The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-08-07

THE GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE OF RUSSIA
Temple Bar, for July, has Personal
"Reminiscences" of the "First OF the Con-
stantines," as seen by an Englishman in
Warsaw. in 1880, when he was acting
Vicerov of Poland. The picture of the
Russian ticer-bear is there given:
The figure of the Grand Duke was tall
and burly: burly almost to unwieldness :;
but that face. The forehead was high
and full, but the brow overhanging like a
penthouse-a pair of small swinish eyes
that glanced around now and then with
the ferocity of an untamed beast-the
nose short to stuminess, and turned up,
as if to afford an easy inspection of the
brain through the spreading nostrils-the
upper lip long, the lower protruding-the
expression fierce, sullen, lowering. The
portrait is not overcharged. There is
naught set down in malice
Without any ceremony of formal pre-
sentation to me- or any previous introduce
ton, the Grand Duke strobe up to me 1t
was my good fortune, as ! afterwards
learned, that the animal, compounded of a
tiger and bear, was in an unusually good
humor For wonder, nothing had gone
wrong that morning. He eyed me with a
scowl, from top to toe, for few seconds,
which appeared to me interminable,
growled, or rather grunted, at me without
words, turned to my introducer, who had
advanced a step before the other officers,
and sharply asked, "Speaks German {? -
and receiving an answer in the affirmative,
burst suddenly into torrent of questions
to me, in brief, authoritative tone, with
out always waiting for an answer, and with
the evident expectation of receiving his re-
plies as rapidly. Who was I? What was
/? Whence did I come? Whittier was
going? Why did come to Poland? What
did I want in Warsaw? What did | think
of all l had seen? were few of these alb
rupt and overwhelming questions. did
my best to stand my ground, and gave
thrust for thrust as quickly as | was able.
When he had done, my gruff questioner
turned his back on me as suddenly as he had
accosted me, with a jerk of the head and
another grunt. was dismissed.
One day was startled by an order to
wait on his Imperial Highness to break
fast. Afterwards these invitations were
frequently repeated; and it was in the
more intricate recesses of his den that l
was able to study the humors of the wild
beast more closely. Breakfasting with
such an animal is by no means pleasant
pastime. 1t was never possible to know
or foresee how and when the creatures
wrath might be aroused and when once
the storm of rage commenced, it was diff
ficultly assuaged The task of pacifcation
was something more than | ever ventured
to attempt. The looking on in silence,
with what calmness | could assume-was
my only-perhaps my best-policy. AT
these private interviews there was almost
always one person present, who at the
This was the Princess Lowicz-his wife by
a left handed marriage, but no less his
legitimate wife-the woman for whose
sake, as some surmises would have it, he
had renowned the imperial throne of
Russia in favor of his younger brt ther
Nicholas Graceful and ladylike in man.
ner, rather than beautiful, this extraordi-
nary woman, whose fate was thus linked
to wild animal, without reason to con-
troll his impulses, and whose obsti-
macy, ferocity and cruelty were noto-
rious all over Europe, had seemingly
obtained an influence over the creature to
whom she was chained, which was at once
irresistible, and always exercised for good.
And with what seeming ease and gen.
tleness was the beneficial influence called
into play! 1t was truly soft and silken,
and even almost an invincible cord by
which the furious beast was led. The old
types of Una and the lion were revived in
this strangely contrasting pair. l have
seen him sitting low, and playing with her
silken locks, or fondling her little hands
in his paws, while listening to the English
which flowed with pleasant, slightly for
eign accent from her mouth as she con-
versed with me, and evidently delighting
in her display of an accomplishment which
he himself did not possess. 1t was prob
tongue with her that was invited so fire.
quently. The monster would set us talk
ing, rubbing his paws with seeming salts
faction as the conversation progressed, and
grunting in his peculiar fashion when
pleased by information, which, in answer
to his ceaselessly reiterated questions,
was able without fattery, to give, that she
spoke the language with rare perfection.
l might have added, had / dared, that
nothing could be more alluring than the
tones in which my native English was so
sweetly uttered. Her voice, especially in
those notes of gentle and carressing expos
tulation which l sometimes heard, was ex-
quisite. s-E.| .tt-r
On one occasion, l heard tn good angel
plead for me. The scene would have been
utterly ludicrous in its grotesqueness had
not mailman been the prominent actor
in it. Strawberries were on the breakfast
table. l had eaten of them to safety,
when my imperial host asked me to take
some more; / declined. l was again re.
quested to eat, little less politely;
still refused; and the requests became
commands. had my own boyish pride
and obstinacy-no commands would have
induced me to est another strawberry
This contradiction was more than the way
ward despot could endure; his mad pas
sion burst forth; he thrust the plate OF
Strawberries at my jaw, then flung it at my
head, spat in my face, and stamped about
the room. fOaming really. NOT metaphOric-