Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1896 — CUP WHICH COST MANY LIVES. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CUP WHICH COST MANY LIVES.

Facsimile of the Czar’s Souvenir Which Caused a Tragedy. A Chicago dry-goods firm has on exhibition some of the drinking cups which were given away as souvenirs of the coronation of the Russian Czar. The dreadful calamity on the Khodinskoe plain, marring, the magnificent arranged upon the occasion of the crowning, and costing upward of 0,000 lives in ttye short sf>aee of a few hours is still fresh in the memory of everyone. The origin of this is to be traced to an ancient Russian custom. Among other curious usages it has been usual to distribute among the many thousands congregating from all parts of the great empir/(p witness the imposing ceremonies of the coronation a present to be kept as a remembrance of the great evet. At the last coronation a drinking cup had been selected for this purpose, which-was to be given away with a parcel of eatables, cakes and sweets, to

every comer. Of course everybody was anxious te bring home one of these mementos, but nobody thought that so tragic a memory would be added to the general Interest of this little piece of metal. The cut is an exact illustration of the memorable cup. It is made of white enameled metal, covered with curious Russian ornamentation. A broad line of gold runs around the top and bottom. The narrow dark lines of tlje illustration are brick red. while the broader lines are of a pale blue and yellow. The shield on one side bears the Russian coat of arms, while the other shows the initials of the Czar and Czarina in Russian characters and the Imperial crown with the date 1896 below. The effect of the whole is very curious. These cups were furnished by one of the largest establishments in Austria. This firm laid down 600,000 pieces in eight weeks. The fact will be of interest that twenty-six railway cars were necessary to transport these 600,000 cups.

CORONATION CUP.