The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-06-09
THE DEAD CZARINA.
Emperor Alexander's Partner and
Her Life Of Unhappiness.
From the Philadelphia Times.l

from the Philadelphia Tfmes.l
Yesterday the Empress of Russia died.
Poor woman, her death is not to be re-
gretted, for it ends life that was verv
full Of misery. And yet it was life
that began with every promise of happi-
ness, and her marriage with the Gar was
that rare thing when royal personages
are concerned-a love match. The Prin-
cess Marie was the daughter of the Grand
Duke Ludwig II. of Hes@e-Darmstadt, and
was born August s, 1924 She grew up
a slim, gracious, little blonde Princess,
as gentle and loving in disposition as she
was fair. Her love-life began when she
was a mere slip of girl, just turned of
Isfxteen.
The young Czarevitch Alexander had
come into Germany wife-hunting With
the stiff old Count Orlof as bear-leader,
and provided with list Of eligible Prin-
cesses from which he was free to pick the
Princess whom his heart approved, he
was sent upon cruise among the dueal
and grand ducal and princely courts witt.
orders to provide the Russian Empire
with a future Czarina. The name of the
pretty Princess Marie was not included
among the eligibles, and it was only by
chance that the tive met. The Czarevitch
had gone from Dan to Beershebe, as it
were, and had found all barren. Berlin
and the minor courts of North Germany
had been searched in vain. 1t was while
on his way to "draw" on Germany that
he Get his fate.
| As he passed through Frankfort the
long-headed Grand Duke Ludwig had
him up to dinner; and after dinner, in
the tea-t0om, he first saw the charming
Marie. Il was case of love at first sight.
The Czarevitch fell in love with the
Princess, the Princess fell in love with
the Czarevitch; the whole business was
settled in twinkling-and all by stol-
en- glance while the Grand Ducal old
felix's sat byin snug. content and slipped
their tea! For once the course OF true
love ran smooth. The Gar Nicholas
was gracionsly pleased to approve his
sons choice -- Notwithstanding the
fact that the Princess had not
been thought Of when the list
of marriageable princesses was
framed-and the old Grand Duke, of
course, was ready to dance with joy at
the prospect of his daughters making so
prodigiously fine match. A year later,
April 2S, 1S4l, the young things were
married and went to housekeeping in
st. Petersburg-the Czar Nicholas and
his wife taking verv kindly to their
young daugher -in-law. Indeed, she was
such dear little body that it was very
hard for anybody to do anything but
love her. Then came the babies, quite a
procession Of them: the Grand Duke
Nicolai, who died fifteen years ago at
Nice; the present Grand Duke Alexan-
der, born March 10, 1S45, and Vladimir,
Alexis, Marie, Sergius, and Paul-born
October 8, 1860, being still the pet boy
of the household.
Had the Empress died when her last
baby was born, her life, for the life of an
Empress, would have been one of ideal
hsrrness. But she was fated to live
and to suffer such pain in the last twenty
years of her married life that the happi-
ness of the first twenty years was lost to
sight beneath dark cloud. Her sorrow
and her happiness came from the same
source-hcr husband. During the early
years of his reign the Gar strove ear
nestly to improve the condition Of his
subjects and to liberalize his government.
When at last he was compelled by the
pressure brought to bear upon him to
abandon his liberal policy his own moral
nature went down in the general wreck.
He deserted his wife, whom he had loved
50 tenderly in his youth, and took in her
stead loose ladies Of his court-making
scarcely any attempt to conceal his crime.
. For long while the Empress hoped
against the hope that he would return
: to her; but when at last this hope broke
down-she met him driving in the
. streets Of the capital with two children,
which were his but not hers-she for
i, mally broke with him and left the EN-
: pire. During her absence still third
child was born. Some sort OF recon
: ciliation was effected year ago, and she
t spent part of the summer with the Gar
. at Livadia and returned with him thence
r to ST. Petersburg. But they were re.
united only formally. Love was dead
r Her bitter sorrow sowed the seeds Of
E death. Gradually her health failed and
2 her strength left her. She spent last
f winter at Cannes, going back to st
Petersburg-more dead than alive-tc
: be present in the capital at the cele.
o bration of the twenty-ffth ami
n versary of the Cars accession to the
e throne. Since then her life has ebbec
9 fast. She has been very gentle, very
tender to those about her-to her goot
Y son, the Czarevitch, to her loving daugh
{ ter, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and tx
IS her pet BOY, Paul-and they, in turn
) have sought to make her forget her sor
k row by the constancy Of their love. But
It this could not be, for the Gar, tie one
% person who could cure her grief, still
|, continued false to his early love. Ant
g now, at last, death has interviewed mercI
]. fully to bring this tragedy to an end
e The doctors say that the Czarina ha
y died of consumption; but the worl'