Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-24

responsibility Of autocrat Of all the Rus
SiaS.
While some Of the festivities usual on
such occasions. for instance, the state ban
quet, were omitted. q simple breakfast be-
ing substituted in difference to the grave
struggle in which the country Is engaged,
nothing was discernible in the bright morn
ing at Peterhof to put the slightest damper
on the christening day. From every angle
and corner Of the palace flags waved in
the crisp, cool wind driving in from across
the clear. blue water Of the Finnish gulf.
The historic wall fountains, stretching In
magnificent vista below the palace terrace.
broke into snowy foam and rainbow spray
in the clear sunlight The soldiers Of the
guards brilliant in the imperial uniforms.
moved in continual swirl of color through
the doorways of the palace.
Flags on Every House.
st. Petersburg itself awoke to the flutter
of flags from every house front. Even the
street cars flew pennons. like those Of bat
tleships under way, and the droskys were
nearly all decorated with flags. The garrt-
sons of the fortresses were more alert than
usual. There was bright panorama of
guard mounts and dress parades. and the
gunners were early at their stations. ready
to fire national salute in honor of the
baby heir. -.
Within the royal part Of the Peterhof
palace. from the moment the corteGe is
sued from the gates of the Alexandra villa
to the instant the glasses were clinked
around the imperial table in the great pal
brilliancy, almost touching the barbaric,
and possibly nowhere in the world save
where the west meets the east in the court
of The Little Father of the Russias."
Over perfect roads, beneath stately over
hanging trees, the procession moved
through the royal park a beautifully COM
posed, slowly changing picture. perfect to
its smallest detail. 81 1t was headed by the
master of the imperial household. his uni
form a mass of gold and decoration. He
was surrounded by a retinue of officials
only a little less. brilliant.
The Carriag. Bearing the Heir.
The center Of interest of course. was the
golden state carriage, drawn by eight milk
white horses. with outriders and walking
grooms, in which sat the Princess Galatzin.
mistress Of the EMPRESS household. vita
the imperial heir. AT the door of the
coach one side rode the grand equerry of
the court Lieut.. General de Grunwald, and
on the other side the commander of the
household troops. Lieut.. General Hesse.
both superbly mounted and uniformed like
glttering equestrian statues. Following the
coach came an armed escort, with poised
lances of the famous Blue CosSacSs of
the don, of which the baby heir Is now
Ataman, or chief. Each man
and horse Of this picturesque. guard was
groomed to perfection. the very ideal oe
the wild, light cavalry of the Russian
steppes.
The procession passed through the pal
ace to the church. There was another
picture in the waiting room. The royal
salons were filed with q most brilliant
assemblage, the ladies of the court, all in
sparkling Jewels, the officers resplendent
in the gorgeous uniforms of the empire.
Mingling with the modern throng were
many persons in quaint and curious ma
tional costumes, some of them antedating
the founding of the northern capital on
the banks of the Neva. The emperor his
face wreathed in smiles and with the dow
ager empress on his arm, led the process
sion followed by the other members Of
the imperial family-the grand dukes and
grand duchesses in the order of their
rank. the baby bringing up the rear. the
youngest of all.
Within the Church.
His majesty was met at the door of the
church by the metropolitan of st. Peters
burg with raised cross. But here the en-
peror retired as the rules of the Orthodox
Church give him no place in the cere-
mony, in which the baby was presented
by his spiritual parents to the heavenly
father
Pobedonostoff, procurator general of the
holy synod, and the members of the holy
SYNOD the diplomatic corps. with whom
was Ambassador Mccormick: and imperial
The scene within the picture-covered
walls. was a climax of brilliancy: uniforms,
decorations and court dresses being all out
lined by a ripping fame of jewels. which
fairly lit up half the gloom with an eff
fulgence of their own.
The christening xparty gathered at the
jewel-crusted font
The bay was carried by Princess Gal
atzin' and the cushion on which it was
borne was supported by General Reichter
and Prince Dologorouki. aids-de- camp to
the emperor. The sponsors represented an
emperor and an empress. two kings one
nrtncess and four grand duchesses.
The baby was so shrouded in filmy Lace.
dainty fiannels and purple silk overman-
tIe that It was almost impossible to dis
tineuish the form that lay so still and quiet
as the METROPOLITAN of st. Petersburg an
nointed its hands, breast and forehead
with the mystical holy oil, compounded for
the purpose ein solemn secrecy at the
Kremlin.
The Reyal Infant Yelled.
But when tbs. moment came to complete
the immersion, in the warm water OF the
font the royal infant showed It's humanity
by a. lusty yell, which echoed throughout
the chapel and was greeted by a murmur
NJ amusement and approval as being q
sign Of luck land good augury for the
future. ~ e9t
The TIE Deum, melpdiously chanted by a
hidden choir, WAS the signal to the bells
overhead which swung DANGEROUSLY. while
from the royal yacht. of the shore of the
gulf. Numbered a salute Of 3Ol guns The
signal was taken up at Cronstadt and st.
Petersbers. and M Csc 500 bells chimed.
AS the message sped forth from the fort
to the town the emperor entered the chapel
and mass was celebrated During the sing
the heir the cross Of the Order of ST. An
drew and tenderly draped the distinguish
Ing ribbon around the baby's shoulders.
Congratulations were pressed on the faith
er through the crowded length OF the
salons where the baby passed. now the
head Of the royal party. next In rank to the
emperor himself.
Breakfast at the great palace completed
the ceremony and then rain. which had
been gathering late In the forenoon. fell In
torrents as the guests scattered to various
quarters and made the best Of their way
back to the city.