Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-07-06
VOLUME XVI.
HOW KAISER WILHELM'S SISTER
WAS WON.

WAS WON.
IT will be remembered that the EN-
peror William l. of Germany, immediately
after the preliminaIies of peace had been
signed at Versailles, sent to st. Peters
burg a telegram in which he expressed to
the Gar his gratitude for the friendly at
titude which Russia had maintained dur
ing the progress OF the Franco Prussan
war, and in which he frankly admitted
that Germany was indebted to this sincere
friendship of her powerful Eass ern neigh
Dor for the comparatively limited dimen-
sions of the gigantic conflict. Unques-
tionably the political interests of Russia,
and above all, her well known policy in
the Eastern question, have mainly con-
tributed to her partiality for Prussia; but
not an insignificant share in this partiality
must be attributed to personal considera-
tions-to that near relationship which for
upwards of half century has existed be-
tween the dynasties of Russia and Prussia;
for Alexander the Second, tie present EN-
peror of Russia, is a son of the Princess
Charlotte of Prussia, the sister of the
present Emperor of Germany.
The betrothal and marriage of this Prin-
cess with Nicholas, who was then only
Grand Duke, but afterward Emperor OF
Russia, forms one of the sweetest and
most romantic love episodes in the world
of European courts, which is usually so de-
void of love and romance, and would, on
that account alone, deserve being remem-
bered, quite regardless of the historical in
terest which will henceforth adhere to all
the members of the family of the con-
queror of France.
Princess Charlotte was born in the year
| 1898, and was the eldest daughter of King
| Frederick William the Third of Prussia,
| and his beautiful and accomplished wife,
| Queen Louisa. Her early childhood
elapsed amidst scenes ofterror and humili-
alton for the royal family of Prussia, and
nobody would at that time have ventured
to predict for her the brilliant career
which Providence kept in store for this
child, born and brought up under such fatal
auspices We might, indeed, make an ex-
ception in favor of her mother, who, with
that prophetic intuition which seems to
| have been the distinguishing feature of
| that high minded woman, wrote one day
to her father, the Duke of Mecklenburg,
the following lines about her daughter:
Charlotte is given to silence and re-
serve, but under her apparent coldness
she conceals warm and loving heart.
Her Indifference and pride are but the dull
outside of diamond of the purest water,
which some day will shine forth in its
brilliant lustre. Her bearing and manners
are noble and dignifed She has but few
| friends, and these few are warmly attached
| to her. l know her value, and predict for
her a brilliant future, if she lives long
enough"
The young Princess was, indeed, very
| frail and delicate creature-one of those
tender flowers which seem to wait for the
kind hand OF the gardener to transplant
them into a warmer cline. She was
charming and handsome; but her beauty
was rather that of pale lily than that of
a blooming rose.
Charlotte was just sixteen, when, in the
year 1914, the Grand Duke Nicholas, on
his way to the camp of the allied armies
in France, passed through Berlin, and was
warmly welcomed as an hOnored guest at
the royal palace.
The description which those who saw
and knew the Grand Duke at that time
have given of the incompatible graces OF
his person and mind makes it easy for us
| to imagine that the heart of young girl
just budding into womanhood was capti
waited and charmed by him almost at first
sight. Well he might have said, like
Cesar, I came, I saw, conquered" The
Princess fell in love with him, and fortu-
nately for her the young Grand Duke re-
turned her love fully as passionately.
The Grand Duke Nicholas had the repu-
tation of being one of the handsomest, if
not the very handsomest man of his times;
and his majestic and stately form, which
measured no less than six feet two inches,
was considered unequaled in beauty, not
only in Russia, but in all Europe. He
was vigorous, strong, full of life and
health, with broad shoulders and chest,
while his small hands and feet were of the
most aristocratic elegance; his whole
figure realized the perfect model of manly
and commanding beauty which the devine
art of sculptor of antiquity has immor-
talized under the features of the Apollo
Belvidere. His features were Of the Grecian
cast-forehead and nose formed a straight
line-and his large, blue, sincere eyes
| showed singular combination of COM
posure, sternnesss, self-reliance, and pride,
among which it would have been difficult
for the observer to name the predominant
expression. Those who would have looked
closely and attentively into those remark
able eyes would have easily believed that
their threatening glances would suffice to
suppress rebellion, to terrify and disarm
a murderer, or to frighten away suppli-
ant; but there would have been but few
to believe that the sternness of those eyes
could be so entirely softened as to beam
forth nothing but love and kindness.
Among these few was, however, the young
Prussian Princess. who had drunk deep in
their Intoxicating fervor II is true that she
was the only person in the world in whose
presence the Olympian gravity of his fea-
lures gave way to radiant cheerfulness
which made his manly beauty perfectly If
resistible.
In such moments his magnificent brow,
always the seat of meditation and thought,
exhibited the serene beauty and Attic
grace of young Athenian-the serious
Pericles seemed, by the invisible wand of
magician, to have been transferred into
the youthful Alcibiedes.
Such is the f1attering picture which his
contemporaries have drawn of the personal
appearance of the Grand Duke Nicholas
at the time of his arrival at. Berlin.
f At that time, however, the matchless
personal charms Of the Grand Duke were
not enhanced by political prospects of the
most exalted character. He was not even
eventually considered an heir to the i'm
perial crown Of Russia. 1t is true Alex,
ander the First, his brother, had no chill
dren, but in the case of his death, which
, could not be expected soon, the Grand
Duke Constantine was to inherit the
throne of Peter the Great, and leave tC
J Nicholas at best but the position of
} Prince of the first blood. Nevertheless
| Frederick William, charmed alike by the
| beauty and intellect of his guest, and BY
) the hope of uniting the sovereign houses
5 of Prussia and Russia by the close ties O
) a family union, greeted the prospect of {
/. marriage between the Grand Duke an(
: his daughter with enthusiasm, especially
s when he discovered that the young folk
:, themselves were very fond of each other
9 The King then delicately insinuated t.
/, his daughter that if she had taken a likin.
o to the Grand Duke and had reason to be
e lieve that the Prince entertained simila
r feelings toward her, their marriage woul,
# meet with no objection on his part
s But the young Princess, although Sc
e cretly delighting in hope which so full
6 responded to the secret wishes of her hear
T was either too proud or TOO bashful to cor
d | fonn tc, hnr father hnr lorra fo,, IL q -