The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-26
A ROYAL LOVE-FEAST.

The Gear and the Grand Duke
Constantine Reconciled
Through the Media
ton Of the Princess
Dolgourouh.
The Car and the Grand Duke
| Constantine, uncle of His Majesty,
have become completely reconciled
through the mediation of the Prln-
cess Dolgourouki.
IMPERIAL CHICKERING'S AND PEACE
MARKINGS.
The Grand Duke Constantine has
been in bad odor with the Imperial
family from his youth up. Soon
after he had attained the rank Of ADJ
miral in the Navy, he distinguished
himself by arresting his elder brother
1.-THE late Emperor, who CHANGED to
be on board one of the ships under
his command. His father, the Car
Nicholas, highly scandalized, had
Constantine put under arrest in his
turn, and kept in duress for several
weeks. The two brothers had grown
to dislike each other cordially, nOr
was the reason far to seek. Con-
stantine, though far from brilliant,
was. more clever than Alexander,
who was generally considered a fool
till he assembled the throne. OF this
fact Constantine showed his con-
s~ciousness a little too ostentatiously
for Alexander, who was sensitive to
a degree. One day, so runs the
story, the Car came suddenly upon
Constantine, who vas amusing him
self with drawing up an imaginary
ukase in his own name, signing as
though he was actually Emperor.
The Car, half absently, took up the
paper and smiled, while the Prince
turned scarlet. Possibly there was
something that was less !;an inno-
cent in the latter's thoughts. How
ever that may be, this is certain, that
a few days after the Gar sent for
Constantine and made him take a
solemn oath of allegiance to his
brother Alexander. Not content
with this pledge, Nicholas, on his
death-bed, sent for both of his sons,
as we'll as for their mother. In this
presence he ordered the younger
brother once more to swear fidelity
and obedience to the elder, which
Constantine did, not without emo
ton. Then the Car solemnly kissed
them both. A few hours after their
fathers death Constantine himself
spontaneously took a third oath of
allegiance to the new Gar. He add.
ed, whatever may happen, sire,
your Majesty was but to command
my best services and they shall he
given you"
Notwithstanding this accumula-
ton of oaths of fidelity, the Grand
Duke and his brother remained sus-
picious of each other after the latter
assembled the THRONE. Yet this feel
ing Of distrust did not prevent the
younger brother from obtaining pro-
motion until he reached the rank of
Grand Admiral Of the Imperial
Fleet; nor did it prevent his OCCASION
al employment in an official capacity
outside of his nominal profession.
In 1862, he was sent by the late Gar
to govern Poland, a task which he
undertook with the best of inten-
tons. He half hoped to be able to
laugh the Poles out of their anti
patby to Russia. Thus, having been
shown a caricature of a Russian
soldier eating tallow candles. he de-
clined to order a prosecution, and
said he would give Warsaw a far bet
ter lesson in a quieter way. Accord
ingly he issued invitations to grand
banquet, to which the flower of Pol
ish society was hidden. They came
ana were splendidly entertained,
much innocent mirth being raised by
an item of the menu, chandeNes de
saif az naturel, which figured under
entremets. This was sure to be some
delightful culinary and artistic sur
prise. At length the moment ar
rived. "Now," said the Grand
Duke, "you are about to taste our
famous national dish" A gorgeous
turnkey appeared, bearing a silver
dish laden with unmistakeable tallow
candles. The odor was quite enough
to convince the guests that here was
no sport, but grim reality. The
Grand Duke helped himself, and
proceeded to eat his candle with evil
dent relish. Several guests, over
complacent, followed suit, but turned
pale at the first bite. After enjoying
the general confusion for a few min
utes, the Grand Duke burst out
laughing, and allowed himself to be
questioned. The candle which he
had devoured turned out to have
been made Of vanilla cream and
other nice things, and had been
easily recognized from its genuine
fellows. 1.-THE fact is" observed the
host, you are never tired of repeat
ing that we Russians eat candles. So
l thought it would be agreeable to
you to find your statements strictly
correct" The Grand Duke was
getting on fairly well with the Var
sovians, and fully resolved to carry
out a policy of cancellation when his
life was attempted by Jaroszynsky.
That parsonage was duly hanged,
but the evil he had wrought died not
with him. Constantine was still for
lenient measures, hut his hand was
forced. 1t was represented to him
that, however Indifferent he might
be TO his own safety. yet The lives OF
those employed about his person
Sic CAIOSCN W Sc1lVuS IlSh So touS
AS he vas supposed to be unwilling
tosgovern with a high hand. A few
months after the attempt to assassi-
nate the Niceroy the Chief OF the
Secret Police was found murdered,
and Constantine, utterly discouraged,
threw up his post. Early in the fol
lowing year Poland entered on her
last struggle for freedom.
On New Years Day, 1865, Con-
stantine was named President Of the
Council Of the Empire, an office of
great dignity, but moderate impor-
tauce. 1t was after this that he was
appointed Grand Admiral, and in
that capacity he is credited with hav-
ing prevented a good deal of the sys-
tematic robbery that was going ON
in the navy.
Before Constantine was p his
father had selected him a wife-a
daughter of the Duke of Saxe-Alten-
burg-who, on being received into
the Holy Orthodox Church, took
the names of Alexandra Josefevna.
BY her he had three sons and two
daughters, of whom the eldest is the
Queen Of the Greeks. His wife CON
a Violent Hntipothv tn the