COSSACK BALLET DANCERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15829, 28 January 1915, Page 8

COSSACK BALLET DANCERS.

A MERRY NIGHT.

On the occasion of St. George's Day at Peirograd the smart restaurants were kept op.>n until three o'clock next morning. Continuous performances were given bv leading singers and actors, and the collections organised were lavishly contributed to.

At the restaurant of the Bear the great feature of the entertainment was the entrance of actors representing the German Crown Prince and his suite- The Crown Prince was carrying loot consisting of two huge samovars under his arm:=, while the orchestra played the Valkyries' ride.

The Crown Prince was singing in a selfglorifying manner when the cry cf "Cossacks" was raised, and a troupe of ballet dancers attired as Cossacks entered and drove off the Germans, afterwards triumphantly performing Russian national dances.

Previously 5000 members of the St. George's Society dined at the People's Palace. The party included several persons wounded in the present war. Among these were, three boys and a Sister of Mercy, the latter having been wounded by the Turkish fire at Tuapse while working in a hospital. One boy, aged 13. did some brilliant scouting doling the Lublin Ivangorod fighting, enabling the Russians to capture 10 heavy guns. Another time, dressed as a peasant, ho allowed himself to be arrested, and then led 60 Austrians into a village where thero wis a strong Russian force, 6aying that there was only a small party of Cossacks in it. All the Austrians were taken prisoners.

Some of the wounded, including the Sister of Mercy, were carried in on stretchers, on which they ate their repast. A telegram frdm Warsaw states that a native of Lutomirsk picked up an unexploded shell on the battlefield and took it home and tried to open it- The house was destroyed by the explosion, and three persons were killed and 13 injured, some fatally.