The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-29
RUSSIAN ROYALTY.
TALK WITH A BAEIsHED NOBLE
A strong Emp.ror-pi.marek Paid In His
own Coin-The NihiIIss and R"s'ia''con-

dition.
Living In a quiet manner In Baltimore,
and engaged In nriyate business, lie men,
Der Of the Russian nobility. whose title
would gain him an entrance NV Auy cosrt
OF Europe, as It has frequently uohe III
days gone by. lie is hIan VI eAceiIehe
scholarship, and he speaks nlne languages
with fiuency. For nuH9,, VI ye"s ne
was high official at the hus7'an court,
and after wards an officer III 'ho ai'hy' ne
was in the Crimean war, anu was Wouhued
several times at Plevna. Io'iticai trou-
bles, arising from sentiments "nich were
construed ~ too liberal LOT hussia' oauSeu
his coming TO America. lie ii,es unuer all
assumed name here and aVoius puplioty'
because OF the fact that arrangements are
now being made by which ne may possibly
have the restrictions remover anu get pach
into the possession Of his estates thal
were con6scated when he leit Tue eiiplre'
a well-known lawyer OF TINS Guy ~ en-,
gagged in his behalf. His brother Is one OF
the largest pro perty- holders in Russia. TO
an american mau, yesterday, lie gave IN
conversational way, a great deal OF inter-
esting information. he afterwards con-
sented to an interview, on promise tnat
his name and whereabouts should not NC
disclosed.
"A few DAYS ago." said he, 81 read
among the Americdn'S foreign dispatches
a rumor that Russia and France think OF
uniting in opposition to Germany. III was
the most nonsensicsl thing Eve seen since
Pye been in this country. Since she days
of Peter the Third the royal family OF Rus
STA has been entirely German, and the stun
YOU read about breach OF feeling between
Russia and Germany is all bosh. To show
YOU what mean: Paul the First. the son
of Catherine the Great, married the Prin-
cess OF Wurtemburg. He had two sons
Alexander the First, who married the
Princess OF Baden, but who had no chill
dren, and the Emperor Nicolas, who sue
ceeded his brother in 1923, and who married
the sister OF the present Emperor OF Ger
many. Their son was Alexander the Second,
who was called in Russia 'the German
Car because he spoke even Russian with
a German accent. He married the Pfin-
cess OF Hess. You remember her death in
1879. and the assassination OF her husband
a few months afterward. As to the pres
ent Emperor. he did not receive an educa-
ton for future Gar. His brother, who
was far brighter and far more handsome
than he, was expected TO Oil that place, and
he was being drilled in the schools while
the present Gar was enjoying himself III
physical games. HIS sudden death upset
all the prearranged plans, and when Alex
ander died the younger brother acceded to
ihe throne. Now, the Car Is especially
poor lnguist. He speaks only three IAN
guages."
"Only three languages 7"
"Ah. see your surprise. You forgot
that .he Russians are the best linguists IN
the world. That is what We pride orr
selves on. Most every Russian In high life
speaks four or five different languages
That is one reason why st. Petersburg
seems so cosmopolitan. But. oh !-cXcuse
mel was talking about the Gar, lie
speaks only French and German. but. NJ
the same lime. he is the first emperor who
speaks Russian in his family, while bis
father spoke only German, and his grand
father French The Emperor is military,
like his father. but not so exclusively so a
he. Bodily. he IS probably the strongest man
i'm Russia. When he was Crown Prince,
instead Of leaving a Vislting-card when call
ing, he would frequently twist u gold piece
and leave it, so great was his pride in
showing his friends how strong he WAS.
have seen him crush gold vase by mere
hand-power. This is undoubtedly due to
his regular habits. He gets up every morn
ing at ), takes q cup OK coffee, hears the
Greek mass-he Is a very religious mn
and then begins to work looking over state
papers. At 8 he takes breakfast with his
wife. After breakfast he exercises. In the
the gymnasium he Is as much king rs hT
Is on the throne. He also chops wood, anu
is particularly fond Of riding horsebaca.
After his exercises he holds his daily au-
dience. At dinner. ut 8, he eats little, and
takes only one glass OF Burgundy. After
that, il there is no ball or court reception,
he sits with hls family, reading to his wife
while she embroidcrs."
THAT sounds domestic"
"Yes the present royal family is domes-
tic. The King leads better home-Hie
probably than any ruler Russia ever had.
This is partly on account OF his wife, who
is Of a retiring disposition. Who is his
wiieY She is the second daughter Of the
Queen Of Denmark (who, 10y the way, is
considered the greatest matchmaker in
EurOpe), and the sister Of the Princess OF
Wales; but she is much better looking
and brighter Intellectually than the Prin-
cess. Her father is As stupid as her mother
is clever. ] remember one day he went
hunting near Copenhagen, and forgot his
riding-bOots. He wanted his aide 10 have
them sent to him by telegraph, and when
the aide said it was impossible, he an
swered | know it's not the custom TO
send things that way but thought they
would make al exception with me.
That shows about what kind OF a
man he is. But we were talking about
Russia, not Denmark. When the present
Czlrna went to ST. Petersburg as bride
she was not accustomed to the splendOr OF
the Russian palaces. and the CAV life did
not suit her. She preferred more domes-
tic retirement, and her wishes the Car 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 find in court
circles. because the alliances are too often
nothing but marriages du convenience.
There is no doubt, however, that the Car
and his wife are devoted to each other.
A. far back az 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 beautiful. Hs answered that he
was too much OF a barbarian TO think any
woman more beautiful than his own wife.
The Emperor, In short, lives and acts like
a man who accepts the duties Of life. and
tries to perform them as best he can"
ABOUT THE NIHILISTs.
"Does he fear the Nihilsts?"
"No, sir. 1t is all humbug to say he is
a coward. He is not afraid Of these reyo-
lutionists. The only great anxiety he SUI
| FAIRS il on apoount ~ his wife Tho ron.
spiracies have affected her nervous system
so seriously that kind Of consumption
has set in. which will 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