The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-05-24
The Empress of Russia.

| SNbSAc" W 1870
American.
The Empress of Russia.
Rumor has been for som time past busy
with the name of the young Empress of Russia
as a parsonage who exercises no inconsiderable
influence over the mind Of her Imperial hus-
band, and more especially as being steadily the
advocate of peaceful measures. In Russia. as
we all know, there are wv great PARTIES
Muscovite and the German. They are as an
tagonistic in the principles of their policy as III
their objects Of ambition. In the Council.
chamber, in the Army and Navy, in the
saloons of the Emperor, they maintain an eter
nal and interucctinc rivalry which only the
predominant and despotic authority Of tue
Grown can temper and control. WithA
going the length Of saying that the Empress
at The head of one ofti @r""ties-for it would
be contrary to J. "'cter totake
part against an, hus-
baud-she is. Ii o with
veneration ard haE NON she
s%ymrathizes in origil If at the
present moment she peace, it
would be too much to ainfm that q considera-
ton of the evils. which, a universal war would
bring upon her Fatherland, does not. even ur-
consciously to herself, influence her in eIdeav-
oring to give that tone to the policy Of the
country Of her adoption. For her Majesty is
thoroughly German in her character, although
a sense of duty and the influence of associations
have led her entirely to identify herself with
the interests of her husband and of the nation
over which he rules. The whole of her carly life,
and most of it since her marriage, was spent in
the Hessian domiuions-from which she can
only be said to have been finally severed when
called on TO mount the throne of Russia.
Some twenty years ago the traveller in the
mountainous regions in the neighborhood of
Darmstadt might have encountered and have
stopped invo!untarily to admire perhaps on
the .waysldc, perhaps in some PEASANTS cottage,
perhaps ascending The mountains side--one of
the %loveliest OF Gods creatures. The same
Traveller might also have encountered her in
the streets of Darmstadt, running about the
quiet little town, making her visits or her pur-
chases. and attended, perhaps, by only waiting
maid, like any other lady prolncnader. The
lady was the princess Mary of Oilenburg, the
present Empress Of Russia.
Some ridiculous stories used to be circulated
as to the princess, which we only notice here
because their contradiction may warn the
credulous, always too prone to believe the
most extravagant fables with respect to Royal
Personages. In consequence of her extraor-
binary beauty and the took in
escaping from the tate aud
Court life, it was ca lad been
treated with neg OF rela-
tlves that, in S, 'nder-
ella, to whom ! .,,ding to
some others, hex ere preferred
These were mere Inventions. The Princess
Mary has always been, and Notwithstanding
her elevation to the Russian throne, still is, a
favorlte with the good people of Darmstadt,
whose affection is amply justified by her ex-
IRENE afability and beauty.
While thus she lived q life of happy freeze
dom the event that was to decide her fate in
life was approaching. About the year 1896
the present Emperor Alexander III, then the
Czarowitch, was sent by his father, the late
Emperor Nicholas, on a tour through Europe
IN search OF a wife. He visited several Ger
man Courts, where the brilliancy of the prize
exposed him to seductions and temptations
which usually assail a man who is known to
have come on snch q mission. In vain was he
introduced to the various Princessess of the
reignlng houses. From all he passed unscathed
till he reached Hesse Darmstadt but there his
late was sealed. One of the peculiar charac-
t~cristics of the Russian Court is its combina.
ton of extreme refinement and elegance with
patriarchal simplicity in domestic life.
In the young Princess Mary-thcn about six-
teen years o. age--the CzaroNi itch saw the
ideal of a wife, and became cnamorcd of her
at once. Within q year they were married,
the Princess changing her original names
Maximilienne Wilhelmina Augusta Sophia
Marie, Into the Maria Alexandrowina, by which
she is known to the Russian people.
The Empress of RUSSIA was born on the 9Th
Of August, 1920. She was the daughter Of
Lonis IL, the late Grand Duke of Hessc, and
married to the present Emperor of Russia
on the 10Th of April, 1897. Her Majesty has
five children, three sons, and two daughters.
Her eldest brother, the r%cigning Duke Of
IIesse, has recently used his utmost efforts to
second his sister in her great aim-that of
arriving at a restoration Of peace. Although
at war with the Russians, we have learned to
respect their many great qualities and it is a
still more soitering influence over the asperi.
ties engendered by strife to know that the
Russian throne is herself an apostle Of peace,
civilization, and progress.