Evening journal., 1889-07-19
AN UNHAPPY AUTOCRAT.
A STRONG PICTURE OF THE LATE
czAR OF RUSSIA.


An Enthusiastic Reception Given the
Unhappy Monarch.
Alexander, although as czar commander
in-chief Of all the Russian armies, held no
definite position Of any kind in the field, hav-
ing assigned the actual command to his
brother, the Grand Duke Nicholas His life
during the campaign was one Of extreme
simplicity and great seclusion- At Simnitza
while the members Of the imperial family
and the mobiles and generals Of the suite en-
joyed themselves, no matter how things we're
going on the field, the emperor was very sell
dom seen outside the little country house in
which he lived, except to visit the hospitals
where we're the Russian wounded or for a
drive to some point commanding a view Of
long stretch of the Danube.
MID THE CARNAGE OF WAR
After the disaster met with by Krudener
and Shackoskoy in front of Plevna on the
30th Of July, and Gourko's enforced retire
ment to the Bulgarian side Of the Balkans,
the imperial headquarters were moved vest
ward to a village called Gorni Studen about
equidistant from Pleyna, Sistova and Tirno-
va. Biela 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 ailment At Gorni Studen he aban
doned tent life, and only occasionally cameto
the general table Ia the mess marquee. A
dismantled Turkish house was fitted up for
him after a fashion, and his bedroom was a
tiny chamber with mud walls and a mud
door.
had a difficulty In recognizing him. 30
changed was he from the early days at Sim
nitza. He had shrunken visibly, he stopped,
his head had gone down between his shoul-
ders, and his voice was broken and tremulous.
He was gaunt, worn and haggard; his ner-
vous system seemed quito shattered. There
was a hunted expression in his eye and he
gasped for breath in the spasms of the asthma
that afflicted him. l 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 60.
The spell of course was nonsense, yet It Is
the fact that Gar Alexander's father, and
the four male Romanoffs Of the generation
preceding Nicholas, the sons of the mentally
affected Emperor Paul, died before the 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
prey to 1t in the Gorni Studen howell But it
had not its full sway over him
The car was present in the Geld during
the six days struggle around Plevna In the
September Of the war. The sappers had con-
structed for him on a little enftnence out of
the usual line Of hostile fire sort Of lookout
place from which was visible a great sweep
Of the scene of action Behind it was a mar
quee, In which was long table, continually
spread with food and wine, where the guite
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 visbly de-
voured him he could not be restrained from
leaving the observatory and going around
among the gunnera watched him on the
little balcony Of the lookout place late on the
afternoon Of tho fifth day Of the struggle-it
was his fate day, save the markl-as he 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 Eow the final
desperate struggle was being made, the for
lorn hope OF the day. The Turkish fire had
crushed down his Russians as they battled
their way up the slope slippery already with
RoumAnian 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, be was spectacle Of majestic misery
that Gould never be forgotten.
MID REGAL sPLKNDoR
After Plevna had fallen in December the
emperor returned to St Petersburg, there to
be greeted with reception, the like Of which
4 a. 81
| 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 ght
tering image Of the holy virgin Of Kasau
which the cathedral enshrines. Its interior
was wonderful spectacle. People had spent
the night sleeping on the marble floor thai
they might be sure Of place in the morning
There had been no respect Of persons in thu
admissions The mujik in his skins stooC
next the soldier noble whose bosom glittereS
with decorations The peasant woman ant
the princess knelt together at the same shrine
At the tinlzle Of a ball the great doors wer'
thrown wide open, and on tho surge Of COLI
air was born a great throbbing volume o
sounds, the roar Of the cheering Of vast mul
titudes, the booming Of artillery, the clash o
the pealng JOY bells. In stately procession
the emperor reached the altar, bent bis heai
and his lips touched the sacred image. Whei
he turned to leave the building the wildes
confusion Of enthusiasm laid hold Of Oh
throng. His people closed in about the CA
till he had no power 70 move The grea
struggle was but to touch him, and the chao
Of policemen, officers shrieking women an
enthusiastic peasants swayed and heaved
and fro; tho emperor in the center, pale, hi
lips trembling with emotion, just as l ha
seen him when his troops were cheering hir
on the battle field; struggling for the bar
possibility to stand or move forward, for
was lifted by the pressure clean on his fee
and whirled about helplessly. At length, el
tricated by wedge Of officers, be reache
bis carriage, only TO experience almost q
wonderful an ovation when be reached th
raised portico OF the Winter Palace AS fo
the czarevna, the lady who is now empires
Of Russia, her experiences at the winter pa
ace were unique As her carriage, followin
that Of the emperor, approached the terrace
the populace utilized il as point whence I
see and cheer the emperor. Men scramble
on to the horses, the box, the roof, the wheel.
progress became utterly impossible. A grou
Of cadets and students, who lined the base {
the terrace, were equal 10 the occasion. The
dragged open the carriage door by dint {
Immense sxertion; they lifted out the brigl
little lady, who clearly was greatly enjoyin
the fun, and they passed her from hand
hand above their heads till the emperC
caught her, lifted her over the balustrads
| and set her down by his side on the terrac
4,a natal hale ~ hsr ray,na l,ly nas