The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-11-17
QUEEN or HEARTS.
AIrs Governor ricken- Of south Carolina
Sketch OF her Early Life.


The New Orleans UemocrW, after Civ.
ing a sketch Of Miss IIolcombe, Of
Texas now Mrs Pickcns, Of this State,
proceeds to tell Of her as follows;
Many years elapsed. rne beautiful
young Texan had become dignified
matron OF well preserved beauty and
unimparcd zeal and earncstness in behalf
ofany cause which engaged her sympa
thes. The war Of secession had been
inaugurated. South Carolina, 'the game
cock Of the South as Prcntiss called her,
had called out her chivalry to confront
invaders Of her soil and her sovereignty
There was a grand review of volun-
tecrs at her beautiful capital. The Gov
ernor veteran statesman and a desccn-
dant from distinguished chieftain aud
hero of the Revolution of l77G, was
present
With conscious pride and flashing
eyes, his Ex. llency rode down the ranks
of the gala. yeomanry Of his heroic
State, accompanied by his staff. Promi~
ncnt in the group Of the showly dressed
officers Of his staff rode handsome and
graceful lady, garbed in the simple col
ors of the Confedcracy, and mounted on
n splendid charger, which she handled
with the grace and skill of an accom-
plished equestricnne. The eyes Of the
volunteers were fixed upon this lady, MS
they presented arms, in intense and en-
thusiastic admiration, and could not be
rcprcsscd by any military discipline.
They broke forth into one harmonious
and wild hurrah to the lady Of the Gov
ernor, almost forgetting, in the intensity
of their enthusiasm, his Excclency and
his gallant staff.
This lady was the young heroine of the
Cuban enterprise described, and the
author of the Free Flag of Cuba" The
lovely Miss Holcombe of Marshall,
Texas, bad become the wife of the dis
tinguisaed Governor Pickens, of South
Carolina.
Appointed by President Buchanan to
the Russian Mission, Governor Pickens
bore his beautiful bride to the brilliant
court of Emperor Alexander, who had
just succeeded his father on the throne
of all the Russias. On this new scene
in that far distant land and ungenial
cline, among strangers and without q
familiarity with the language and social
habits and idens OF the court and people,
our young Texan bride soon displayed
the power aud effect of her genious, her
charms Of person, grace and tact by the
conquest OF the hearts and enthusiastic
admiration of oil who came within the
large circle of her influence and acquain.
tance. She became rs attractive and
influential ut the Court Of Alexander,
including the highest official of the gov.
ernment, the distinguished military
chieftains, the ambassadors from the
great powers, and finally of the appreci-
ative and susceptible Emperor Alexan-
der, as she had been among the filibus-
tiers in New Orleans. So intense and
earnest were the sentiments of the EN-
peror for our Texan heroine that the
Empress was dawn toward her with spe-
cial attentions and Il warm interest, the
emphatic manifestations of which her
Highness regarded us wise and judicious
tributes to the taste and desires of her
imperial husband, who had given such
strong proofs Of his preference for the
charming young bride of the diplomatic
representative Of the great republic.
This brilliant position at the court was
sustained through the whole residence of
the American Minister at st. Petersburg,
and when the union of the veteran Gov
ernor with the lovely Texan was blessed
by the birth of q daughter, the Empress
claimed the honor Of presiding at her
christening as godmother, and Of bestow-
ing the name and an appropriate gift
upon the young heiress TO the for.
tunes and fame of one of the most an
cient and honored of the Revolutionary
families Of South Carolina.
The name given to the little girl was
Russian one of such length and diff.
cult photography that we can not recall
it in its entirety, but "Douschka" was
the prenomen, and by that she was ever
known and called.
The approaching sectional strife in
which South Carolina assumed so lead.
ing and perilous position terminated
the mission of Gov Pickens to ST. Pc.
tersburg. lie haslened home with his
young wife aud daughter, was called to
the Governorship, and entered with all
his earnestness and energy into the nee
essary preparations for the defense of his
native State. In all his labors he had
the enthusiastic and efficient CO. opera
ton, sympathy and aid of his accom-
plished young wife, who acted as his sec.
retary and aid, and accompanied him in
all his reviews and journeys through the
State.
Her Governor did not survive the
unhappy and devastatious result of that
struggle. His bereaved State and widow
were left to bear the miseries, deyasta.
tions and impoyerishmeDt which were
the bitter fruits of the unfortunate but
gallant and patriotic effort. Nobly were
they borne.
South Carolina and the widow of her
heroic Governor have, throughout these
trials, maintained that dignity, patience
and self composure which adversely ever
develope in all heroic natures. Thence
forth Mrs. Pickens devoted her chief
care to the education and training of her
lovely daughter, the godcheld of the
recently deceased and most exemplary
Emperor of Russia.
That daughter ripened into blooming
and attractive young lady, yindicated
the excellence of this training. She be.
CAME one Of the bellies Of her fathers
native State, and in her appearance in
The brilliant salons of the fashionable
summer resorts in the Virginia noun 4
tains, accompanied by her handsome
and digniied mother, excited II un-
bounded and ardent admiration of all
beholdeFs, and n jealous rivalry among
the gallant youth, who frequent thcse
attractive places. Happily however,
this rivalry has ended by the brilliant
nuptial ceremony which recently enli-
vened that classic and historic town of |
nf Ed0AGaId South NornI;po .,bo, tLo