New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-10-17

duced in the annals of the world. The
charming captive, whose name'was Martha,
thus became, after her elevation to rank,
Catharine l. of Russia.
1t was quite natural that the future Em-
press should wish to secure to her own
children the right of succession to the
throne. To reach this end, she poisoned
the mind of the Gar against his eldest son,
in consequence of which, Herr Huyssen was
ordered to give an account of the intellec-
progress of his pupil. OF course the report
which he made was untavorable; where
upon the tutor was sent back to Germany,
and the prince was banished into the in
terror of Russia. Here the latter demeaned
himself with SO much unreason that his
imperial sire resolved to marry him forth
with.
An ambassador was sent to Germany in
trusted with the delicate mission OF re
porting on the charms OF all the highboru
maidens of the Rhine-land. The list was
forwarded to the court, and the creme de Ia
creme, being selected by the Gar, were
honored with invitations to appear person
ally before him. OF course he reserved the
right of rejecting all bidders
In this matrimonial game money was no
object, but beauty, grace and mental Gull
ture were everything. Those who were so
fortunate as not to be chosen were returned
to their mammas, bearing the gifts of dia-
mond necklaces and rings as compensation
tor their trouble. His maiaety's choice fell
upon the Princess Charlotte Sophia, of
Brunswick-W olfenbuttel, daughter of Duke
Louis, the head of branch line of the
reigning house of Brunswick Accordingly,
the Duptials were celebrated at Targow, In
tine palace of the Queen of Poland, on the
twenty fifth of October, III. The bride
groom was in his twenty second year, the
bride in her eighteenth.
The Princess Charlotte was one of those
soft and dreamy be auties. with fair blue
eyes, and head full OF romance, so often
met with in Germany. At the time of her
marriage she was little more thal a child
in years, and none the less so in manners
and modes of thought. Alexis, on the con-
trary, was wholly given up to low, sensual
pleasures, and mean, vicious company. At
their earliest interview he had conceived an
antipathy to his betrothed, and had no de.
sire at all to marry.
AS might have been expected under such
circumstances, there was DO love wasted
between the young couple. From state
OF Indifference the prince lapsed into one of
sayagery, and on every occasion he did not
hesitate to act toward his wife in the most
brutal manner. When. at length, he re.
ceived into his palace a former mistress, by
the name of Eufrosine, and his wife made
complaints to the Gar, the prince was
sorely enraged, and beat the princess most
cruelty. A chastisement in re urn from the
Gar only made the affair worse. Charlotte,
daily in tears, regretted her sorrowful
plight, and longed to be released from her
bratisb lord. She even wrote to her father,
Duke Louis, entreating him to take steps
for dissolving her marriage. But Louis
was as proud and naughty as she was
weak, and would take no steps to over
throw that fortune which, be believed,
was likely TO make Of his offspring an EN-.
press. However, he was not wholly insen-
sibe to the fortunes of her situation
keep watchfui eye on my daughter"
he beseeches the Gar in letter recently
disclosed, 'tor she is a lamb in gentleness,
and i'll suited TO the rough ways of hot
and hasty cavalier. l pray thee be pleased
to restrain thy imperial son, and keep back
the evil reports which come daily to my
ears"
The birth of two children-Natalia, whs
died prematurely, and Peter, afterward
Gar Peter Il.-did not soften the evil ten
denotes of Alexis; on the contrary, it was
the signal for most terrible climax. While
the Princess was yetsutfering from her con-
tinement, Alexis, more in a fit of deviish
wrath than of intoxication. struck her SO
savagely with his cane that che fell sense
less to the floor. Those who stood near
thought that she was dead; and few hours
later her physician sent word to the Gar
that his daughter-in-law had been carried
off by sudden attack of Mysteries!
Peter the Great received the intelligence
of the Princess's death on the twentieth of
October, HIS, and, being then at Schlussel-
burg, busily employed on his works, he set
out instantly for the capital. On the way
he himself was seized with illness, and was
forced to take to his bed. In the midst of
his grief the announcement came that the
Empress had been delivered of prince,
which speedily changed sadness into joy.
In the ensuing confusion poor Charlotte
already sounded her dread alarms, and
Alexis, fearing the wrath of his father, had
fled to his country house.
Meanwhile grand carnival proclaimed
the new birth. Splendid entertainments.
balls and tireworks, followed one another
in rapid succession, and universal bilarity
prevailed. Elsewhere, coffin robed in
black, and followed only by few at.
tendants, was borne into the fortress of st.
Petersburg, and deposited in the Church of
Saints Peter and Paul. Later horseman
rode to the royal palace and announced
that the remains of Princess Charlotte
Sophia, consOrt of the heir-apparent of all
the Russias. we're inferred.
Time elapsed, and it soon appeared that
the Gar had not really forgotten the gentle
girl who, deserving better fate. had
missed her road to happiness; neither had
he failed to notice the absence of his son.
The death of the neglected wife was sore
atfiiction to Peters mind; but he hoped that
IL might be the means of reforming the
prince. Accordingly he wrote him letter,
accusing him of murder, but promising for.
giveness if he would only amend his con-
duct. II desire your answer personally or
in writing" the letter concludes, "or must
deal with you as o criminal" Alexis re-
piled, II intend to embrace the monastic
life, and request your gracious consent to
that effect"
For awhile the affair was dropped, and
the Gar departed on q journey into Ger.
many and France. The Grand Duke, fear.
full of his life, fed, accompanied bv his
mistress, to quarters unknown. Seven
months passed away, during which time
the Car heard nothing from his son. One
day two Russian ENJOYS overlook Alexis in
Naples, and placed in his hands letter
from his father. "If you do not return
home," it read, "by virtue of the power /
have received from God as your sire, pro-
nOunce against you my everlasting curse;
and, az your sovereign, can assure you
shall find ways to punish you; which l
hope, as my cause is just, God will take it
in hand and assist me in avenging it."
When entreaties failed, the ENJOYS had
recourse to strategy. One of them offered
q large sum Of money to EufrOsine if she
would induce Alexis to throw himself at
the feet of his father. She piled her art of
persuasion 90 we'll that. on the following
day, the Prince set out for Moscow. Upon
arrival the great bell tolled; gloomy
c0dncit was convened in the castle, and the
clergy said macs in the cathedral. In
solemn tones the Gear pronounced maledic.