The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-24
LASH LIFTED FROM
RUSSIAN PEASANZRY
CRASH OF CANNON
FOR CHRISTENING
Boom Of Guns Marks Rejoicing
Over Rites for Cars
Son.

st. Petersburg, Aug. 24.-A wave
Of rejoicing and festivity swept over
Russia with the rising of the sun on
the christening day of the heir to the
Russian throne, eliminating when the
Te Deum, softly chanted in the beau
tiful little church of the Peterhof pal
ace, announced that the ceremony
was accomplished, and the news was
heralded to the world without by the
crash of cannon and the Ginning of
innumerable church bells, echoing
from the Baltic to the Black sea and
from the frontiers of Poland to the
confines of the farthest east.
Notwithstanding the momentous
events at the front, the whole popu-
lation turned gladly from more ser1-
Gus considerations to passing the day
in ceremonial and pageantry at Peter
hof, where the tiny successor OF the
great white car received at the hand
of the church the name of Alexis
Nicholaevitch, from which he is des-
tined to pass, in course OF time, to
the dignity and responsibility of auto
crat of all the Russias.
The state banquet was omitted,
simple breakfast being substituted in
Difference to the grave struggle In
which the country is engaged.
Over perfect reads, beneath stately
overhanging trees the procession
moved thru the royal park, beaut1-
fully composed, slowly changing pic
ture, perfect to it's smallest detail. 1t
was headed by the master of the i'm
perial household, his uniform blaze
Of gold and decoration. He was sur
rounded by a retinue Of officials only
little less brilliant.
Golden State Carriage.
The center of interest, Of course,
was the golden state carriage drawn
by eight milkwhite horses, with out
riders and walking grooms, in which
sat the Princess Galatzin, mistress Of
the empress household, with the i'm
perial heir. At the door Of the coach
on one side rode the grand equerry OF
the court, and on the other side the
commander Of the household troops,
both superbly mounted and uni
statues. Following the coach came
an armed escort, with poised lances,
of the famous Blue Cossacks Of the
Don, Of which the baby heir Is now
Ataman, or commander-in-chief
The procession passed to the palace
and to the church. There was another
picture In the waitingrooms. The
| royal salons were filled with a most
brilliant assemblage, the ladies Of the
court, all in sparkling jewels, the Of
fcers resplendent in the gorgeous uni
| forms of the empire.
The emperor, his face wreathed in
smiles, and with the dowager empress
on his arm, led the procession, fol-
| lowed by the members of the imperial
| family-the grand dukes and grand
duchesses in the order Of their rank,
the baby bringing up in the rear, the
youngest of ALL
His majesty was met at the door OF
the church by the metropolitan Of st.
Petersburg with raised cross. But
| how t1n rSy1ln
of the orthodox church give him no
place In the ceremony in which the
baby was presented by his spiritual
parents to the heavenly father.
Inside the chapel were assembled
M. Podedonstseff, procurator-genera
Of the holy synod, and the members
Of the holy synod, the diplomatic
corps, with whom was Ambassador
Mccormick. and imperial guests from
every court in Europe.
At Jewel Crnsted Font.
The christening party gathered al
| the jewel-crusted font. The baby was
carried by Princess Galatzin and the
cushion on which it was borne was
supported by General Reichter and
Prince Dolgorouki, aides de camp tc
scented an emperor and an empress
two kings and one princess and -four
grand duchesses. The baby was sc
shrouded in filny lace, dainty hannels
and purple silk over mantle thai
it was almost impossible to distin-
guish the form that lay SO still anc
quiet as the metropolitan of st
Petersburg annointed it's hands, breast
and forehead with the mystical holy
oil, compounded for the purpose ir
solemn secrecy at the Kremlin.
/ But, when the moment came tt
complete the immersion in the warm
water of the font, the royal infant
showed it's humanity by a lusty yell
which echoed thru the chapel anc
was greeted by a murmur Of amuse-
ment anG approval, as being a sigr
Of luck and good augury for the fu.
} ture. The TIE Deum, melodiously
chanted by hidden choir, was the
. signal to the bells overhead, which
swung DANGEROUSLY, while from the
royal yacht, off the shore of the gulf
Numbered salute of SOL guns. The
signal was taken up at Kronstadt anG
st. Petersburg, and Moscow's five
!. hundred bells chimed greeting.
Both Peterhof and st. Petersburg
, are lavishly decorated. There will bt
, Examinations tonight.
| The empress left her bed yesterda!
for the first time since the birth O
her son. Both she and the infant arr
, in excellent health. The heir weighs
, about ten and one-half pounds.