. In joyful Russia. on its balcony after dinner, and looking across at thefortress, and to the left where Basil Island presents manyof the finest public buildings in the city, the scene is avery fine and imposing one. The club itself containsevery conafort. Its reading-room has the latest and bestof European literature on file. Its billiard-rooms are wellarranged and lighted, the tables being the large ones usedin the English game, which to an American player at firstare so difficult. There are no accommodations-in this orother Russian clubs for the residence of members. Thedinner to which we
. In joyful Russia. on its balcony after dinner, and looking across at thefortress, and to the left where Basil Island presents manyof the finest public buildings in the city, the scene is avery fine and imposing one. The club itself containsevery conafort. Its reading-room has the latest and bestof European literature on file. Its billiard-rooms are wellarranged and lighted, the tables being the large ones usedin the English game, which to an American player at firstare so difficult. There are no accommodations-in this orother Russian clubs for the residence of members. Thedinner to which we sat down was on the table dhote was excellent, too, and the Zakuska which precededit was served in a different room. We dined at largetables, two or three, I forget which, about which the mem-bers sat quite en famille. I liked this feature. It pro-moted sociability in the club and turned the dinner from asolemn function into an occasion of mirth and was after dinner, while enjoying a cup of coffee. THE CITY OP THE FIRST MODERN TSAR. 205 and a cigarette upon the balcony of the club, that I hada very good opportunity to see the beauties which the Nevapresents. As one looks down the river, the scene pre-sented by the Exchange, the University buildings, theAcademy of Arts, the Corps de Cadets, and the Academyof Sciences, surrounded as they are by well-kept swardand beautiful flower beds, is peculiarly pleasing. Thestately Exchange building stands on the point of the islandnearest the club. It is of white marble, and great flightsof steps lead down from it to the waters edge. On each sideof it, and in front, are two immense columns surmountedby figures of Atalanta bearing urns in which fires aresometimes lighted. Beyond this and farther down theriver is the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, which is an excel-lently equipped and very popular organization. It sup-plies its members with roAvboats, sailing craft of nearlyevery description devoted to pleasure, and has several
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1897
