The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-08-05
How Kaiser Wilhelm's Sister Was Won

1t will he remembered that the
Emperor William |. of Germany,
Immediately after the preliminaries
of peace has been signed at Yer
sailles, sent to ST. Petersburg tel
egram in which he expressed to the
Gar his gratitude for the friendly
attitude which Russia had main
tanned during the progress OF the
Franco -Prussian war, and in which
he frankly admitted that Germany
was indebted to this sincere friend
ship of her powerful Eastern neigh
Dor for the comparatively limited
dimensions of the gigantic conflict.
Unquestionably the political inter
ests of Russia, and above all, ner
well known policy in the Eastern
question, have mainly contributed
to her partiality for Prussia; but not
an insignificant share in this par
tiality must be attributed to personal
considerations-to that near rela-
tionship which for upwards of half a
century has existed between the dy-
nasties of Russia and Prussia s.: for
Alexander the Second, the present
Emperor of Russia, is a son of the
Princess Charlotte of Prussia, the
sister of the present Emperor of
Germany.
| The betrothal and marrI age of this
Princess with Nicholas, who was
only Grand Duke, but afterward
Emperor of. Russia, forms one of the
sweetest and most romantic love
episodes i'm the world of European
courts, which is usually SO devoid
of love and romance, and would, on
that account alone, deserve being
remembered, quite regardless of the
historical interest which will hence
forth adhere to all the members OF
the family of the conqueror OF
France.
Princess Charlotte was born in the
wear 179S, and was the eldest daugh-
ter of King Frederick William the
Third of Prussia, and his beautiful
and accomplished wife, Queen Louisa.
Her early childhood elapsed amidst
scenes of terror and humiliation for
the royal family of Prussia, and no
body would at that time have
ventured to predict for her the bril-
liant career which Providence kept
in store for this child, born and
brought up under such fatal aus
pices. We might, indeed, make an
exception i'll favor of her mother,
who, with that prophetic intuition
which seems to have been the dis
tinguished feature of that high
minded woman, wrote one day to
i her father, the Duke of Mecklem-
burg, the following lines about her
daughter:
Charlotte is given to silence and
reserve, but under her apparent
coldness she conceals warm and
loving heart. Her Indifference and
| pride are but the dull outside of a
diamond of the purest water, which
some day will shine forth in its
brilliant lustre.. Her bearing and
manners are noble and dignified
She has but few friends, and these
few are warmly attached to her.
| know her value, and predict for hel
| a brilliant future, if she lives long
enough"
The young Princess was, indeed
q very frail and delicate creature
one Of those tender flowers which
| seem to wait for the kind hand o1
the gardener to transplant them into
a warm cline. She was charming
| and handsome; but her beauty was
rather that Of a pale lily than thai
of blooming rose.
| Charlotte was just sixteen, whell
| i'm the year 1914, the Grand Duke
4 Nicholas, On his way to the camp O.
the allied armies in France, passed
through Berlin, and was warmly
welcomed as an hohored guestat the
royal palace.
The description which those wht
saw and knew the Grand Duke a
that time have given of the ineom
parable graces Of his person aat
mind makes it easy for us to imagine
| that the heart of young girl JUS
| budding into womanhood was cap
tiyated and charmed by him almos
| at first sight. Well he might hay'
said, like Caesar, ~ came, I saw,
eonauered.r The Princess fell il
. love with him, and fortunately TO
her the young Grand Duke returned
| her love fully as passionately.
The Grand Duke Nicholas had tin
reputation of being one of th
handsomest, if not the very hand
, somest man of his times; and his ma
J iestic and stately form, which meas
ured no less than six feet two inches
was considered unequaled in beauty
!. not only in Russia, but in all Eu
rome. He was vigorous, strong, ful
= of life and health, with broad should
] ers and chest, while his small hand
and feet were Of the most aFlste
cratic elegance; his whole fgur
realized the perfect model of mani.
and commanding beauty which th
divine art of q sculptor of antiquit,
has inmortalized under the feature
of the Apollo Belyidere. His feature
were Of the Grecian east-forehea
and nose formed d straight line-sn
his large, blue, sincere eyes shove
: q singular combination of composurt
s+arn,ass splf.ralianna. and nrid(