New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-13
PETER THE GREATS MEMORY
A WORSHIP OF THE GREAT
CZAR BY THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE.

tLAh 81 The ltl SSlhN lfIpi
From Black and White.
Peter has become almost a cult in Russia. Go
to his cottage on the banks of the Neva on
Russian holiday, and you will have to fall in
queue and squeeze your way into his little
rooms. ostensby to kiss a holy picture. but this
holy picture Is mixed uD in the Russians mind
with Peter the Great The Moujx looks around
on the little home Peter built fer himself on the
Ncva marshes as though he looked on the relics
OF a saint Peter was essentially a man OF action
an artisan of genius. - his handiwOrk and the
tools he used prove: get born commander. rest
less ruthless. When near the site Of his future
st. Petersburg h" saw tree scored with
mark high above the ground he asked Of the
PEASANTS near:
What is that
1.-THE height to which tie waters rose in 1850"
replied a peasant
You ler' cried Peter. He cut the tree down
He was not to be ieterred by the fact that
floods had swept over his chosen site. and his
mascrfulness is to-day felt by the Russians until
they have nearly made god of him. IL Is i'm
possible now to see the exterior Of Peters Cot
tage on the Nevas banks for a stone house was
tuilt by Gathers II over it as "A shell To pre-
serve this little wooden cottage and so the out
ward appearance is gone. Inside this stone
building you the wooden building. but this
I as very foolishly lat,ly been painted To initiate
bricks: hut inside you cin see in one room the
type of place Peter lived and worked in. Here
in this little rcom-there are but two in the
cottaGe-are the oak furniture. old leather chairs.
a little cooking service some If the sails OF his
b
which he sat at his door and dreamed Of the
future capital. ravcd at those who carried out
his orders failed to do In this room he
transacted business with his Ministers of state
ond received foreign Ambassadors
The very greatness Of the man forces Itself
upon one by this act alone He. the Car. with
all the jewellcd group Of the Kremlin 10
shroud hims alf with, sittirg on this Lcnch or in
his timber hut and creating power that IN
less than two centuries wa5 to rule half the
" ord. The other room # the cottage is also
greatly transformed: it waS Peters sleeping and
dining room; now it is chapel, and picture
Of our Saviour which Peter took with him upon
the famous battle Of Poltava. hangs here. 1t IS
ir q gilt frame with JeWelled crown that, as Is
usual in Russian towns quite oVershadows the
picture.
Not long ago | went out 20 this cottage on n
Russian saints day, and service was being per
formed in the chapel. y small choir OF men in
ordinary dress were squeezed in behind the little
altar and Il priest in robes was chanting the
service. The people We're packed fatty together
In the room and outside around the door. and
under the passage Of TIE outer building that
protects the cottage. Some tried TO get others
to pass in lighted candies To place before the
picture and others crushed and squeezed until
come moving IN gave a chance to get in. All
devoutly blessed the picture and crossed them
selves contiruor sly, and when they got out went
with rev arent.al air and looked at Peter room
and the boat he built, this latter placed between
his cottage and the outer building. The hea; In
the little chapel with the lighted candles and
the packed little mass Of not too clean hui
n anity was excessive. and the pcrsp'ration
stood out on the faces OF priests and thoir. who
went about their work in a quiet business
like fashion; LUt the devotion Of the crowd 10
memory to Il something they themselves per-
chs could not explain. was very apparent