Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 248, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 October 1912 — ST.PETERSBURGS GAY SOCIAL LIFE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ST.PETERSBURGS GAY SOCIAL LIFE

NOTHING could be more beautiful than the Rusian churches, ■with their gilded domes. The banks of the river Neva, with its quays of pink granite, its rows of splendid palaces, in which are accumulated an endless wealth of superb pictures, statues and furniture form an entrancing spectacle. The Russian grande dame adores luxury, and a 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 functionaries. 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 becoming every day more and more European, while its older sister, Moscow, 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 unforgetable. You might think you were revisiting a scene of “The Arabian Nights.” Truly Beautiful City.

After a somewhat monotonous railway journey, the traveler sees with pleasure the gilded domes of St. Petersburg as he approaches the city. It is truly a beautiful city, on the banks of the splendid Neva, which remains frozen for five months. When the Ice floes begin to come down from Lake Ladoga, where the Neva takes Its source, it is an interesting spectacle to see the sheets of ice freeze together and form a complete “field of ice over the rapid river. As soon as the ice is found solid the (6t. Petersburg people make regular streets and avenues across it. They make holes in the ice in regular alignment, and into each of these holes they place a young pine tree Jisurrounded with snow. Immediately the tree is frozen there In the Ice, and it is thus that the principal avenues are formed across the Ice which becomes capable of bearing the heaviest traffic. At Intervals along the avenues lanterns on posts are constructed 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 6 occurs the great fete called the “Baptism of the Neva.” The clergy come in a great profession wearing all their vestments and car* rying a banner to meet the czar at his palace on the banks of the river. A pathway to Neva Is prepared in advance with Oriental rugs. The czar, 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 a great hole in the ice, after which comes the religious ceremony which Includes the solemn blessings of the waters. Afterwards the czar and the principal persons present return 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 off a great square space on the ice in the midst of which a stand for the orchestra Is constructed from blocks of Ice covered with bear skins. Similar blocks of Ice, also well covered with bear skins, serve as seats for the dancers. Pages stand about with torches to light the merry makers. Colored lanterns of all kinds hung on posts around the dancing floor make the spectacle a fairylike one. The guests come in costumes of heavy velvet The women wear short skirts trimmed with fur, pretty little high boots matching the costume and fetching little fur caps, usually ornamented with an aigrette fastened on with a jeweled clasp. The men wear loose breeches of velvet thrust into the boots, and caftans 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. City's Gay Night Life. \ '

The-Russians love night life. Ver often after leaving the theater the; go to the little islands on the farthe: side of the Neva. It only means i trip of ten minutes in a sleigh t< cross the Neva. On these islandi are eharming houses of wood, whicl

serve as residences to rich families who pass the summer there and are sometimes opened for brief periods in winter. There are also delightful restaurants on these islands. It is a favorite amusement of the Russians to run over to these islands in winter on a sleigh or a “troika.” Especially on a fine moonlight night does this amusement attract a great number of pleasure seekers. On such a night you will hear many a joyous company making merry and supping on these 'lslands. The tzlganes or Bohemian musicians sing and play, while the others dance and drink. All night long until the next day is in sight does the merrymaking continue. The troika -chr is a large sleigh with four places drawn by three horses. The middle horse is a trotter, while the two others gallop. This produces a very exciting combination, which is known in Italian as a “fantasia.” Of the four occupants of the troika two sit on the front seat with backs to the horses, while the two others face them. All are warmly protected by fur coats which cover up their legs completely. Horse races are among the many amusements that are held on the frozen Neva. But at last comes the spring, with its melting of snow and ice and the breaking up of the river’s solid surface. For several days the ice becomes gray, and people are then forbidden to cross. The ice begins to tremble, and a dull sound is heard more or less continuously. Then the cannon roars from the fortress on the other side of the Neva in face of the winter palace, announcing to the people the annual breaking up of the ice.

If the wind happens to blow from the Baltic all the broken blocks of Ice begin to jostle and scrape together In an extraordinary manner. The quays are covered with people watching this remarkable spectacle. When the Neva is at last free from the Ice and the water resumes Its clear and limpid character the governor of the fortress is the first person to cross the river in a boat. When he reaches the middle of the Neva he fills a golden goblet with the water and carries It to the emperor who awaits him surrounded by his officers on the steps of the palace. The czar drinks the goblet of water and returns It to the governor filled with gold coins. For this reason It Is said that the goblet becomes larger every year, which Is inconvenient for the czar, who does not like to have to drink so much cold water. A salute of 100 guns from the fortress then announces that navigation is open. A fleet of pleasure boats covers the river almost Immediately, and this means that summer Is close upon us. The Broadway of St. Petersburg Is the Nevsky Prospekt, which begins In the old commercial quarter of the city and reaches to the great open place before the Cathedral of Isaac.

KAZAN CTHEDRAL