As Seen By Me

ve been a member in good and regular standing of the most orthodox church, no matter how innocent your heart may be

our hotel every day, every day your passport is taken, and you are requested to fill out a blank

swinging doors with moujiks to open and shut each one, and bow and scrape at our feet-we found ourselves

e keep ours, but they wear thin clothing indoors and put on their enormous furs for the street. On entering any house, church, shop, or theatre, t

common gray felt boot of the peasants, with the top of it reaching to the knee. It is without doubt the most hideous a

, but to us, before we had seen Moscow and Kiev, it was Russia itself. We arrived one bitt

been built in Peter the Great's time. No electric lights; not even lamps. Candles! Now, if there is one thing more than another which m

was furnished in a dreary drab, with a gigantic green stove in the corner which reached to the ceiling. Then we entered what looked like a long, narrow corridor, down which we blindly felt our way, and at the extreme end of which were hung dark red plush curtains, as if before a shrin

shall not present a single letter of introduct

Americans. And the entire Legation there. My companion and I simply looked at each other, and our whole future grew brighter. We would not go to Moscow, but we would move at once. We would introduce electricity

at lamp. I had serious thoughts of opening up communication with the Standard Oil Company by cable. But we were so delig

he Neva were what I most wished to see, but we were informed at the Legation that we could have neither wish gratified. However, my spirit was undaunted. It was only the American officials who had

came to see us, and placed themselves at our disposal for days and even weeks at

of the daughter of the Commodore of the late Tzar's private yacht, Mademoiselle de Falk, who took us through it. It was simply superb, and was, of course, in perf

I lost it completely in the Hermitage. Then and there I absolutely went crazy. A whole guide-book devoted simply to the Hermitage could give no sort of idea of the barbaric splendor of its belongings. Its riches are beyond belief. Even the presents given by

ese are there by the dozen. Then you come to the private jewels, and you see all these same accoutrements made of precious stones-one of solid diamonds; another of diamonds, emeralds, topazes, and rubies. And the size of these stones! Why, you never would believe me if I should tell you how large they are. Many of them are uncut and

Berlin, we arrived in St. Petersburg in time for the Russian Christmas, which comes twelve days later than ours. St. Isaac's, the Kazan, and Sts. Peter and Paul dazed me. The icons or im

is covered clear to the dome. The tombs of the Tzars are always surrounded by people, and candles burn the year round. Upon the tomb of Alexander II., under

ir, for the Tzar loves music, and wherever in all his Empire a beautiful voice is found, the boy is brought to St. Petersburg and educated by the State to enter the Emperor's choir. When we entered the church the service had bee

platform with the priest, just back of the choir. What heavenly voices! What wonderful voices! The bass holds on to the last note, and the rumble and echo of it rolls through those vaulted

ther's faces, and behaved quite like ordinary boys. The great crowd scattered and huge ladders were brought in

let. We went several times, and it was very gorgeous. It is all pantom

ssador apologized for not being able to arrange it, and we said, "Not at all," and "Pray, do not mention it," at the same time

would call for us with his carriage at ten o'clock, and we would be conducted to the private space reserved just in front of the Winter Palace, where the best view of everythi

e our camera. Everything else that we wanted had been done for us ever since we started, and our faith was strong that we would get this. At first the stout heart of Baron Elsner quailed at our suggestion. Then he said to take the camera with us, which we did with joy.

cials, and we heard the word "Americanski," which had so often opened hearts and doors to us, for Russia honestly likes America, and presently t

ears. I was so excited that

t being laid from the entrance of the Winter Palace, across the

of picked officers bearing the most important battle-flags from the time of Peter the Great, which showed the marks of sh

eard the splash of the cross which the Archbishop plunged into the opening that had been cut in the ice. I heard the priests intone, and the booming of the guns firing the imperial salute. I s