The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-03-12

than cobwebs, set over pale violet silk.
There were thirty or forty tiny gold
vases set about the table everywhere.
flied with white and purple double
violets-iust careless little clusters
with long stems and few leaves. At
each plate stood small forest Of wine
glasses. each ore gem of the Vene-
tan factories. making charming
mass of translucent color, milky green.
amethyst 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 Rus
sian enamels and cisele work.
Everything one touched or handled
or used in any way was delight TO
the eve. and the many men who served
US simply moved like shadows
The women were the most beauti-
full. high-bred creatures / ever saw
such grace, such charm, such ease, and
the fuency with which they slipped
from one tongue 20 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, i have never seen women so
well dressed anywhere outside of
America. The men weren't quite so
nice. They had heavy faces and
brushed their hair straight up like
scrubbing brush in that odious con-
tinentsl fashion. but they were quite
as brilliant and accomplished as the
women. and the effect OF the whols
was of the last perfection of civiliza-
ton. luxary 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 pleased side
the outside of life. Finally we grew
very tired OF living in hotel and con-
Guided 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"
The owners We're rich people and
they had Furnished il in semi-oriental
fancy. which pleased me tremendously.
Since Russian influence has become
paramount in Persia the best of the
Persian looms contine themselves to
supplying the Russian market and
the walls of this house We're hung
through with the most beautiful rugs
I had even seen. II 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 gorgeous mosaics OF color. wide,
low divans all round the room, more
splendid rugs under foot, samover
steamihg on a pearl inlaid table, low
lights making soft, rich gloom. and
a faint smell of incense mingled with
the perfume of the heaps of dollhouse
flowers. So that when / heard that
these acquaintance were going to
Paris and wanted to let their house as
il stood / said at once | would take it,
without taking the precaution to ex-
anime it.
The day after they left I went over
from the hotel to have a look about and
see if there were any little rearrange-
ments l wanted made before moving In
and to order a thorough house clean
ing. To my amazement l found no
bed chambers.
''Eut where did the family sleep?" I
asked of the 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. Sometimes in
the drawing room, sometimes here,
there are divans' everywhere, you see
- But didn't they take off their
clothes?' gasped in horror.
Generally, but one doesn't need a
bed chamber for that One just rings
for a servant to bring up some negli-
gee or nightdress and the same SER
want takes away the clothes one drops
off and fetches duret to spread over
one
THAT was enough. That drawing
room had lost all its charms for me.
Inquiry developed that when one
woke up in these haphazard beds in
the morning one called a servant, who
came with a breakfast tray, and one
ate where one had slept.
Il finally realized that the whole IN
cident was very characteristic of Rus
sian civilization. They are a people
who say, Give us the Injuries of life
and we don't ask for the necessities
Baltimore Herald.
a word to the wise housekeeper is