, 1876-03-05
a StSOng-3liniieti Princess: The
Grand Duchess Maria Of
Russia.
q Parliamentary Mob: How the Com.
mons Responded to the Queens
Summons.
Lucy Nooper's Opinion Of the rarisians
IA Dream that Proved Exceed
iEgly Profitable.

]
family, and probably tho most st.ong-minded
| pernon among the female membsrs OF any Royal
or imperial house. The Grand Duchess Maria
| was the eldest daughter Of tho Car Nl:holas,
| and tue sister Of tho present Emperor, OF WHOM
| ehc vas only one year tho junior, having beer
born in 1919. II shero is any blood of Cathar:ne
tho Great as all in the present generation OF the
! KomanoH house. it must have been all conccn-
! trated in the veins Of the Graud Duchess. From
her ve-y childhood she showed extraordi.
| Eary intelligence sud an uncomfortable temper,
| which only the dcspotic nature o{ her father
proved capable Of mastering. The Czat
! Nicholas is said to have been passionately
fond Of her, yet tho violence Of her nature seeE,a
to have caused him mora than once to whip tcr
t with his own hand. Sha Was certainly the most
studious!y dispoeed member of tha family. but
size could mover be r,ade to attend the classroom
Of tho palace. She was the tarror and despair Of
! all her goyarncascs auI teachers. yet when she
| became of age she showed moro cruiitioa than
nnr OF her precsptors, and was tho most liberal
woman in granting, as soou az sto cauo into
possession OF monoy, Pensions to all tho p:ecep-
tors to whom she had formerly given go much
trouble. The artistic disposition Of her nature
WAS quite remarkable for a member Of faulty
which has been always famous Tor tho sbsopcc
Of aal ta7te or instinct in matters Of art She Nas
too INDECENT to become good musician or
! painter herself, but she was certainly ono
Ut the best connosseurs of music aud painting
IN her country. Ner physical development was
unusually prococ'ous. at 10 years Of age she
looked already woman; +; aud when at 20 she
YVES gong to he wed to the Duke OF Leuchten-
berg. tue members OF the foreign diplomatic
20 struck by the stately appearance OF tho
young Duchess that III few nocths her nsme
became far and vide throughout Europe tho
synonym for wonanIg majesty. She outshone
her own mother IN the patare, not to speak of
her sisters; and when sho showed herself dur
ins her tra:e'z through the Capitals of Europe,
she totally eclipsed Queen Victoria, So much
admired At that time, and who, though they
ware both Of the same age, looked BY tho sdo
OF the Grand Duchess Mar1a ike i mere school
girl.
Tho Prince shs married :,ss possibly just az
famous for his personal att.ec.luus as she was.
He was considered tho handsomest man in Eu-
rope. and enjoyed besides tho reputation of one
OF the most accomplished gentlemen and tue
prestige Of a rather romantic descent. Maxi
milan Joseph Engene August Napoleon de
Beauharnais, Duke OF Leuchtenborg. Prince of
EicAstndt, wes tho sou Of Sapoleon's stepaon,
Eugene de Beauharnais. It il we'll known that
Eugene WAS the involuntary cauao Of the mar
rlage Of Gen. Bonaparte With hia mother. Mme.
Josephine de Beauharnais, widow OF the Gen.
Bcauharn2is guil!otiuel in Pazs in 173I- After
tho 18th of Vende1ia.rc. Beanharuals' sword
fell, with number OF others, luto tho First Con-
suits satelecplag, and she young Eugene vent,
after the death Of his father, to claim it. Bona
parte who happened to be III good h1mor. sur
rendered the relic, and caused thus MING. Be1u-
harnais to come 10 thank him for it, inter-
Wow which resulted in the subsequent marriage
of Napoleon to the interesting widow.
The Subsequent career Of Eugene de Deauhar-
nais is too well known to be mentioned Aore.
Ho left five children, all Of whom naturally rosa
to roynl dignites. One OF tno daughters Was
married to King Oscar OF Sweden, auother to
Prince Hoheuzollern- Hochingen, and the third
to Don Pedro ]. OF Brazil OF the two sons ono
tusa ard tue other married the Grand Duchess
Maria of Russia.
It has been rumored that the last named OF
these children. Duke Macmillan Of Lcuchten-
berg, had spent worry turbulent youth. and
that it was mainly through his reputation for
ga,lantry md elegance thar the Grand Duchess
Maria took fancy to him. She hau Six chill
dren through this marriage; but the e1cesses OF
the Dukes early youth eeem to have told upon
him. He WAS carried to the grave in 1852 nfter
but twelve yeafs' marriage The illness which
caused his death WAS very protracted one. and
it was runnored that long before be died his wife
conceived an affection for handsome guards
man OF her fathers. Count Gregory Strogooof
Was celebrated for bis herlulean build and re-
markable manly beauty. Being frequently in
attendance on the Car. he had many an oppor-
t,,uity to meet the Grand Duchess, aud showed
a perfect willingness to reclprocata her feeling,
and as soon as the Duke of LenchtenberC died
the Grand Duchess morganaticaly married the
handsome Count, much to the scandal OF tie
Court and the whole country.
The Czsr became Intensely angry on learning
of this u1arrisge, expelled the Count from the
service, and ordered his daughter to take trip
abroad. BE- and hy, however, and as the lady
did not show any disposition to give in, tho
father reconciled himself with her and ecknowl-
edged the marriage, though be never consented
to mako the acknowledgement public one. The
Crimean war greatly contributed to the amicable
issue OF this affair. Count Strogonof, being
very rich man, equipped several militia regi-
meuts at his own expense, put himself at the
head Of them. and braye!y endured all the
dangers and privatioos Of the campaign. This
patriotism OF his, loineo to the sympathy which
the present Gar always had for him, led to a
reconciliation OF the Imperial family to the NOR
ganatic marriage. The Count WAS made
Euuarry-in-wait1ng to the Grand Duchess,
aud thus obtained tue privilege Of
Still, even then, 8he rama1nod, otIicialis, the
Grand Duchess Maria wido" Of the Duke Of
Leuchtenberg. when sney were abroad, how
eVfs snss n'o s9 i.ai aa thet ,a h,ndsc.,a c,n1o
trars re- eneciaIiv weiI Known. Couu. strorouoT
was for some time q member OF ths Russian
AT1ff fTFl AFA{N Mn