The sun., 1908-06-21
CzAR AND CzARINA AT HONE
SPEND MUCH TIME AT PETEIe.
HOF AND TsARsKOE SEQ.


HOF AND TsARSK0E SEQ.
Seldom Go to 81. Petersburg--Lave IN Small
go Residenees I'm Preference 60 Palaces On
Imperial Estates Czar's Fondness Tor
His Chlidren--Fayorite Amuseraenss.
When on New Years Day, 1905. the salut-
ing gun on the Peter-Paul Fortress by
mistake" fred ball cartridge against the
Winter Palace the Czar and his family
left their capital for good and took up
their residence at Tsarskoe-Selo. Eepce
then only on two occasions. writes b. w.
Norregaard In the London Daily Matt.
have they visited st. Petersburg, and then
only for a few hours-at the opening OF
the first Duma and at tho conservation OF
the cathedral built In memory Of Alex
ander ii. on the spot where he was muir
dered.
Tsarskoe-selo is situated on the Baltic
Railway half an hour by train from st.
Petersburg. Immense, beautifully kept
parks surround the palace, with mag
nifoent old trees and gorgeous shrubs.
with dainty snow white pavilions and
fine works Of sculpture and beautiful ter
races and colopnades. Close to the palace
Is a great lake with richly wooded shores
and q most picturesque little island. on
which pavilion. modelled as Greek
temple, gleams out radiartly white among
the luxurious. vivid green foliage. The
palace is q stately construction In late
Italian renaissance style. built by Gather
ine II. II is, however, only used on state
occasions. at official Dinners or banquets.
The imperial family as q rule lives at q
much smaller palace called the Alexan-
drovslsi.
In May the court moves TO Peterhof.
on the Finnish Bay, and stays there till
autumn. Here also thero are vast. mag
nificent parks. extending the whole way
to Oranienbaum, right oppoaite Cronstadt.
The great palace in Peterhof. built by Peter
the Great and considerably enlarged by
Catherine H.. is situated on low ridge
running parallel to the coast line at few
hundred yards distance. Peterhof rs chiefly
renowned for its waterworks and fountains.
which are built on larger scale than those
Of Versailles and for beauty and effective
ness more than rival them.
In corner of the park, right on the
shores of the sea, sheltered behind tall
brick walls, guarded by many sentinem
and mounted gendarmeB. three. small
residences are situated, not much Dlgger
than the average dwelling house OF an
ordinary landed proprietor. The largest OF
these is inhabited by the imperial family.
The second is at the disposal OF the Empress
Dowager during her--lately not very. ire
quent-visits from Gatchina. Ihe third.
The Farm, indeed deserves its name,
being an old peasant house. fitted up 90
that it may serve as an abode for the I'M
perial family. ,-s5tt.
1t was first used when after some OF
the imperial children had been suffering
from measles the larger residence had 20
be disinfected and replastered. The whole
family then for a time moved acroeS to
The Farm. where tho little oonvalescenfs
speedily recovered their strength. The
stay here 30 charmed the children that year
by year now one or the other OF the girls
pleads feeling i'll, and entreate her parents
to go for few days to The Farm. which
had proved to be such wonderfully health
restoring place. have been told that the
request is occasionally granted, But the
Gar and Czarina are really delighted TO
have an excuse for staying Tor some oays
in the small, cosey rooms OF the quains
old farmhouse and forgetting for while
the cares and responsibilities OF their ex-
alted positions -
On the whole in whatever light the acci-
dent at the New Years salute may be re-
garded, sure it is that for the imperial fam
lily 1t was in a way a most fortunate event.
The climate of st. Petersburg is far from
healthful the social obligations are very
cumbersome. Peterhof and Tsarskoe-Selo,
on the other hand, are real sanitariums. ana
their situation away from the capital allows
the strict court etiquette 10 be consideraDy
relaxed-even largely dispensed with:
Neither the Gar nor the Czarina taxes
much interest in court ceremonial or formal
social functions. They are both extremely
fond of their handsome, bright ohiidren
and devote as much Of their spare time 70
their company as they can manage. IL is
common sight for the courtiers of Car
Nicholas to see the Autocrat OF All the
hussias romping merrily with .DeVy OF
OF course even in the quiet precinots on
Peterhof and Tsarkoe-Selo the hma nf fhe
Car is pretty fully occupied. he risee
early and after bath and light breakfaet
nearly every day sets out Tor a mornings no ME-
eroct figure lending itself extremely well
to the saddle At 10 he is back and at his
writing desk and till O'clock luncheon
time-is occupied in receiving the repor OF
his Ministers. seeing foreign Ampassauors
and others In the same manner his after
Moons are mainly spent, the day often m
Guiding review of one or other Regiments
Of the guard. But from dinner time the
Emperor 80 to speak lays down his crown
and devotes his time to his family
served to the imperial family In q private
ROOM not even the adjutants being more
than occasionally invited. Since the famous
Nihilist attempt OF killing Alexander IL
by exploding mine under the dining room
at the Winter Palace it has been custom
at the Russian Court to have meals served
alternately in different rooms. This Gus
tom is still adhered to. Gen. NJ told me
that once. being invited by the Czar 70 an
informal luncheon he felt rather surprised
at finding the table lnid in the Czarins's
boudoir. Next hmeT the little Grand
Duchess Tatiana pertly remarked 4 .np-
pose we shall lunch in the bathroom,
After dinner the children say good night
and the Gar generally. plays billiards. of
Of which he is very fond. or theirs Ii nIusic.
OF which he Is still fonder. being himself .
skilled and talented executant on the piano,
often playing in his intimate circle either
solo or accompanying the violin Of his
sister. The Czarina also Ii very musical.
having a prediction for modern Italian
music. =. 3,iit
The persons Of the imperial household
whom the Gar honors with his personal
friendship and who are his constant COM
panions in his excursions and his sports
are Gen. Didjulin, Commander of. The Pal
ace; Gen. komaroff. Commander OF che
Guard. and among his adjutants Prince
Orloif, Count Heyden and Gen. Drentelin.
The Gar is good tennis player and q good
oarsfnan. He takes great interest In mo-