Litchfield enquirer., 1868-08-27
WHOLE NO. 28OS
CONTRASTS OF CHARACTER.


 " qualities and defects reproduced them selves in hundred acts of his life. For instance, one night saw him fsticuf poor Jew in the face, and accompany the act with the most sonorous oaths, because in giving light to the postillions of the Berlin imperial, he had awakened him with a start by throwing the night of his lan- tern into his face. Again, at Warsaw, where he went to receive the King of Prus- sia and the Emperor of Austria, he took Francis Joseph into his arms to force him to occupy the seat of honor in his carriage, which the young emperor was unwilling to accept; courtesy, according to the Cos sack, that would have exactly suited him.
 Yet this man, so rude and so naughty, evidenced occasionally great delicacy of sentiment. One very cold day, returning from review, where he had been almost frozen, he stopped at the house of lady, whom he knew to be in ill health, and met 1 the doctor in the waiting-room. 'How is Madame-?' said he to the latter.
 Very poorly, sire. The cold of St. Pe- | tersburg is killing her.
 'Ah the cold is injuring her? Feel my hands, They are frozen, are they not?'
 Very cold, sire?' | Well, will wait here until they are warm; I would not for the world increase her malady.'
 And the emperor waited in this sort of an antechamber, talking to the doctor, un- til his hands resumed their usual warmth.
 Strange character! Curious mixture of faults and good qualities, of ittleness and grandeur; brutal and chivalrous, coura- geous even to temerity, and distrustful even to poltroonery; equitable and tyran- nical, generous and cruel, at once the friend of ostentation and simplicity! His palace was magnificent his court splendid tue luxuriousness of his courtiers dazzling, while in his own person, his habits and tastes, he affected an imposing austerity. His working cabinet was almost bare; he slept always on camp bed. The oddness of his uniform, and of his military cloaks was proverbial at St. Petersburg.
 From feet to head the picture is admirable
 From head to feet, the Czar is detestable.
 Worn out, pieced ill different places, they evidenced by their shifting neatness how carefully they were preserved. At his repasts, even, he drank no wine; he never smoked, and the odor of tobacco was so disagreeable to him that it was forbidden, not only in the Winter Palace, but in the streets of St. Petersburg. Even the Grand Duke Alexander, the Czar truly, and an in- veterate smoker, was obliged to sit under the mantel- piece, to enjoy the luxury of cigar in the imperial palace.
 THE RULING PASSION.
 The character, the conduct, the whole politics of the Emperor Nicholas may be embodied in the word pride. His ruling passion was pride, pride incommensura- ble, pride such as neither Louis XIV, Henry VIII, nor Solyman the Magnificent these three crowned representatives of capital sins-could ever equal. The idea of humiliation would leave him smiling, so entirely he believed such an event inn possible. It may truly be said that he never submitted, for the first repulse he had to suffer killed him.
 This pride ill him passes all bounds, and touches sometimes on the alteration of 8 Schahabaham One day, one of his aides de camp c lme to him very much excited, and throwing himself at his feet: Sire! cried he, I beg your Majesty to grant me favor.' Speak
 Permit me to fight duel.'
 Never! replied the emperor
 Nicholas had horror of dueIs. In his eyes all blood was criminally shed in Rus sia that was not for the country or in his service, and he punished the guilty in this , respect most severely.
 Sire, am dishonored. It is necessary for me to fight
 What do you say?"
 I nave been struck in the face."
 'Ah! said the emperor, contracting his brOws. But know cannot permit duel You must come with me-
 And taking him by the arm, he conduc- Gea hitI b0fOAo tl- -a hlnd onnrt and in presence of all, kissed him on the offended cheek.
 Go, now,' said he, 'and resume you tran guilty; the affront is washed out. During the war of the Crimea, and espe- c1ally In the first part of it, Nicholas, very restless, waited every day for news from the south. Each one tried his best to conceal the bad turn affairs had taken, But after the battle of Alma, the truth had to be con- fessed. courier, Colonel A., was des- patched to him in great haste. He re- ; ceived orders to repair immediately to the Czar.
 ''Well! what news?" said the emperor to to him brusquely giving him scarcely time to enter or fulfil the accustomed formalities of etiquette.
 'The battle has been fought, sire.'
 Finish! said the emperor, with an emo- tlon that caused his usually firm voice to | sAlas!-'
 ] You say-?'
 Fortune has failed us.'
 We are-?'
 We are beaten, sire.'
 The emperor arose from his seat.
 Is 1t possible, said he, in a quick man ner.
 'The Russian army has taken flight
 You lie! cried Nicholas with frighful explosion of anger. Sire
 You lie. My soldiers never fly Sire, have told you the truth
 You lie, say, you lie.' And, his eye beaming with anger his lips contracted, his hand raised, he threw him self on the military courier and tore off his epaulettes.
 sGop You are now only soldier
 The unhappy colonel, pale with shame, smothering his rage and the tears that rose to his eyes, went out, his soul in dispair. But hardly had he reached the staircase. when he heard the voice of the emperor begging his return. He retraced his steps and Nicholas, running to meet him, em- braced him ardently, begged pardon for his brutality, and offered for his acceptance the post of aide-de-camp.
 May your Majesty hold me excused re- piled the poor officer; for in taking of my