The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-10

ent In massive gold plate, Sevres porce-
IAN ana delicate dollhouse flowers There
was no confusion, each guest having an
allotted place, we, ourselves, felt highly
honored by having our seats close to the
imperial table The imperial circle 20 to
supper in procession, the empress leading
the way with the emperor and the pages
bearing the trains as at their entrance to
the bail. The emperor, after conducting
MS consort to her seat, remains standing
with his brothers and equerries in the mid
die OF the room until all the guests have
entered. Then. they walk round the SUD-
per tables in turn to see that every guest
Is properly seated, the emperor being the
last 10 take his seat at the raised table
Such is the true hospitality of the Rus
sian court.
just as the seats were so admirably ar
ranged, the supper was served with order
and precision. The tables. which, by the
way were not connected with the royal
table, were arranged with silver instead
Of gold plate, but there was no distinction
as regards the pTofusion Of floral deco
rauons. The several courses we're served
very much as at dinner. the waiting was
admirable In every respect, and the hand
some red and gold liveries Of the ser
wants much enhanced the beauty Of the
scene
After supper the entertainment was over
anu VIC 1EoIHAlIG4 20 the inner ndilt where
all the footmen were in waiting, holding
the ladies' big fur coaks and warmly
lined Russian overshoes, the after being
a necessity from the fact that we had to
walk several yards through the snow to
our carriages. 1t is the custom In Rus
STA, even when making an afternoon
call, to leave these cloaks and shoes In the
inner hall on arriving and to put them
on again there when leaving.
The st. Petersburg ladies' have their
days at-home very much the same as
in London. A remarkable difference, how
ever, between the two cities is, that in the
Russian capital gentlemen are conspic-
uous more by their presence than in our
case, by the absence on these oc-
casiOns. It IS also very common for
whole regiment to be represented at an
afternoon at-home; that is to say, the
colonel will attend accompanied by all the
officers who are not Immediately on duty
At these at-homes tea Is served both with
milk and slices of lemon, and a great va
riety Of sweetmeats is partaken Of freely.
have seen a guards officer eat nearly a
whole dish full of bonbons in the course
Of half hours call.
We went to one very pretty ball given
by the wife Of one Of the ministers Of
state, ia her beautiful villa in the sub
urbs which stands on the shores Of the
Neva. It was really like faryland. the
pfettly decorated ana WeI-Hghted bail
room opening into large round conserv-
atory overhung with taxinias camellias
and lovely dollhouse creepers In full
bloom, and bordered by fine standard rose
trees forming alomst a hedge round the
the latter including two
long corridors branching Off on either side |
of the main portion as profusely furnished
with blooms and plants Of all kinds as
the conservatory proper. And outside I
through the big panes OF glass, we could +
see the brilliant moon and stars shining 1
upon the great white world Of snow The 4
was also used for smoking, I