Butte record., 1854-11-18
THE czAR AND rsrs DAUGHTER

city of St. Petersburg a young girl, so
beautiful and so lovely, that the greatest
prince of Europe, had he met her, even
in a peasants hut, might well have
turned his back upon prlncessas to Offer
her his hand ana his crown.
But flr from having first having seen
the lght IN a peasants hut, she WAS bor"
in the shadow Of the proudest throne on
earth. 1t was Maize Micolewna, the
adored daughter of the Emperor of Rus
sia.
AS her father saw her blooming lik
the May flower, and sought for by all
the heirs Of royalty, he cast his eyes up
on the fairest, the richest and the m st
powerful of them, and, with the smile of
a father and a king, said to her:
"My child, YOU are fan age to mar
ry, and have chosen for you the prince
who will make you queen, and the mar
who will render you happy"
"The man who will realer me hap
py," stammered the busting princess
with sigh which was the only objec-
tion to which her heart CAV utterance.
"Speak, father she said, as she saw
frown gathering on the brow of tn,
Gar.
"SPcak, and your majesty shall be
obeyed."
"Obeyed !" exclaimed the Emperor
trembling for the first time in his life
is it then only in an act of obtdience
that you will receive a husband from my
hands 2"
The young girl was silent, and con-
cealed a tear.
is your faith already plighted 2"
The young girl was still silent.
Explain yourself, Marie; I com
mand YOU"
At this word, which sways sixty mill
ions of human beings, the princess fel
at the feet of the Car
g Yes, father, If | must toll you, m,
heart is no longer my own it is bestowed
upon young man who knows it not
and who shall never know it, if such
your wish H. has seen me bur two e.
three times at distance, end we vii
never speak 10 each other if our majes
ty forbids it."
The Emperor waE silent in his turn.
He grew pale. Three times he made
the circuit of tn saloon. He burst n
ask the name of the young man.
He would have brased, far caprice
the monarchs Of the woild at the heal
of their armies-he, with his omnipo-
tence, feared this unknown youth, VII
disputed with him the possession Of hi
ucdttSt tTcHSufe.
"Is it a king :" he demanded at last
"No, flther.'
The heir of king, at least :"
"No, father"
At each step in the descending scale
the Gar stopped to recover breath.
" A stranger ~
" cs, father -
The Emperor fe back into an arm
chair, and hid h face in his hands, like
Agamemnon at the sacrifice of Iphige-
MIA.
g Is h in Russia % he resumed with
an effort.
"Yes, father.''
" At St. Petersburg -
"Yes, father"
And the voice of the young girl grew
faint
Where shall I see him :" said the
Car, rising with threatening aspect.
Tomorrow. at the review
''How shall l recognize him ~ re-
peated the Czar, with stamp Of his
foot.
By his green plume and his black
steed."
"'Tis well. Go, my daughter, and
pray God to have pity upon that man. .
The princess withdrew in faintine
condition, and the Emperor was soon
lost in thought
"A childish caprice" he said, at
length. 81 am foolish to be disturbed
at it. She will forget it. She shall soon
forget it !" and his lips dare not utter
what his heart added. g 1t must be ;
for all my power would be weaker than
her tears"
On the following day, at the review,
the Gar, whose eagle eye embraced all
at glance, sought and saw in his bat
talions nought else than a green plume
and black charger He recogniz d in
him, who wore the one and rode the
other, a simple colonel Of the Bavarirn
L. n