The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-10

and the empress personal friends
among the Russian aristocracy. These
morning presentations are feature PEE
culiar TO the country. so that the reader
viii. not unIiaturally. wonder what we
wore for the occasion. OF course we
had taken care to be Informed on this
point. and had put on morning costume
with long trains, and bonnets.
The most important incident OF our
visit to st. Petersburg was the first
court ball OF that winter. To these al
most every Tchinovnik OF any import
ance was invited. On that occasion
considerably over two thousand were
present, and IT was a most impressive
sight. The great winter palace was
brilliantly lighted up from end to end
by nearly forty thousand electric lights
with crystal chandeliers. The ball
room In painted In purest while. except
for the massive golden columns down
each side. the whole being relieved by
gigantic palms and the varied colors
and tints OF the choicest flowers. The
uniforms with their masses Of gold lace.
the beautiful Paris costume OF the la
dies. and their splendid jewels stood out
In brilliant contrast TO the Wilderness OF
walls and ceiling. The Imperial Guard
OF the corps eds pages lined the way as
the royal circle entered the ballroom.
the pages In their pretty uniforms fall
ing behind the royalties. two behind the
empress. and one behind each OF the
grand duchesses. bearing their long
trains. the national anthem being play
cd all the time. Each woman member
OF the imperial family wore tiara and
necklace OF marvellous cclendor. and
their gowns seemed a. profuseiy en-
brofdered with diamonds as we are ac-
custonaed TO see the average English
bail-gown with r,asseuentefie. The en-
press. who looked particularly well and
graceful, was attire<i all n white. wear
Ing only diamond ornaments OF such
size and lusser as one would never see
elsewhere Her tiara seemed nearly
foot In height The Grand Duchess
Serge's emeralds and diamonds were re-
r,arkable both for size aud color. as also
were the Grand Duchess Coassantine's
&urquolses and diamonds, the former OF
which are supposed 10 be the finest Of
their kind IN the world,
shortly after cur arrival the ear to
whom we had not before been present
cd. sent for us. and WIS most gracious
ard civil, talking freely IN French OF
his visit to London with the empress a
few years previous To his ascending the
throne He wore a remarkably hand
sosre white Hussar uniform with scar
let fac!ngs heavily embroidered with
gold, with fur collar ard trimmings. and
the short pelisSa Il believe this IS the
right tersnp such as WAS abolished IN
the English hussar uniforms about the
time az the Crtgnea. hanging from his
shoulders. This was the same uniform
as was worn by the Grand Duke Serge
when riding in that brilliant coSege OF
princes Of all nations which escorted the
queen on the occasion OF her jubilee in
the summer Of 1857. IN the center Of
which was the late Emperor Frederick.
then ssiii CROWN prince Of Prussia. in
hts white uniforms Invoking cheer after
cheer fns-n the London porslace-
THE hail opened with a rsasonnasse. In
which the whole imperial family took
rxarf. heesdes all the ambassadors and
other 1reaf rersossages. Mus: Russian
dances are very lively. the maxusia es-
f,ecsaliy 50. and very gacefai when well
performed The cotiE,kan Is always an
important feature. and there are also
other somewhat similar dances. bus
bearing other names. The waltz Is as
fashionable In Russia a. anywhere else.
A gentleman who II known % dance
well in selected a. dsrsseur or leader for
the evening and saperintensts every
DANCE that takes place Al the first
court bah the dancing Is usually rather