Wichita eagle., 1889-07-20
AN UNHAPPY AUTOCRAT.
A STRONG PICTURE OF THE LATE
CAR OF RUSSIA.
Bis Life and Experience in the Field
Vividly Described by Newspaper Man.
An Enthusiastic Reception Given the
Unhappy Monarch.

An Enthusiastic Reception Given tnf
Unhappy Monarch.
Alexander, although as car commander
in-chief of all the Russian armies, held nc
definite position of any kind in the field, hav
ing assigned the actual command to hi
brother, the Grand Duke Nicholas His life
during the campaign was one OF extreme
simplicity and great secluSion. At Simnltza
while the members of the imperial family
| and the mobiles and generals OF the suite en-
| joyed themselves, no matter how things were
going on the field, the emperor was very SCI
dom seen outside the little country house in
which be lived, except to visit the hospitals
where were the Russian wounded, or for a
drive to some point commanding view of 9
long stretch of the Danube.
MID TIE CARNAGE OF WAR
After the disaster met with by Krudener
and Shackoskoy In front Of Plevna on the
Both of July, aud Goz1<kots enforced retire
ment to the Bulgarian side Of the Balkans
the imperial headquarters were moved west.
ward to village called Gorm Studen, about
| equidistant from PIevna, .Sistova and Tirro-
va. Bieia had become poisonous by reason OF
an utter disregard of all sanitary precautions,
and the emperor had been ailing from low
fever, rheumatism, and asthma, the last his
chronic ailnaent At Gorni SUDDEN he aban-
doned tent life. and only occasionally came to
the general table in the mess marquee A
disnantled Turkish house was fitted up for
him after fashion, and his bedroom was a
tiny chamber with mud walls and a mud
floor
| had difficulty in recognizing him, so
changed was he from the early days at Sim
nitza- He had shrunken visibly, he stopped,
his head had gone down between his shout
ders, and his voice was broken and tremulous.
He was gaunt, worn and haggard; his ner-
vous system seemed quite shattered. There
was hunted expression in his eye and he
gasped for breath in the spasms Of the astama
that afflicted him. / left him with the vivid
apprehension that he was not to break the
spell that was said to condemn every Roman
OF TO the grave before the age Of CO.
The spell Of course was nonsense, yet it is
the fact that Gar Alexander's father, and
the four male Ronanoffs of the generation
preceding Nicholas, tho sons Of the mentally
affected Emperor Paul, died before thu at
tainment OF this age, and of disease affecting
the brain.
AS epilepsy is the domestic curse of the
Hapsburgs, SO hypochondria is the family
malady of the Romanoffs Alexander was a
prey to it in the Gorni Studen howell. But it
had not its full sway over him.
The car was present in the field during
the SIX days struggle around Plevna in the
September of the war. The sappers had con-
structed for him on little eninence out Of
the usual line of hostile fire sort of lookout
place from which was visible a great sweep
of % n
quee, in which was long table, continually
spread with food and wine, where the suite
supported nature jovially while men were
dying hard by in their thousands. AS for the
car himself, after the first two days be
neither ate nor drank. Anxiety visibly de-
voured him. He oould not be restrained from
leaving the observatory and going around
among the gunners | watched him on the
little balcony Of the lookout place late on the
afternoon of the fifth day Of the STRUGGLED
was his fate day, save the narki-as ne stood
there in the Sullen autumn weather, gazing
out with haggard, straining eyes, at the
efforts to storm the great Grivitza redoubt.
Assault after assault had been delivered; as
sault after assault had failed. Now the final
desperate struggle was being made, the for
lorn hope Of the day. The Turkish fire had
crushed down his Russians Us they battled
their way up the slope slippery already with
Roumanan blood
The pale face on the balcony Quivered, and
the tail figure WINGED and covered. As he
stood the bearing of his cross in solitary an
guish, he was spectacle of majestic misery
that could never be forgotten
MID REGAL sPLENDoR.
After Plevna had fallen In December the
emperor returned to ST. Petersburg, there to
he greeted with reception, the like of which
for pure enthusiasm l have never witnessed.
From the railway station he drove straight
to the kasan cathedral, in accordance with
the custom which presents to Russian en-
perors that in setting out for or returning
from any enterprise they shall kiss the gilt
tering image of the holy virgin Of kasan
which the cathedral enshrines. Its interior
was wonderful spectacle. People had spent
the night sleeping on the marble floor that
they might be sure of place in the morning.
There had been no respect OF persons IN the
admissions The mujik In his skins stood
next the soldier noble whose bosom glittered
with decorations. The peasant woman and
the princess lleIt together at the same shrine
At the tinkle of a bell the grea. doors were
thrown wide open, and on the surge of cold
air was born a great throbbing volume OF
sounds, the roar OF the cheering of vast null
titudes, the booming of artillery, the clash Of
the peahng joy bells. In stately procession
the emperor reached the altar, bent his head
and his lips touched the sacred image. When
he turned to leave the building the widest
confusion Of enthusiasm hid hold of the
throng. His people closed in about the car
s1n h A,l
struggle was but to touch him, and the chaos
of policemen, officers, shrieking women and
enthusiastic peasants swayed and heaved to
and fro; the emperor in the center, pale. bis
lips trembling with emotion, Just as l had
seen hun when his troops wers cheering him
on the battle field; struggling for the bare
possibility TO stand or move forward, for he
was lifted by the pressure clean of his feet
and whirled about helplessly. At length, ex-
tricated by wedge OF officers, be reached
his carriage, only 10 experience almost as
wonderful an ovation when he reached the
raised portico of the Winter Palace. As for
the czarevna. the Lady who is now empress
of Russia, her experiences at the winter pal
ace were unique. As her carriage, following
that of the emperor, approached the terrace,
the popuiace utilized it as a point whence to
see and cheer the emperor. Men scrambled
on TO the horses, the box. the roof, the wheels;
progress became utterly impossible. a group
OF cadets and students, who lined the base of
the terrace, were equal 10 the occasion They
dragged open the carriage door by dint of
immense exertion; they lifted out the bright
little lady, who clearly was greatly enjoying
the fun, and they passed her from hand TO
hand above their heads till the emperor
caught her, lifted her over the baiustrades