OCR Text |
Show TO HOLD PARLIAMENT III WIS PALACE Russian Lawmakers Will Sit in Building With Wonderful Wonder-ful History. Correjpond(ncc Associated Press. ST. PETERSBURG, March S").-CurlouB-ly enough, Russia's first Parliament will hold Its sittings In the old Taurdo palace, a building whoso associations arc all connected con-nected with Imperious and absolute rule. It u-as constructed by tho autocrat Catherine Cath-erine II and bestowed by her upon Prince Potemkine. who throughout her reign was her most enduring favorite. After Long Struggle. It was Potemkine who, after many years of struggle, reduced the Tartar Khan of the Crimea to submission and brought that beautiful peninsula, now tho Russian riveriu, finally under Russian nway. Under f ho prince's escort she made a Journey to tho region then called tno Taurlde, and upon her return she bought the palace for "Hero of tho Taurlde," which palace during the latter part of her reign was famous tor almost barbaric feasts on which Potemkine lavished the Empress's gold. Rivaled Roman Feasts. In tho very hall In which the sessions of the parliament are to be held, the Prince gave In honor of his sovereign the historic banquet whose prodigality and splendor rivaled the feasts of Nero and the Roman Emperors. Potemkine ro-ceived ro-ceived hla royal guests In a uniform blazing with diamonds and a head dress so heavy with gems and gold that Its weight had had to bo supported by an aide de camp. Contemporary accounts of the banquet at which. six hundred guests were served In dishes of gold, read like oxtracts from the "Tales of the Arabian Nights." ono of tho features being a bnl-let bnl-let In which Grand Dukes Alexander and Costotln. with 200 of the most beautiful 1 ladles of the court and nobility, dancod before the Empress and her favorite Shortly afterward Potemkine died, and tho palace was repurchased by Catherine from his holrs. and served as her rcsl-denco rcsl-denco much of her time during tho remainder re-mainder of her life. . |