Show SPLENDOR IN RUSSIA subjects of the czar lead the world in magnificent display and barbaric extravagance Pric priceless cless jewel jewels at court functions special correspondence the eyes of the whole world are upon russia just now and the magala icente of its people is the wonder ol 01 the century the last ot of the great european countries to become civil iced it has forged ahead with mighty strides and to dav shows the highest civilization and the crudest barbarism combined within its vast confines confine si j it Is of its higher classes that one speaks when one uses the word magnificent for there are portions of the russian empire in which the lh habitants are complete barbarians these splendid high class rus ans ns can teach the world all there Is to know of luxury tor for in the campara decades since as other european nations they have learned to love the splendor of fine things and no people on earth are so extravagant so lavish so imperial ly magnificent as these subjects of the great white azar their palaces are the most supe superb rb in the world their jewels the most costly their dress the most lavish and ornate yet even now you scratch a rus si a n and you find a tartar and even this untamable russian nature Is mag ent the czar Is master of twelve vast palaces which are his homes and it js is almost impossible to efte an ade quate idea of the treasures of this ruler of a splendid people ono one tithe of which are as splendid and numer ous us as all other royal treasures of europe europe put together and the corona tion crowns of the czar and his con sort make all other coronets seem mean and tawdry in comparison that of the czar Is surmounted by a cross formed of six matchless diamonds and this stands on a single great ruby arches of perfect pearls support the central part of the crown and about the band for the brow are twenty eight huge diamonds the crown of the czarina is one solid mass of diamonds hundreds of them of the purest sort A court function in russia sur passes in pomp and grandeur anything else of the sort in the world and the barbaric splendor of the interiors where these same festivities are held Is more like something from the arabian nights than what the he twentieth century has to offer no western imagination can picture the splendor of the jewels the colossal superfluity super fulty of display which the wealth of generations of nobles la in thing to remember always and no fairy tale ever told of such splendor and it is not only in their jewels that these magnificent russian ladles ladies astound the world but in their dress as well their court gowns are of 0 cloth of gold or silver rare hand FAI A oa v of oil r 41 4 V 4 A J entrance trance to woven velvets and priceless brocades interwoven with threads ol 01 pure gold these are encrusted with hand em brodl eries erles in gold and precious stones no such gowns are worn anywhere in the world but in russia the winter palace at st peters burg Is a huge red pile teet feet square one side faces an immense square across which is a semicircular mass of ministerial buildings culma hating in the center in a tall arch surmounted by a bronze chariot and four plunging horses of victory within this palace even the bunc tion tio aries narles are laden with gold lace and draped with gold cords with their splendid uniforms bearing cons bously the imperial two headed black eagle the floors are of costly pol dished woods and there are columns and columns of polished marble in the state departments the decora tion is dazzlingly beautiful the ball room at night rivals any arabian dream ever dreamt there are two gigantic candelabra of massive russian crystals nearly ten feet high standing on the floor on each side of the huge supper room doors rows of orange trees stretch down the banquet hall and under these the tables are set and there are hundreds of birds in golden cages suspended from the ceiling and two marble fountains set in the wall spray their perfumed waters continuously from a succession of shells near the private apartments of the beautiful young empress is a deserted suite of rooms over which hangs an air of mystery and awe these are the rooms of the assassinated alexan der II 11 into them he was borne from the fatal canal bridge near the nev ski prospect with his body below the waist shattered and here within an hour he expired the old summer palace of catherine II 11 is a huge white building of very attractive appearance it is a royal abode greatly liked by the czarina and there she goes for picnics her private apartments there are lofty splendid rooms paneled from floor to ceiling with a marvelously beautiful inlaying of purest amber of A 1 a wo drawing room of f empress europe th the servility of numberless SU sultans itans asiatic kings and potentates have heaped at the feet of the czar of russia at court functions em empress press Is weighed down with jewels that fairly dazzle one ropes of diamonds as large as marbles necklaces and stomachers of emeralds and pearls like pigeon pigeons s eggs in size and the ladies of the court are equally loaded heads and throats and shoulders fairly aching with the heavy splendid gems A group of these bedecked court ladies Is some priceless value and so beautifully carved that one Is awed by tire ex wonder of it the marvelous mellow effect of this rare translucent setting sweeping into carved cupids and nymphs and roses gives one the idea of what fairy land might be and there are tail tall vases aal an 1 daintily carved cabinets alse also of golden amber standing about every where catching the light softly and looking lil e I 1 condensed sunshine there are nearly 20 known medicinal remedies |