generous nature. He must have been desirous of proving that Americans

were welcome guests in the imperial palaces of Russia, because he rode

all the way to Yalta and escorted our procession to the Emperor's

himself, and kept his aids scurrying about, clearing the road and

offering assistance wherever it could be needed. We were rather familiar

with him then, because we did not know who he was. We recognized him

now, and appreciated the friendly spirit that prompted him to do us a

favor that any other Grand Duke in the world would have doubtless

declined to do. He had plenty of servitors whom he could have sent, but

he chose to attend to the matter himself.

The Grand Duke was dressed in the handsome and showy uniform of a

Cossack

officer. The Grand Duchess had on a white alpaca robe, with the seams

and gores trimmed with black barb lace, and a little gray hat with a

feather of the same color. She is young, rather pretty modest and

unpretending, and full of winning politeness.

Our party walked all through the house, and then the nobility escorted

them all over the grounds, and finally brought them back to the palace

about half-past two o'clock to breakfast. They called it breakfast, but

we would have called it luncheon. It consisted of two kinds of wine;

tea, bread, cheese, and cold meats, and was served on the centre-tables

in the reception room and the verandahs--anywhere that was convenient;

there was no ceremony. It was a sort of picnic. I had heard before that

we were to breakfast there, but Blucher said he believed Baker's boy had

451

The Innocents Abroad