Got Up To Look At.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5193, 13 April 1888, Page 2

Got Up To Look At.

An American lady now in St. Petersburg thus describes a. Court reception at the Winter Palace:—

" We -women folk are accustomed through ignorance, I suppose, to think and speak of Russia as a semi-barbarous country. It is in somo respects; but in others it is the most splendid country—with tho exception of our own—in the world, and St. Petersburg is the most interesting of all European cities. Through the introductions we brought with us, we have been enabled to obtain en free to the prc-seuce of royalty and see the interior of tho finest of all the palaces. It was a bitter cold day whenwe drove m a gorgeous sleigh to the Winter Palace—which was like a fairy picture in tho fading light without and illumined within with the brilliancy of thousands of candles—to attend a Court reception. The effect of the light, on the snow and upon the gay equipages of tbe numerous fun-sis was indescribable. We approached the Empress through 3000 officials. First through superb State Departments,, each blazing with a thousand wax tapers and gorgeous with priceless hangings, malachite pillars, works of art, aud tropical flowers and iVrns. The sight was worth the journey from New York to Russia. The floors were things of beauty, inlaid with ebony and rosewood and ivory. " As we waited for our turn I had a good opportunity to see, and I made much of it. At last we entered the ihroue-rjom, and there, surrounded by a sea of splcudor, stood tho Empress, herself a moving mass of diamonds. She was the most dazzling sight of all. Ou her head was a crown once worn by tho Great Elizabeth. It was tho first time I had seen a real crown on royalty for the diamond tiara worn by Queen Victoria last summer at her reception was not a crown, except in name. Mrs Astor used to wear as fine a one. But this ono on the Imperial head was worth}' to adorn tho Empress of all the Russians. Describe it ? No. I only saw millions of colored rays and white sparks of light emitted from it at every motion of the royal person. The necklaco was made from what was left over of tho crown. It reached from her neck to her waist, and had rubies, sapphires, and diamonds enough in it to have supplied 1000 ordinary royal necklaces. The Imperial orders worn on her breast contained all the gems of tho East. They scintillated with light, and that is all I can say of them. The stuff of her gown was emerald velvet, with a train of white velvet embroidered with enough gold to stock a mine, and bordered with real gold balls. The front of the gown was ornamented with ropes of linked pink coral, set in diamonds and fastened at intervals. Never saw I human being so arrayed. Solomon might have put on more but Ido not believe it. She was enough of herself to take the breath out of a body, but surrounded as sho was by Grand Duchesses, each one ablaze with jewels worth a kiugdom, she was the most wonderful sight I ever witnessed in my lifo. I did not know a mortal could look so magnificent.

'' Tho position of her sister, the Princess of Wales, is almost obscure as compared to the peerless destiny of this Empress of all the Russia.*, and, if the -war party succeeds, Empress of Asia as well. Tho official:, in their semi-barbarous grandeur numbered hundreds upon hundreds, but I paid no attention to them; tbe Empress and the palace were what I went to see, and the sight has thrown me into a peculiar mental condition. My less fascinated companion, who had been to Court before, took my breath away from mo by remarking that she pitied the poor woman. Why'r Because she will not find anything new in heaven in the way of jewels or surroundings. How about peace of mind r Of that indeed I think she stands in great need now, poor thing ! "