Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-12
FROM THE CAR OF RUSSIA.
Handsome Present That WINS Recent
ly Received by DIR. Talmage.

Handsome Present That WINS Recent
ly Received by DIR. Tnlmage.
One Of the most remarkable gifts that
ornaments the home of Rev. DIR. Talmage
since his return from shis recent wedding
trip Is a Russian tea service of gold and
enamel, personal token from the Car of
Russia. 1t would sound sordid to measure
the value of a royal gift in cold dollars
and cents, for its associations add immeas-
uiably to intrinsic worth, but as a matter
OF fact, the latter runs high into the thou
sands. The service Is of seven pieces, the
regulation teapot. sugar bowl and cream
jug, sugar tongs and tea strainer, a small
scoop for measuring out the tea leaves and
a small fork broad, tined like salad fork
and probably essential in a Russian sery-
ice. but its use is unknown to the devote %
of DIR. Johnson's beverage in this country.
AT hrst glance the set looks like a very
beautiful grade of cloisonne. but unlike the
older Byzantine specimens of that art and
the modern oriental, the enamel is not
ground down to an even surface, but stands
in low relief presenting the surface of the
tiny ngureS at various angles to the light
increasing it's brilliancy and bringing out
more effectively the almost barbaric rich
ness or the design. But the most decided
difference between this specimen of art
work and the ordinary commercial samples
is that the brilliant enamel surface Is sup
thin metallic f1laments which separate the
fragments of enamel in the arabesque orna-
mentation are also of gold. The whole is
the work of the emperors private establish
Tent and bears the distinctive royal mark
TulOn' on each piece.
The friendship of the car for DR.. Tai
mage dates back to the hard winter when
the famine sufferers Of Russia were aided
by the food contributions of the United
States. The reception of the American YES
Sci at st. Petersburg was enthusiastic in
the extreme rather in contrast to the spirit
In which the same action by this country
has been hailed at Havana Like the pres
ent gift of the car, the intrinsic worth of
the contribution, however welcome at the
tire, was less considered than the spirit
which prompted it's tender. DR.. Talmage
at the time the relief expedition left the
United States was in Great Britain He
was requested by this government to pro-
coed to ST. Petersburg and make the off,
cial presentation to the Russian govern
ment. He was warmly welcomed by the
En- peror Alexander, then on the throne, re-
ceiVed at the palace and presented to the
roy al family and there made the acquaint-
aEce of the Czarewich Nicholas, now the
emperor of all the Russas. +-r's-
The friendship thus formed has lasted
TIL the present time. AS a matter of fact,
the present of the Emperor Nicholas, while
a welcome addition to the doctors house
hold effects. was not, primarily intended as
wedding present. for, to speak in news
pc per parlance the doctor had 'scooped"
his friend the car on his ruptial event
as we'll as all of his friends in this country
and the present had started from the other
side considerably before the announcement
of DR.. Talmage's marriage was received
here. However when he received notice that
gift from the emperor awaited him, he
went none the less willing to get 1t. Ac-
cording to royal etiquette. the presentation
had to be made on Russian soil. and the
only conveniently adjacent bit of Musco-
wife territory was the deck of the Russian
vessel Leo in the harbor of Philadelphia.
Thither the doctor repaired and the pre-
sentation was made in due form.