The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-01-21

young man on his guard against the
scheme which had proved successful.
He recovered his watch and other arti
cles, paid his hundred pounds cheerfully,
and gained a reputation with the force"
for the extreme readiness with which he
put his name down to their subscriptions
for deserving objects.
Mr.. Glisser's proved very bad case
and he was lost to sight for some years
after the date of the Exhibition of 1862.
Chambers Journal.
History of the Grand Duke Alexis
Matrimonial Exploit.
You remember the vague rumors con-
corning the marriage of the Grand Duke
Alexis, the handsome youth about whom
SO many society bellies in New York
went half wild at the time of his visit to
the United States. The story has never
been told in print except in a very frag
mentary way. Among the denaoiselles
dhonmeur of Her Majesty the Empress
was very pretty and attractive girl, the
daughter of a high official who was a
member of the Council of Empire. She
was attached to the imperial household
and lived in the palace; Alexis fell in
love with her-fell in love over head and
ears-which was very wrong for Grand
Duke. He declared his passion and
found it reciprocated, and with the head
strong imprudence of youth he proposed
to elope with her and he married. She,
poor girl, did not weigh the conse-
quenccs, and probably was not aware
what mess she would make by accept
ing his offer. One day while the court
was at Moscow the twain met by APP
pointment, sought priest, and were
united. The marriage was kept secret
for two or three months, but marriage,
like murder, will out, and this case proved
no exception to the rule. When it became
known there was scene such as does
not often happen. The Emperor swore
and the Empress cried and the whole
imperial family was in funk. Alexis
was talked to in very plain, old-fash-
toned way. 1t was determined to send
him on a long journey in the hope of
curing him Of his love, and so he was
started on the voyage that brought him
to America and took him home by way
of japan and Siberia. Mrs. Alexis was
sent out of the Empire by special train,
and the eye Of the police was not taken
from her until she was safe over the
frontier. The priest who reformed the
ceremony was packed off to Siberia in
spite of his protest that he didn't know
the parties and that he married
them just as he would any other
couple. They didn't let on who they
were, but only gave their names, Ia
Russo, as Alexis Alexandrovitch and
Marie Paulovna, which are about as
traceable or suspicious in this country as
John Smith and Mary Jones would be in
New York. Alexis came back after an
absence of three years and he is now
commander of one of the crack ships of
the Russian navy. 1t is intended that
when the Grand Duke Constantine, pres
ent Grand Admiral, has passed away to
make Alexis his successor, and so his
voyage round the world cannot fail to do
him good. The wife and priest are still
in exile, the former in Switzerland and
the latter in Siberia.
Alexis has repented of his folly and
the family quarrel has been partially
smoothed over. The laws OF Russia
very stupidity do not permit divorce,
and when you marry here you have no
hope of release from trouble except by
the intervention of the old man with the
hour-glass and mowing-machine. In a
case like this you can get round it by al
imperial decree, but even that cannot be
done without the disappearance and sup
posed death of one of the parties. Last
winter they tried to fix up the business,
and the undertaking was made by no
less parsonage than Count Shouvalotf.
The Count has the reputation of never
failing in any difficult and delicate piece
of diplomacy that he takes in hand, and
in the present instance he was confident
of success. He went and he returned,
and since his return he has not been in
favor as he was.
Mrs. Alexis was stopping at one of the
hotels on the Quai du Mont Blanc, in
Geneva, and one day a card bearing the
name of Russian nobleman whom she
did not know was sent to her room. In
order to preserve an incognito the Count
travelled under one of his inferior titles,
and it was with this name that he pre-
scented himself. She descended to the
parlor to see the stranger, and at once
recognized the redoubtable Count, hav'
ing become familiar with his face and its
huge mustache at court. After the
usual commonplaces the Count proceeded
to business and managed it with all the
skill of which he was possessed.
1t was proposed that she should re.
nounce all claim to the hand of Alexis
should change her name and disappear,
and let the places that had known hel
know her no more forever. In return
for this trifiing and perfectly feasible
service she would receive 100000
roubles down and an annuity of $4,000
roubles, which would be continued tc
her child in case the latter survived her
and 1t was devoutly hoped he would not
About this time the child was brought
into the room, and the Count observed
doubtless with sorrow in his heart, thai
it was in vigorous health, and there was
no reasonable hope that the gods would
love it and enable it to die young.
The Count used all the arguments al
his command, and there we're plenty oil
them, but to no purpose. The woman
was obstinate and spurned the offer with
an air of indignation worthy q tragic
actress. "But remember" said the
Count, "you can never see Alexis again
you will not be allowed to return tt
Russia, ard his movements will be so ar
ranged that meeting will be impossi
BILE. You have learned by this time thai
even were the marriage recognized by
the Emperor you could never appear al
court or receive the imperial recogni
tion. If you love Alexis release hin
from the consequences of his youthful
passion, and enable him to fill the posi-
ton which belongs to him"
But she would do nothing of the sort
not even when she was told she coult
name the financial terms and receive tn,
money when and where she wished. Sh,
loved Alexis and had married him, ant
would remain his wife until dealt
should do the graceful thing for one O
them. Possibly the Count hoped tina
the pale warrior would begin on her q
an early date, but if he thought SO b,
didn't say SO. The interview lasted
couple of hours and was as unsuccessful
as the most earnest admirer Of pig
headed constancy in love could desire
Next day the diplomat called again bu
she would not see him, and after trying
the intercession Of q Russian lady o
high DOeitiOn whn hannnwad there 1,