Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-04-18
TERROR AND MAoNIFIcENcE.
cxar Of Russia Always in Fear of Nj
hiiist conspirators.

p SPlO ATu hUut uiWbcti III " VS'oPS '.f'
sassination by the nihilists- So say
the cable dispatches from st Peters
burg
Al the imperial palace sixteen miles
cut OF the Russian capital. amid spien-
dors that outshine the marvels OF the
Arabian Nights, the mightiest auto
crai OF all the world is seif-consu'
,uted prisoner
With an army OF 100000 men TO
DO his viii, unqucstioning and blind
iy. he is fugitive from handful OF
reformers using dynamite to. execute
their viii.
Nicholas rules as mn absolute mon
arch over l30. .00O. 900 subjects. and
yet shrinks with terror from the sight
OF his people, among whom the loyal
reyerentiy cali him 'our father
The sovereign whose nod liz SUN
cient to alarm Great Britain or annex
Asiatic nations, starts with fear at
the siamming OF door and trembics
at the pstter of mouse scampcring
across the floor
The supreme pontiff OF the Greek
church of Russia must forego his Gus
tomaiy worship by the side of the
tombs OF his ancestors In the cbthe-
draI OF Saints Peter and Paul and
seek religious consolation In a private
chapel within the palace grounds. sur.
rounded at every step by an armed
guard
Though having an income of SIS.
UUU. 900 year and opportunities OF
Al ,,s
Is forced by the terrorists TO abnn
don the pleasures OF life and live In
seoluEion. a.
With his waking hours Allied by
fear and mis- sleeping hours haunted
by nightmares. with his most init
mate officials under suspicion of trea
son. knowing from sad history that
the nihilists carry their deadly explo'
sives into the most carefully guard
ed chambers of the imperial palaces
Nicholas II, never very robust. In said
10 be breaking down under the strain.
The history OF the last few years
has shown no other spectacle OF such
power contrasted with such terror, OF
such nagniiicencc coupled with such
restraint.
TgHrskoo. Sclo, In which the Russian
emperor has taken refuge from the
rioters and assassips is not only ut
some distance from st Petersburg.
nut is surrounded by nm extensive
park eighteen sailes In circumference
These grounds may be guarded by a
Gordon oi soldiers. and no Suspicious
person can approach the palace in
which the czar Is hidden RON the pub
lie II he is reached by any OF the
wonld.be assassins II must be us n
trusted member Of the imperial house.
hold or as an official OF the govern
mcDt summoned by his chief.
Catherine II built the Tsarskoe Selo
palace in i7a4, and 1t was the re
trent In which she liked to receive her
favorItes. Here she gathered her
courtiors and showed them the genial
side of her nature. when Lanskoi
died IN her arms sbe shut herself up
here for three months to mourn his
memory. She built him beautiful
tomb ana mourned at II for two years
since the time OF the great empress
II has been fayorIte summer resort
va INV b''HUhf II IN toU
aiderabiy higher than the marshy. ma,
iariai level OF the capital.
The palace is 7so feet long and its
iacadcs are adorned with saryatidcs.
piiasters, capitals. brackets. statues.
and vases In rotous prodisality.
These ornaments were originally GOV
erred with gold leaf at a cost Of 900
Al A..
has long since disappeared except on
the dome aud cupolas of the church
within the grounds.
The interior OF the palace is over.
Mheiming because OF the yastness OF
ats rooms and the extravaganza OF It's
decorations. The grand ball room Is
nearly l50 Zee, long. and It's walls are
lined with mirrors and gilded panels,
In one room the walls are incrusted
with lapis iazuli. and the floor of obo
ny is iniaid with flowers OF mother
pearl There is a silver room with
elaborate iinishings In the white met
nj he amber room is lined with
slabs OF amber In architectural pan
els The great pieces OF precious ma.
presented by Frederick the Great aud
his arms were carved on the panels
by the side OF the cipher of Cathar.
Inc.
The walls OF the banqnetins room
are covered with gold to a height OF
nine feet. One OF the bedrooms
shown to visitors has walls OF porcc,
lain and piiasters of purple glass This
barbaric splendor is to be seen on ey
cry hand and 1t is in the mids, oi
this magniticencc that the young czar
Is a yirual prisoner The story u
told that when she had completed he,
palace Catharine took the French am
bassador through IL and was greatly
pleased with his expressions of de
light In front of the sumptuous pile
he looked about him as " in search
OF something more. and when the en-
press asked him what he was seek
ing he responded:
imperial majesty. am looking for
me glass rnsa in which thi., pra.,