The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-02-18

could produce the greatest effect. and,
lover of music though he was, his per-
Torrance appeared chiefly to consist in
a well sustained and fairly successful eff
fort to drown the remainder of the Or
chestra.
Although stern and even overbearing
toward the majority of those who sur
round him, Alexander Ill. has always
been sympathizing and affectionate
husband and father. At one o'clock daily
he lunches with his wife and children,
and to this meal none but the closest in
Inmates of his family are ever admitted.
After luncheon, if there are no further dep
utations to receive or important business
to attend to, the Car goes out walking
or driving in company with the Empress
or his sons. At half past seven, which
in Russia is considered late hour, the
Emperor and Empress dine; but at this
meal the children, who have already been
consigned for the night to the care of
their superintendent, do not appear. In
the evening there is often little music,
of which the Empress is as fond as the
Emperor, and her majesty is a good
Piaiiiot- luc OLttI fctiicS W ucu carry,
and by eleven o'clock all is silence in the
imperial apartments.
During the daytime the Empress oc-
cupies room on the ground floor exact
ly below the Cars study, with which
it communicates directly by a small pri-
vate staircase. The Czarina's boudoir
is elegantly furnished, but in simple
style, and with no appearance of luxury
except such as is given by the presence
of certain handsome pieces of furniture
and o1jets Fdrt which remain to testify
to the more extrayagant tastes of former
occupants. The look out from the win
dows over the park is charmingly pictur-
esque, but the attention is somewhat dis
tracted from the beauties of the scenery
by the continued pacing Immediately in
front of the windows of the many sem
tries who closely surround the house.
The Empress is an admirable manager
both of her time and of everything that
pertains to the household duties. Her
great intelligence and sweetness of man.
ner have given her an extraordinary in
fiuence over her husband and all other
persons who are brought into contact
with her. The Anitchkine Palace, which
she occupied as Czarevna, was model of
household management, and to her initia-
tive are due the commencement of sweep
ing reforms in the administration of the
otheroyergrownp palaces. She is patroness
and takes as far as possible an active in
terest in the management of half the
charitable institutions in Russia, and
particularly those that are connected
with the protection of women and
children. Every morning, while the
Emperor is busy upstairs with his Min
listers, the Empress receives the reports
of NJ. Delianoff, General Baumgarten,
and others, whom she intrusts with the
supervision of the various societies in
which she is interested. 1t is rare also
that any deputation or individual of inn
portance is presented to the Emperor
without being subsequently introduced
to the Empress. But it is not affairs
pertaining to her imperial position alone
that occupy the attention of this excel
lent wife and mother. The Empress
solicitude for the safety of her husband
is well known, and it has been observed
that she is never at ease when he is
called away from home. The education
and care of her children also engross
much of her thoughts. The eldest son
the Czareyitch is in his fourteenth year,
and resembles his mother in features.
He is of an active and lively disposition,
and, for his years, is far advanced in his
studies. Russian is always the language
employed by the imperial family when
they are together, but when the boys are
with their teachers they speak French
and English ON alternate days. Six
hours day are devoted to study by the
young Princes, but their education is not
limited to sedentary studies alone. They
are also practiced in riding and shooting,
and the Czarevitch is, it is said, already
good shot and rides well.
The critical position of the country
and the personal danger of the Emperor
are the dread skeletons in the cupboard
of this otherwise happy imperial family.
1t is not my purpose to touch on politics
to-day, and therefore must close this
letter without further allusion to the
grave anxieties that often cloud face
which, from its resemblance to our
much-lovcd Princess of Wales, no Eng
lishman can look upon without especial