extraordinarily and obviously a Grand Duke. He
measures 6 feet 5 inches, and is worshipped by every soldier in the
Army.

We went first into a huge anteroom, where a lady-in-waiting received us,
and presented us to "Son Altesse Imperiale," and then to the Grand Duke
and to his brother, the Grand Duke Peter. Some scenes seem to move as
in a play. I had a vision of a great polished floor, and many tall men
in Cossack dress, with daggers and swords, most of them different grades
of Princes and Imperial Highnesses.

A great party of Generals, and ladies, and members of the Household,
then went into a big dining-room, where every imaginable hors d'oeuvre
was laid out on dishes--dozens of different kinds--and we each ate
caviare or something. Afterwards, with a great tramp and clank of spurs
and swords, everyone moved on to a larger dining-room, where there were
a lot of servants, who waited excellently.

In the middle of the dejeuner the Grand Duke Nicholas got up, and
everyone else did the same, and they toasted us! The Grand Duke made a
speech about our "gallantry," etc., etc., and everyone raised glasses
and bowed to one. Nothing in a play could have been more of a real fine
sort of scene. And certainly S. Macnaughtan in her wildest dreams hadn't
thought of anything so wonderful as being toasted in Russia by the
Imperial Staff.

It's quite a thing to be tiresome about when one grows old!

In the evening we tried to be merry, and failed. The Grand Duchess sent
us mistletoe and plum-pudding by the hand of M. Boulderoff. He took us
shopping, but the bazaars are not interesting.

Good-bye, and bless you, my dear,
Yours as ever,
S. MACNAUGHTAN.

* * * * *

_To Miss Julia Keays-Young._

HOTEL D'ORIENT, TIFLIS,
CAUCASUS, RUSSIA,
_27 December._

DARLING JENNY,

I can't tell you what a pleasure your letters are. I only wish I could
get some more from anybody, but not a line gets through! I want so much
to hear about Bet and her marriage, and to know if the nephews and
Charles are safe.

There seems to be the usual winter pause over the greater part of the
war area, but round about here, there are the most awful massacres;
550,000 Armenians have been slaughtered in cold blood by the Turks, and
with cruelties that pass all telling. One is quite impotent.

I expect to be sent into Persia soon, and meanwhile I hope to join some
American missionaries who are helping the refugees. Our