The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-10-30
TUTORED BY ALEXANDER.
A Student Who Was Coached in Latin Dy
the Gar of Russia.

the Gar of Russia.
A student of medicine now at the
Berlin University was once tutored by
Alexander Ill, the Gar OF all the
Russias. 1t happened in this wise:
For some time during the Russian
Turkish war the headquarters OF the
present Gar. then the heir apparent,
were in Plojeschti. His private rooms
were in the house of the rich Jewish
banker, Jacob Nissim, the uncle OF the
Young Russian student OF medicine
now in Berlin. During his residence
there the Prince became quite intimate
with the Nissim family. He was very
fond of music, and Nine. Nissim played
the piano with rare cleverness. All
the time that he could spare from his
official duties the Prince passed In her
drawing-room. Not infrequently she
accompanied on the piano the Russian
love songs which he sang in deep
baritone voice, long since famous at
the st. Petersburg court.
One afternoon he noticed that Nine.
Nissim played very perfunctorlly and
looked very unhappy. In response to
his inquiries she told him long story
about her very perverse little nephew
who played hockey all the time. hated
his teacher, and couldn't learn Latin.
She had just looked over the small
boys Latin composition. and had found
every sentence lurid with the teachers
corrective red ink. Although she
knew nothing about Latin, the amount
of red ink in her nephew's exercise
book had convinced her that he was a
Ounce and disgrace to the Nisslm
family. The Prince comforted her by
promising to take hand in the edu'
cation of the naughty young Nissim.
and to have him up in the first grade
at school in no time. He was true to
his word. He captured the small boy
Immediately after supper every night,
set him down to a table in his uncle's
library, and COMPEL him to write
Latin till the little child didn't know
the difference between tempus ant
iugit. Then during short recess thu
Prince told him Russian bear storie
and all about camp life. The last hal
hour of each evening was devoted tt
correcting young Nissim's Latin ant
rewriting the exercises.
A few weeks of this coaching mad
wonderful changes in the boys schoo
record. He quit playing hockey be
cause he wished to obey the big Prime
who told him to quit it. His Latil
composition was almost untouched b.
the teachers red ink Eventually tn
Prince put him just where he hat
promised Nine. Nissim to put HIM
the first school grade.
Young Nissim has not forgotte
much concerning his early associatio
with Alexander III. Unlike most Rus
slams who have studied abroad, he sti
has long, broad and deep place in hi
heart for the Gar. His memory
t full of interesting "reminiscences
[ the peculiarities of the Gar in tn
r days during the Russian-Turkis
I war. The Car was then subject
. terrible headaches. He refused
n treat them with doctors prescription
t but whenever it rained he ran out
1 the house bare-headed and held h
9 head under the dripping caves. +
n considered the falling drops a SUI
Q temporary cure for his ailment. II
y Prince was much fonder of his rel
5 tons then than are most Princes. II
8 walls of his study in M. Nissim's hou
a were half covered with their picture
J, He watched anxiously for every pc
e in which he expected to receive lette
d from his immediate family. After I
Il moving his quarters to a village Sc
IS eral miles from NJ. Nissim's house,
y sent to the city daily for his unoffici
n letters. Upon leaving Plojeschti
d gave his small pupil some twenty VI
.. umes of medical literature, which t
young man still has, and plenty
t. promises of future aid Nine. Mss
d received from him a diamond bracel,
Il Papa Nissim got nothing. L.
lie ter.