Charlevoix county herald., 1912-11-09

NOTHING could be more beauti-
| ~ full than the Russian churches,
IL with their silded domes. The
L banks of the river Neva, with
it's quays OF pink granite, its
rows OF splendid palaces, In which
are accumulated an endless wealth Of
superb pictures, statues and furni-
ture form an enhancing spectacle.
The Russian grande dame adores lux
ury, and ball In one Of the great
| private palaces or at the court is the
last word of earthly splendor. At the
opera the Russian noblewoman has
her box for the whole season. There,
surrounded by her friends, as If in
| her own drawing room, she receives
| during the entr'actes the hosts of her
admirers. There you see the higher
officers Of the army and navy and
| prominent statesmen and function
| aries. The society woman's evening
costume is covered with jewels to an
amazing extent. for Russians love
these ornaments as the Orientals do.
ST. Petersburg is a superb city and
very interesting to visit, but it Is be-
coming every day more and more
European, while its older sister, Mos
COW, has kept its peculiar aspect.
Those who have visited the Kremlin
| at Moscow on a winter night, lighted
by the pale radiance of the moon,
will tell you that the memory is I'M
forgetable. You might think you
were revisiting a>scene of THE Ara
bian Nights"
Truly Beautiful City.
After a somewhat monotonous rail-
way journey, the traveller sees with
pleasure the gilded domes Of st. Pc
tersburg as he approaches the city.
1t is truly a beautiful city, on the
banks of the splendid Neva, which re-
mains frozen for five months.
When the ice foes begin to come
down from Lake Ladoga, where the
Neva takes its source, 1t is an inter
esting spectacle to see the sheets Of
| ice freeze together and form a COM
plete field of ice over the rapid river.
AS soon as the Ice is found solid the
st. Petersburg people make regular
streets and avenues across 1t. They
make holes in the ice in regular align
ment, and into each of these holes
they place young pine tree sur
rounded with snow. Immediately the
tree is frozen there In the ice, and II
is thus that the principal avenues
are formed across the ice which be-
comes capable of bearing the heav-
lest traffic. At intervals along the
avenues lanterns on posts are con-
structed and after that little houses
called "boutka" are built in which the
police charged with watching the ice
traffic remain on duty day and night.
On January occurs the great fete
called the Baptism of the Neva." The
clergy come in a great procession
wearing all their vestments and car
rying a banner to meet the car at
his palace on the banks of the river.
A pathway to Neva is prepared in ad-
vance with Oriental rugs. The car,
surrounded by his court, descends the
steps to the river, following the high
| priest and his assistants bearing the
| cross and the sacred images. They
make q great hole in the ice. after
which includes the solemn blessings
of the waters. Afterwards the car
and the principal persons present re-
turn to the winter palace where a
great banquet is held
During the winter there is not only
a vast amount OF skating on the Neva.
but the Russians hold balls and other
entertainments there. They mark of
a great square space on the Ice In the
midst of which a stand for the or
chestra is constructed from blocks OF
ice covered with bear skins.
Similar blocks of ice, also well COW
cred with bear skins, serve as seats
for the dancers. Pages stand about
F, with torches to light the merry ma
kers. Colored lanterns OF all kinds
hung on posts around the dancing
floor make the spectacle fairylike
one. The guests come in costumes
OF heavy velvet. The women wear
short skirts trimmed with fur pretty
little high boots matching the cos
tune and fetching little fur caps,
usually ornamented with an aierette
fastened on with a jeweled clasp. The
men wear loose breeches OF velvet
thrust into the boots, and caftsns
lined and trimmed with fur. You
must understand that this enclosure
is not covered in but is open to the
winter sky and the light OF the moon.
clty's Gay Night Life.
The Russians love night life. Very
often after leaving the theater they
60 to the little islands on the farther
side Of the Neva. 1t only means a
trip of ten minutes in a sleigh to
cross the Neva. On these islands
are charming houses Of wood. which