Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-11-30
Sketch of the Grand Duke.

| -ln0 6FaQQ luke Alexis is GQ0 IOurLE
born but third surviving son of the
Emperor Alexander i II. of Russia and
his Empress, formerly Princess o
Hesseg He is now in his ed year
having been born Jan. 2, 1850. Is aH:z
birth was attended with great danger
to the mother, and there were fearS
that the babe was still-bOrn. When
the father presented himself to the I'm.
perial group with his son in his arms,
the Emperor Nich5 5las stepped forward
and Invested the infant prince with the
Official dignity of Colonel Of the Eka-
theriHebOurg regiment of infantry.
The first five years of AleXis'S life vas
a period of deep anxiety for the reign
ing family, the country being disturbed
by the contentious With Turkey, which
ended in actual war. The disasters
which were continually befalling the
Russian arms in the Grimea pReyed so
heavily ON the Emperor Nicholas that
he died March 2, 1855, when the pres
The Grand Duke Alexis was at this
time but a sickly child, and required
the most careful nursing. The Emperor
Empire, and in 1855 his coronation
took place in Moscow. Alexis, then
six. years ofage,T made his first appear
anee before the assembled nobility of
the Empire at this brilliant ceremony,
and q joyous welcome was accorded to
the beautiful Empress when she appear
ed surrounded by her children. ~
The Imperial family went, immedi-
ately after the coronation, to st. Peters
burg, where the young prince was
nh thu 1.eeS
early education under the charge of
Madame de Bernard, a French lady,
and of Fraulien Juhthsof, the orphan
daug ghter of COurtland nobleman.
The lad proved quick scholar, and
was soon not only able to read Russian,
French, and German, but understood
any conversation addressed to him in
those languages. At the age of seven
he suffered so severely from measles
that his life was despaired of, but under
the care of Polish physician, noted
for the remarkable cures he had per-
formed, the patient RAPIDLY recovered,
and was found much improved in con-
stitution when fully restored to health. |
In due time the young prince was
transferred from, the care. of his gov
ernesses, and placed under the tuition
Va L 10Aos \ Va Sa1OAA 0AA On OBCl447 buC
former instI ucting him in mathematics |
while he was taught English by a |
Scotch gentleman named Gordon.
When II years of age he had also ac-
fish. .Russia was at this time disturbed /
by an uprising of the Poles. In 1865
his eldest brother, the Grand Duke
(4onpfox14frznA fJso.E "a AT;aa- L.
had gone to recruit his Installing
health. The Emperor, the Empress,
the Grand Duke Alexis, and the dying
princes atiianced bride, the Princess
Dagmar, were present at the time of
his death. Il = q - 49,, :. -
When about Il, years of age, the
the Grand Duke Consi iantine, on a /
voyage of inspection to sweabork, and
thus had his first experience of the per-
lis Of seafaring life. During the voyage
there was a terrific storm, of several
hours duration, but the boy-voya
was undismayed, and no amount of
persuasion could induce him, to retire
to his state-rooln. The life of sailor |.
had become SO attractive to him that
on restraining to st. Petersburg he
ouAIOuoAJ OCoQuAHS ul9 A0tItCi " pCA-i
NIT his entering the naval service. The
however, declined to aecede
to the request, considering his son of too
delicats q constitution to undergo the
are incidental to life
onithe ocean. but afterward yielded 50
fir as to giveohim the position of in
spector of the Russian war vessels sta
toned in the ports OF Finland. Il Since
that time he has become fairly enrolled
tn the navyiof.his country, and in the
of First Lieutenant on the
frigate Svetianat he visits the United
States for the first time. .ijafai3Hi , faii
Ilstt tt1jsofhought in Europe that the
GRIND Duke Alexis Will marry the
Princess Mary Elizabeth, ,,eldesttdangh-
ter of Prince Frederic Charles off
Prussia and the Princess Mary of +
AiIholt. .It.isj probable that their be-
truthal WILSON be officially aanounc-
sa.h The Princess is in her 18th year. IL
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