Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-20
ROYAL LIFE IN RUSSIA.


title would gain him an entrance into any
court of Europe as it has frequently done
in days gone by. His brother is one of the
largest property-holders in Russia. To
Baltimore 41mericda man, last week. he
gave, in a conversational way. a great
deal of interesting information. He after
ward consented TO an interview, on a pro-
mise that his name and Whereabouts
should not be disclosed.
a few days ago" said he, i read
among the foreign dispatches a rumOr
that Russia and France think of uniting
IN opposition to Germany. 1t was the
most n0nsensical thing I've seen since
I've been in this country. Since the DAYS
Of Peter III. the royal family of Russia
mas been entirely German, and the stuff
YOU read about "a breach Of feeling be-
tween Russia and Germany is ali bosh.
To show YOU what | mean-Paul l.. the
son OF Catherine the Great, married the
Princess Of Wurtemberg. He had two
sOns-AleNander l.. who married the
Princess of Baden. but who had no child
rem. and the Emperor Nicolas. who suc-
ceeded his brother in 1928, and who mar
rled the the sistersof the present Emperor
Ot Germany. Their son was Alexander
H., who was called in Russia the German
Car because he spoke even Russian with
German accent He married the
Princess of Hesse. You remember her
death, in 1879, and the assassination of
her husband, few months afterward. AS
10 the present Emperor, he did not receive
an education for a future Gar. His
brother, who was far brighter and far
more handsome than he. was expected to
ill that place, and he was being drilled in
the schools while the present Car was
enjoying himself in physical games. His
sudden death upset all the prearranged
al Il
younger brother assembled to the throne.
Now, the Car is especially poor lin
gust. lie speaks only three languages"
only three languages?7
''Ah, see your surprise. You forgot
that the Russians are the best Iinguists in
the world. That is what we pride our
selves on. Most every Russian in hieb
life speaks four or five different languages.
That Is one reason why ST. Petersburg
seems so cosmopolitan. But, Oh!-excuse
mel was talking about the Car. He
speaks only French and German. but. at
the same time, he is the first Emperor who
speaks Russian in his family. while his
father spoke only German, and his grand
father French. The Emperor is military.
like his father, but not so exclusively so as /
he. Bodily, he is probably the strongest
man in Russia. When he was Grown
Prince. instead Of leaving a visiting card
when calling, he would frequently twist
/
pride in showing his friends how strong
he was. | have seen HIM crush a gold
vase by mere hand power. This is IN
doubtedly due to his regular habits. He |
gets up every morning at ,; takes a cup of /
coffee; hears the Greek mass-he is a /
very religious man-and then begins to /
work looking over state papers. At he /
takes breakfast with his wife. After I
breakfast he exercises. In the ovmna- !
SUM be IS as much king as he is on the /
throne. He also chops wood, and is parti- !
cularly fond of riding horseback. After !
ms exercises he holds his daily audience. !
AT dinner. at 8, he eats little and takes /
only one glass Of Burgundy After that. I
if there is no ball or court reception. he !
eats with his family, reading to his wife /
while she embrOiders."
That sounds domestic"
Yes, the present royal family is domes-
TIC. The King leads a better home life
probably than any ruler Russia ever had. /
rms Is partly on account of his wife, who |
is OF a retiring disposition. Who is his /
VIE: She Is the second daughter Ofthe
Queen Of Denmark (WhO by the way. is /
considered the greatest matchmaker in
Europe J, and the sister OF the Princess of
wales; but she is much better-l0oking
and brighter intellectually than the /
Princess. Her father is as stupid As her
mother Is clever. l remember one daV he /
went hunting near Copenhagen. and for
got his IldlEg-bOOts. He wanted his aid /
to have them sent to him by telegraph.
and when the aid said it was impossible
he answered. 4 know it's not the custom
to send things that way; but l thought
they would make an exception with me-
That shows about what kind " man he
Is. But we were talking about Russia,
not Denmark. When the present Czarina
went to 1t. Petersburg As Il bride she was
not accustomed to the splendOrOfthe Rms
slanlalaces, land the gaylife did not suit her.
She preferred a more domestic retirement
and her wishes the Gar is always WILLING
to carry out, for the very good reason that
he IS IN love with her-a thing that YOU do
not always lind in court circles. because
the alliances are too often nothing bIIt mar
rage du convenience. There is no doubt,
however that the Gar and his wife are
devoted TO each other. As far back as
1867, when a very young man, he was at a
great court reception in Paris, and the
Empress Eugene asked him which of the
ladies present he thought the most bpauti-
full. lie answered that he was too much
OF barbarian to think any woman more
beautiful than his own wife. The En-
peror, in short. lives and acts like a man
who accepts the duties of life, and tries TO
perform them as best he can"
Does he fear the Nihilistss"
No. sir. 1t is all a humbug to say he
Is coward. He is not afraid of these
revOiutiOnlsts. The only great anxiety he
suffers Is on account of his Wis. The
cOnspiracies have affected her nervous
system 80 seriously that a Kind Of con-
sumption has set IL Which viii probably
send her TO a too early grave. As for the
Emperor himself. don't believe he knows
what fear is. In all my experience with
men never have met a man who has
greater courage or a more iron Will"
Are the Nihilists in Russia as numer-
Gus as they are represented to be-
by no means. | find that the people in
this country have the most eXtravagant
ideas Of this subject. They seem TO think
that NhiliSts are found everywhere in
Russia, when, in fact, the reverse is the
case. Russia has population of ninety
three million. out Of these only three
million belong to the high or educated
class. four million belong to the middle
class, and five million more known how to
read and write. but the others are iIIita-
rate. out Of the first and second classes
the NihlliSts come. Their number is
small, but they are men of wonderful
bravery and marvellous energy. Every
person who joins their secret order pledges
one tblrd OF his property, and in cases Of
necessity a second third. A great many
of the adherents are III the departments Of
the government, and especially in the
police department"
The speaker eyinced dissemination to
talk further on this subject, and turned
the conversation in another channel.
''The Emperor" he continued. would
undoubtedly be willing to grant a limited
constitution. if it was not for the influence
OF Count Tolstoi. who believes in the
absolute rights of the Kings. He is led.
too, by the old Russian party, headed bv
his uncle. the Grand Duke Cons santine
which i hostile to every innovation of
western civilization. The franchise is
not possible in Russia. where there are
seventy-eight million Of illiterate people.
who would not know how to use a vote
after they got It. Ii requires monarch
cal government to deal with such a class.
Suppose now, that out Of the fifty million
of people in this country forty million
conld not read or write-absolutely iHite-
+ ste- do you think your republican gov
ernment would prosper? The ignorance
would soon bankrupt your trea V and
nut the country into such a condition as
to ruin it. And yet, that is a parallel case
10 Russia of to-day.
so change the subject-have you ever
met Bismarck