Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-06-06
From lIarpcr's Razar
Love in the Winter Palace ;


In a former number of the Bd+or We
gave the history Of the betrothal and
marriage Of the Emperor Nicholas ot
Russia Vhc grandfather of the Prince
Alexis, who comes to make our per
souai acqnaintaucc) 20 Princess Char
lutte Of Prussia, and our fair readers
will not have failed to admire the In
gcnious way in which the handsome
Suitor pleaded his cause with the queen
of his heart To-day We propose "a
present the same prince in another
love aliair-no longer as hero wooiug
Tor himself, bat in the more modest
part OF a matchmaker intent on caus.
iug tl.c happiness OF beloved daugh-
ter. even at The sacrifice of his person
al pridc and bis most cherished hopes.
II WAS in the wear 1888. At the
court OF st. Petersburg there lived at
that time a Young lauy So lovely, 50
charming. SO beautiful. that it had al
most passed into provcrb among the
cuurucIs tHat the most powerful mon
area, If he mad met her IN a peasant :
cot would have turned his back on all
the princesses Of Europe, and would
have offered her his hand and his
throne. his young lady born in the
shadow Of The proud throne OF tie
cZar,. was Maria Nicoajcwna. the cld-
c>t daughter of the Emperor Nicholas
She had just attained her nineteenth
/ year: and when her father beAcid hcr.
v blooming and fragrant ike the tlDwcr,
Y of May, aud that nearly every crown
\ prince IN Europe entertained tie hupc
of winning the heart and hand Of tins
I SELF lpokln. about for the most cliel-
4 b.c. the woIthiv,t. and tile most pow
,tiul CousoIt ior A, darling.
Dear Maria sand hc one day to the
I princess, with the kiudcst smile which
l hs stern features could command, Won
/ arr NOW old enough TO ihiuk of gct-
/ ting married pretty soon. There are
quite number of suItOrs for yuur
I AanI, aud. after mature dciibcration.
I have selected for your cousort prince
who Ia due time viii make you queen.
but vino Is, at the samc tune, maa
"ho will make You happy.
The princess blu>hed and grew pale
I at the same moment.
\ man, She gasp,d forth. with "a
! vloteut ctioit to appear composed.
who VIII make me happy:
Perhaps there was touch of douat
I Or anxiety Ia thr tone of her voice,
7 perhaps the trembling motion ot h-r
I lips betrayed the fear which Till, All
nounccmcnt had awakened III hel
I heart for when she looked Up ami iix-
81 her eyes .nquinngly upon thu coqn.
7 tcuaucc Of her father she saw at j
/ glance that the smile had disappeared
Y from hlS features, and that a threaten
iug cloud MAS gathering on hls fore
hcai. The princess recoiIed from tic
( tempest OF wrath which might burst
| forth at any moment. and added, in q
I iaitering voice:
Command me. your majesty. what \
am to do. shall obey
You will obey exclaimed the en-
Z pcror, IN voice trembling with emo
I ton and anger. You viii obey. Am
Y 10 und, rstaud that it will be mere
Obedience on Your part if you accept =
husband from my hands,
( lnc grand duchess remained silent.
/ Bat daring this short pause she trcu-
| blel like atlOwer moved by the breeze.
anI tear which, ia spite of the most
| painful efforts she mudc 10 reprcss H.,
rolled down her che, k was a mute ana
yet eloquent answer 10 this question.
What resumed the emperor, you
keep silence. Can it br possible tina,
YOU have made already cAocc for
! yourself: Tel! me honestly ana su-
cerely, Maria
Tie young princess still remained
silent but the trembling nervousness
became 30 violent that she vas ol toe
point OF fainting.
Speak On, frankly ann openly. Nj
ria," sail th- ear, in gcnt.c tone.
Il command il.
The princess threw herself nj the
feet of the ear. For moment she
was unable 10 utter anything but
moans and signs, and 10 clasp the
| knees of her father with 4 conyulsive
grasp. But then, overcoming her
emotion and her fear. she raised her
hands implorirgly toward the empcr-
OF. and said, IN a voice stifed by her
tears. As You command me 10 speak
/ b.. Ia.
Yes. have made my own choice Ny
heart is no longer my own. Ii be-
longs 10 young man who does no.
know that | love him-who viii never
know it, if such be Your will. He has
seen Inc only at long intervals; We
have exchanged only few words with
each other. ayd il you wish, We will
never speak TO each other again
Nicholas made no reply. lie had
grown pale. and, IS he was wont to do
in the moments Of his greatest and
most painful excitement or anguish
he paced to and fro through the spa
clous apartment. This walk lasted
three or four minutes, during which
the princess remained in kneeling
attitude, waiting for the address Of her
father, and net daring to interrupt his
meditation. d..
Evidently he was anxious to learn
the name of the happy mortal vino, as
it appeared, had won without an effort,
without contest, the priceless Jewel
which he held dearer than the crown of
Russia itself, the heart of Maria-and
yet he was afraid of this name He,
the all-powerful monarch, who for i
mere whim would have dehed the uni
ted armies Of Europe, trembled like "a
coward at the mere thought of hearing
the name Of the young man who dis
puted with him the possession of his
most precious jewel. But at last he
recovered his self command.
SIS he n king! he asked.