcelain or of the beautiful Russian
enamels and cisele work.
Everything one touched or handled
or used in any way was delight to
the eye, and the many men who served
us simply moved like shadows.
1.-THE women were the most beauti-
full, high bred creatures ever saw
such grace, such charm, such ease and
the luency with which they slipped
from one tongue to another, without
apparently knowing any difference as
to facility-in English, German.
French. or Russian-fairly took away
ones breath. And then such gowns
and jewels! have never seen women
SO we'll dressed anywhere outside of
America. The men wern't quite SO
nice. They had heavy faces, and
brushed their hair straight up like a
scrubbing brush in that odious CONT
mental fashion, but they were quite as
brilliant and accomplished as the
women, and the effect of the whole was
of the last perfection of civilization,
luxury and high breeding.
"At first it was all like that-every-
thing was so picturesque, so graceful
and luxurious, that we congratulated
ourselves on being obliged to live in
Russia. We saw only the pleasant
side-the outside of life. Finally we
grew very tired of living in hotel and
concluded we would rent furnished
house for the season. There was one
which had taken my fancy greatly.
1t was occupied by people we knew.
and was particularly picturesque.
1.-THE owners were rich people, and
they had furnished it in semi Oriental
fancy, which pleased me tremendously.
Since Russian influence has become
paramount in Persia tho best Of the
Persian looms confine themselves to
supplying the Russian market, and the
walls of this house were hung through
out with the most beautiful rugs had
ever seen. 1t made the most charming
picture when one went in out of the
bitter cold to have cup of afternoon
tea there, and was ushered into this
drawing room, hung with these gor-
geous mosaics of color. wide, low
divans all round the room. more splen-
did rugs under foot, the samovar steam
ing ON pearl inlaid table, low lights
making soft, rich gloom. and a faint
smell of incense mingled with the per-
fume of the heaps of dollhouse flowers.
So that when heard these acquain-
tances were going to Paris and wanted
to let their house as it stood said at
once I would take it, without taking
the precaution of examining 1t.
1.-THE day after they left went over
from the hotel to have look about and
see if there were any little rearrange-
ments wanted made before moving
in, and to order a thorough houseclean-
ing. To my amazement found no bed
chambers.
But where did the family sleep?'
I asked Of tho woman in charge. oh
no place in PARTICULAR she replied.
quite as if that were matter of course;
wherever they happened to be when
they were sleepy. Som etimes in the
drawing room, sometimes here; there
are divans everywhere, You see.'
But didn't they take off their
olothes?' I gasped in horror.
Generally; but one doesn't need
bed chamber for that. One just
rings for servant to bring up some
negligee or night-dress. and the same
servant takes away the clothes one
drops off and fetohes a duret to spread