The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-11-25
Is THE CAR MARRIED?
Contradictory RumOrs Which Wrap
the Question In a Mystery.

Contradictory Rumors Which Wrap
the Question In a Mystery.
! London Cor. New York Times.
Is the car married? This interesting
and delicate question is subject now
OF rather lively discussion in fashion
able and aristocra+ic circles, and, in
deed in circles that are neither. For
there seems to be considerable doubt
on the point. On the one hand it is
stated positively that so long ago as last
July the emperor of Russia privately
married, in the chapel of his palace on
the Neva, the Princess Dolgorouki,
with whom he had openly and motor
lously carried on the most intimate
relations for something like fifteen
years, and who had borne to him three
children. on the other hand, this re-
port is denied, and alto sether there is
as much mystery about the emperor
and his noble mistress as there is about
| Lady Burdett- Coutts and Mr.. Ashmead
Bartlett, concerning whom the most
contradictory reports are current, some
saying that they are actually married,
and others denying that any union be-
tween them has yet been entered into.
AS regards the car, it is we'll known
that he had long been expected to raise
Mile. DOlgorouki to the rank of empress
and if he has not yet done so, or should
fail to carry out his intention and de-
sire, it will only be on account of the
pressure put upon him by his family,
who are naturally much averse to such
a match. The emperor's connection
with the princess, however, was never
a subjectI of the least scandal in Rus
STA, at least as we understand the
term in this country. She had her es-
Enlistment and her salon, which was
frequented by all the best society of
st. Petersburg; both male and female
Whenever the emperor went to any of
his country resorts, such as his beauti-
full palace of Liyadia, among the
picturesque scenery of the Crimea, al
most the only part of Russia in Europe
that is not utterly uninteresting from
| the artistic point Of view, the Princess
Dolgorouki either proceeded or follow
ed him, and was lodged in mansion
near his own There was no pretense
at reserve or concealment in this ar
rangement. One day a party of Eng
lish travellers happened to pass the
palace near Taita in which the Dol
gorouki was residing and out Of curios-
ity they asked the sentinel at the gate
who lived there. "How should know"
grutfly responded the soldier. lit is no
business of mine." Such is the only
sort of reticence which seems to be
preserved in Russia about io;som
which would certainly be thought very
differently of elsewhere. For there is
undoubtedly not a single court in Eu-
rope where SO little attempt to "keep
up Appearances as regards the irregu-
lar connection of the princess, either
on or near the throne, is made. I do
not pretend to say that our royal per-
sonages are immaculate in the matter
Of morals-far from it; but at any rate
they show a regard for public decency
which was not So common before the
present generation.
There is another question regarding
the car not less interesting, and GER
tainly much more important, and that
is, whether he intends to abdicate in
favor of his son, the czarewitch. For
many years past such an intention has
been talked about, and from time to
time, it has been believed to be on the
brink of being realized. Once more
the same rumor has sprung up, and
there is strong reason to expect that we
shall shortly hear of the emperor's re-
tlrement and the appointment of his
SOL as regent. The car himself is said
to be in a most miserable state of
health. 1t is understood that he suffers
from a complication of disorders-a
spinal complaint which is pronounced
by the first physicians in Europe to be
incurable, in addition to asthma
which has assumed an accute form,
and impaired sight amounting almost
to blindness. His majesty, who is of a
timid and vacilating disposition, is also
said to have suffered fortunes of ap-
prehensions from the repeated at
tempts fthe nihilists to take his life,
and, altogether, a more miserable be-
ing than the car does not exist on the
face of the earth. Well may he desire
to put off the crown which lies so un-
easily on his head and transfer it prac-
tically to his son! If he should do so
the political events will, no doubt. be
very important, it is we'll known that
the czarewitch is prince of very decid-
ed and energetic character, and it is
believed that under his rule the designs
OF conquest commonly attributed to
Russia's policy would be carried out
with vigor not hitherto shown. For
the Gar Alexander never gave more
than half-hearted support to the war
like measures undertaken by the gov
eminent in the east of Europe and in
Asia while the czarewitch has been
the leader of the war party. It is con-
sidered probable that if the czarewitch
should accede to more power than he at