"

Mr. Pierce called in full court dress and informed Dr. Talmage that it
would be necessary for him to appear in like regalia. As the Doctor was
not accustomed to wearing swords, or cocked hats, or brass buttons on
his coat, he received these instructions with some distress of mind.
Later, we received from the Grand Master of Ceremonies of the Russian
Court a formal invitation to be presented at Peterhof, the summer
palace.

On Wednesday, July 25, 1900, I find this irreverent entry in my American
girl's diary:--

"I can't think of any words sufficiently high sounding with which to
begin the report of this day, so shall simply write about breakfast
first, and gradually lead up to the great event. In spite of the coming
honour and the present excitement we all ate a hearty breakfast."

"As our train was to leave for Peterhof about noon we spent the morning
dressing.

"After all," writes my irreverent daughter in her diary, "dressing for
royalty is not more important than dressing for a dance or dinner. It
can't last for much over an hour. When we had everything on we sat
opposite each other as stiff as pokers--waiting."

My daughter took a snapshot picture of us while waiting. Mrs. Pierce had
kindly given us some instructions about curtseying and backing away from
royalty, a ceremony which neither the Czar nor the Czarina imposed upon
us, however. The trip to Peterhof was made on one of the Imperial cars.
The distance by rail from St. Petersburg was only half-an-hour. A
gentleman from the American Embassy rode with us. We were met at the
station by footmen in royal livery and conducted to a carriage with the
Imperial coat-of-arms upon it. Sentinels in grey coats saluted us.

We were driven first to the Palace of Peterhof, where more footmen in
gold lace, and two other officials in gorgeous uniform, conducted us
inside, through a corridor, past a row of bowing servants, into a
dining-room where the table was set for luncheon, with gold and silver
plates, cut glass and rare china. A more exquisite table setting I never
saw. Three dressing-rooms opened off this big room, and these we
promptly appropriated.

The luncheon was perfect, though we would have enjoyed it better after
the strain of our presentation had been over. The four different kinds
of wine were not very liberally patronised by any of our party. After
luncheon we were driven through the royal park which was literally
filled with mounted Cossacks on g