Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-03-12
TIE Unhappy Gear.
pgS-ASD-ISK SKETCH OF ALEXANDER o.
RUSSIA.

TEa unhappy SZaT.
pgS-ASp-ISK SKETCH OF ALEXANDER OF
RUSSIA.
from the LONDON Truth February 81
The feeling which comes uppermost IN
the mind of any one who sees the Gar
for the first time is one of sincere pity.
He is n large, ox-cysd man, evidently OF
good intentions, but with Il look of sad
ness and pcrplexity in him. His voice is
as harsh as the grinding OF Il coifee-mill
on. of order for an affection of the throat,
under which he has long suffered, renders
speech painful TO him. He would have
made very amiable private gentleman,
and could have got far more ease and
amusement out OF life if he had handed
all the botheration of government over
to his brother Constantine, who has Il
taste for that sort OF nonsense. lie HIM
self could hardly have wanted to reign.
1t was the Schouvalotls, the lamherts,
the Barlatinskys, the AdelberSs, the
Dolgouroukys, and some others, who de
sired he should he firm ruler of men.
They were forever goadinG and cnaXln%
him by turns. rs beef is driven to market
for those who wish TO roast II. They
must often have had II difficult task, for
his ponderous Majesty (good, easy mani
is slothful and heavy-witted by nature.
He must have been frequently unable 10
understand even what was wanted of hin.
He is subject to melancholy penods of
hypo,hondrinsis. during which existence
seems but dreary blank To him. He Is
ha;,nted hv fears Of sudden death and by
the dread of assassination. At these times,
he moons about on apparently solitary
walks with IL large dog, but there Is
ALWAYS policeman handy to keep the
sacrilegious from approaching him. When
well he dcyo,es much of his time to tailor
ing, changing his costume with much
st0lid perseverance,. and he likes to he at
tended bv a hump-hackcd Privy Coun-
cillor. who acts as foil to his fine figure
and set, it off, for h. is Il well built man,
tall and straight. though rather too Ger
man IN the rotuniity of certain of his
curves.
His father Nicolas. who was III many
respects notable sovereign. had hln
verv carefully brought up. and foresecing
that le would want support. perhaps de
yotion. in after life. to cuunteract his
apathy, surrounded him with some select
Young men who could he relied upon.
This little band of cronlcs have hung to-
sethcr ever since. They have lived with
and on the Emperor without interruption
from the time of his accession until now.
He provides for their wants; they dup
their fingers into his purse whenever
they are So minded.
When his Majesty is i'll the humor he
PLAYS good deal ut cards with his own
chums. and it is rather Il good thing Tor
! these gentlemen, f~r wLeuovor any ono
of them is in want the Gar Will lose To
/ him the sum of which he stands IN need,
| as delicate way of giving 1t. and tins
/ method o, bcstowInc hstantlal iav"r Is
perfectly well understood among them.
The Gar is Il good shot, and has done
some grand things ON bears. lie some
times wears pelissc which once covered
q fine bear he brought low with his own
hands. and it has been SO cXqulsltcly
dressed that il lis valued at about e., 600,
which is even more than Is ever pad
either for the sable OF the black fox. He
can ride, too, though not in the English
fashion, and he would be puzzled by {
sharp burst across the country. Lately
his physicians have recommended linn tt
walk.
His personal department is excellent
He stands and marches well. He shows
to advantage i'll uniform, though fnl
several years he has willingly clothct
himself in mufti His manners are thos'
Of a gentleman, and there is something ex
tremely sympathetic about hlm. lie
produces the impression that one wouit
like to know him better, if only he wer'
not an emperor 1t is this unfortunate
circumstance which takes the ability on
of him, sets him upon his dignity, an,
gives certain funnicss to his aspect
His father really could he diSniticd, hu
he can't There Is Il chuhblness and nerv"
business ill his proceedings upon &rea
occasions which reminds one more Of
lrum-maior or fugleman Of LanIweh
than an autocIat.
Formerly the Emperor, as might lav
been expected from one Of his letharsl
temrernment, was uvcrse from movlni
about lattcrlv he had been troubled by
perpetual restlessness He lives yer.
plainly and his table is sparsely served
A beefsteak for breakfast Il roast gclii
otte aud salad for his dinner form th
staple Of his fare His appetite is no
robust and he sleeps badly.
The first fault OF his reign was tl
common va l'liS Hli''a ~ N'''
thew come into power He had bee
much courted 10y the discontentcd and h
made far too much haste To undo all th
work of his father He WAS cmotiona
pitifuI. generous. all in hcadlnng. pr,
} cIpita.a way When hc resolved Sudden
a " TO abolish serfIum several Of his gel
erals and nohleb threw Themselves h"dIl
1 at his feet and bcsoucht him To manag
so great change very ping"rly. II W.
Of no use he gave everything he had
give, knocked down the great farmer
1 general of taxes like So many nine-pni
4 upset monopolirs for the discreet sale {
1 vodki, closed the free port of the BlGc
Sea according to the latest principles {
t political economy, dashed of the shackl'
70 from tho press and laughed al conn
i newspapers. Thono w"t cnri"atu'
published in st. Petersburg short
: after his accession which represented hi
y as II droschky driver in the state Tin
< drnscl,ky drivers usually are after Dime
i His hat WIS pulled over his eyes and Ii
o horses were galloping wildly ON the TO;
to Reform" Behind him was the Gran
Duke Constantine, saying: ''t.cntl
}, brother. am the fare" Still Il
} Emperor laughed too when II piece ".
u played i'll the Court Theatre cNp"sn; ii
l. corruption of hi. officials, and Il very l1
q piece it WAS. Then somebody shot
II him AMI shattered his ncrvcs; luirVt
! He fell into IL fort of panic, trying hasii
II to undo all he had done He had nc
gyves put on writers &; he ordered son
y awful crueltics in Poland. lie tried
% VIII back his sulky mobiles. 1t WAS 3;
Il in vain, and now hc is thoroughly liuat,
IA ed and frightened right ou. of his sous,
l. His only chance of peace and happlnc
" would be ahdicatipn and - years yatc
Ing without newspapers Vt present
IL worried into fever every morning
is II summary of all tho unpleasant thin
IL which have been printed about hni /
10 the last twenty four hours thr,u"ho
y, Europe 1t Is prepared by spec
~ prccis writer appointed for H." purpus
Il and His Majesty takes care that II shi
rs spare him no pasg of tins sclt-iulllrt
10 torture, for he will not trust n profo ssio
"a al dlplomatist 10 do II lest h" ahon
~ gloss over the truth and cnd'nvnr>
M make things pleasant iur promotion
sake
~ Mrs. Lockwood, the female lawyer
u Washington. who had entered the suit
" attorney for Miss Raymond against Srna
rs Hill, Of Georgia, for seduction, publisl"a
to statement To the effect that the papers "
or filed with the full knowledge and cons'
rd and ut the instance ot Miss Raymond, nj
ell duc notice to Senator Hill. \ notary n
al states that they were duly sworn 10 by VI
h. Raymond, without solicitation ur comp
.a sion.
pn The nan who fired ON ten. Nrhhun /
Ist converted jew named Modctsky. lie
he tried and sentenced "Wednesday and han!
,rs Thursday.