Year: 1867

history since written history had It's birth was recorded
twenty millions Of men; and Americans can but esteem
il privilege to honor ruler WHO has wrought SO
have proftcd by and aIe free in truth oday.
we before in name. America owes much TO Russia
lis indebted to her many ways and chiefly for her
unwavering friendship IN Of greatest need
That that friendship may still be hers In times to come
we confidently pray that she is and will be grateful to
Russia and TO her sovereign for it, know full WE'LL


that she will ever forfeit IT by any unnremeditaed un


TIMOTHY D. CROKER s,A, SANFORD,


Col. r. KINNEY, u. S. A..


Committee on behalf of the passengers Of the steamer


Quaker City


The Emperor had on white cloth cap, and white
cloth coat and pantaoons, all of questionable fine
ness The Empress and her daughter wore simple
suits of foulard, with little blue spot in it, blue
trimmings low-crowned straw hats trimmed with
blue velvet, linen collars clerical neck ties Of mus
in blue sashes flesh-colored gloves parasols-lady
readers will take due notice The exceeding sim
plcity of these dTessSS would insure them against
creating sensation i'll Broadway. The little Grand
Duke wore red calico blouse and n straw hat. and
had his panaoOns tucked into his boots Simplicity
of costume and kingly statelness of manner cannot
go very well together, and l was curious to see
how the Imperial party would act. They acted as if
they had never been used to anything finer. They
were free from any semblance of pride or haugh-
tiness as if their house had always been village
minister's house. They conversed freely and uncon
strainedly with anybody and everybody that came
along they all speak English) and did the great
officers of the Empire that were with them. Our
party OF Americans who were so distressed the day
before as to how they were going to get through
this severe trial with credit, suddenly found them
selves entirely at home and comfortable


The l5-minutes audience pleasantly augmented it.
self 10 half an hour and then instead of dismisslng
the guests the Au0crat of all the Russias and his
family transformed themselves into ushers, and led
our tIlbe into the palace dining room, into the IL
brary the private chapel the sitting rooms, private
writing room--all over the establishment, in fact
cannot recoect half the places There was no
hurry there were plenty Of atiable Dukes and
Princes and Admirals TO questions, and this
part, of the programme insensibly, wore out
another half hour and something over
When there was nothing more to see, the
Imperial family bade the guests good-by It'll TO-
morrow and we departed T for the 3 a palace OF the
however, went to another door and bowed at the
party i'll detail as they passed by. If you have ever
called on an Emperor you will remember that little
attentions not strictly in the bill the very ones
that went furthest toward making you feel comfort
able That young girls pleasant face, its expression
culated 10 make any one feel like a tiresome
strnck me forcby at the time that had seldom felt
so little like nuisance before


Ii is singular but for the moment forgot that be,
fore all this leavetakng occurred we were invited
to the palace of the crOwn-prnce Of Russia tagged
twentyl and shown all through it with the same alb
sence of hurry was the case at his fathers man
sion.


A drive of twenty minutes brought us to the bean
tfu park and gardens and the elegant palace of the
Grand Duke Michael The fIst persons we saw there
were the Empress and her daughter. They had come
bv a nearer road suppose Whether justly or not,
chose To consider this az mark That they were
not altogether tired of us yet The introduction to
the Grand Duke and his Duchess was hardly over
when the Emperor arrived himself. This was abont
as cheerful could be- He caught up his brothers
little children and kissed them affectionatcly.
could not help noticing that, because IT Was so little
like what we had reason to expect from the stern
Russian Bear read about so much.


The Grand Duchess az simply dressed rs the
Fupress-was as gentle and unTeserved, and as ready
to talk with everybody. Her husband was just like
her in these TesIects-a splendid looking man. over
six feet high, well formed, aud endowed WIN as
kinely presence could wish To see. He wore
q handsome COgsack unlfOIln, ana looked the mill
tary commander TO a charm. lie il was who crushed
ont i'm two-months campaign, the Caucasian war,
that had lasted 60 years and won the coveted hrh-
degree cross of the Order OF -. George-the only
man who has been so decorated III 40 years. III ~
distinction that can be achieved, but the terms are
not easy-dauntess courage, exalted military genius,
and-success NV


shown through the palace IN the free andeasy way
we had already got accustomed to, and then our
friends the Princes and Generals and Baronesses,
conducted the gang all about the lawns and groves
of the park. enjoyed it. bad reached my level
at last. II there is one thing that am naturally
fitted for 1t is to converse with Dukes got along
we'll They could not understand the suDtletes OF
an American Joke, it is true, and so they generally
laughed in the wrong place. However ~ wasni
any matter-they were Inferior Jokes anyhow, anu
some of them very old. -


Some Of us fingered in the grounds good while,
and when we got back we found the balance OF the
mob scattered about the reception-room and the
verandahs sitting at little tables, and drinking tea
! and wine and eating bread and cheese and cold
| meats with the Grand Duke, who ate at one table
while and then at another and kept the conversation
and the destruction Of provisions gong with zeal
which was perfectly astonishing III the brother Of an
Emfcror. l did not suppose that the brothers OF
autocrats much like other people. Some
people have curious ways about them: This sort OF
thing may have snited His Imperial Hlghness, but ii
| were q Grand Duke wouldn't eat with those var
LET'S AS the circumstances stood, however, took
hand They give you lemon to squeeze INTO your
tea there iced milk if you prefer It,; The former
is best The Grand Dukes tea was delicious. IL is
brought overland from China 1t Injuries the article


We'll. to cut long story short it was a chatty So
cable tea party, and free from restraint; Whoever
chose got mp and walked about and talked and in all
human probability would have been allowed to wills
tie if he had wanted to. And it was pleasant pic
mic all through from the time we left the ship llwe
got back again. We had spent nearly half day
with the heads OF the Russian Empire, and 1T had
seemed if were merely visiting party OF ordl,
nary friends. There not one OF them but had
said the kindest things about America and SAID them
with an earnestness that proved their sncerity-n0t
one but had done everything he could to make us feel
cOntented and at home. fear forouress liberal nos
ptaty. If they visit the ships they viii find sign
up: NO smoking abaft the wheeP-but the Grand
Duke passed around his box OF cigars IN his own
reception-roOm And there was another incident
and how genuine the seeming cordiaty OF our recep
ton was This lordly brother Of an Emperor, and
himself sub-chief Of half an empire, came down on
his horse to Yata three miles, when we first came
ashore and escorted our procession all the way to
the palace, keeping sharp lookout, and dspatching
whenever it was needed and. being dressed in am
unpretentous uniform, nobody ever suspected who
he was until we recognized him in his own palace /
doubt if he goes about escortng rabble OF plain


You may possibly think that our party tarried too
long or did other improper things but such was not
the case. Their going and coming, and all their
movements were quietly regulated by the imperial
master of ceremonies. Mr. NJ Curtin. our Secretary
Of Legation at st. was present. % and his
pany felt that they were occupying al unusually
responsible position-they were representing the