Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-01-30
He Is Interestingly Described by the
Princess Marie Engalitcheff.
Other Members of the Royal Family
Come in for a Share of Attention.
Interesting "reminiscences of Life at
at the Gay Court of the Car.
An Hour With Royalty.
Sunday Inter Ocean.

i
one upon which the average American has
| very little well authenticated information.
Travellers tales are usually highly colored,
and the newspaper correspondent knows
! the taste for which he must cater The
| distance, geographically considered, sep
arating the two countries Is not so great
as that made by divergence in customs,
laws and religion The friendly relations
however, that have existed between the
strong, youthful Republic in the West and
the old autoc4acy that constitutes a big
part Of the map of Europe make it neces-
sary. as well as pleasant, that there should
be a better understanding OF the empire
and its people. The recent Juror for Rus
sian literature has not died away, and the
field opened up by the trauslators has Civ
en- glimpses Of a life novel and intensely
interesting
THE LECTURE BY THE PRINCESS ENGAIIT-
cHEFF
must gradually increase this interest, for
she speaks authoritiyely from personal
knowledge, narratiug her facts with the
simplicity of absolute truth; without ex-
aggeration and without prejudice Her
lecture was description of court life and
wolves 1t had ali the charm. that lies in
the testimony of an eyewitness who does
not intrude his personality too strongly In
to the story he relates.
The audience was entirely feminine and
prior to the talk the lecturer held an in
formal reception behind the scenes. A lit
tie after clock she came upon the plat
form nannounced. and seated herself by
the little table at which she read. Sne
has spoken Of the slow graceful move
ments of the Russian people, anu Is her
self an example OF this characteristics She
wore gown OF white wool trimmed with
lace and white ribbons, and brilliant jew
els that are now familiar to Chicago peo-
pie who have met her.
THE INTRODUCTION WAS A CONCISE
SKETCH
Of the empire and its history from 1925.
Constantine. having married a Polish prin-
cess, Julia Grudzinska. renowned his
claim to the throne, so that Nicholas, his
brother, came next in the line of success.
SION. The reign of Nicholas was briefly re-
viewed with its chief events, the Polish in
surrecti0n and the war with Turkey, IN
which France and England were united
against him. His relations with his wife
were exceptionally happy. He died from
a cold contracted while reviewing his
troops in bad weather. During his reign
great encouragement was given literature
and arts Musicians and artists were warm
" welcomed in st. Petersburg. There had
been no theaterS at which the royal family
appeared. entertainments being given eX-
clusively in the palace. But through the
instrumentality of the Empress they were
established. and French and German ac-
tors were invited to Russia.
All the society Of the capital had been
transformed, and the long winters We're
especially brilliant. the Neva being frozen
over and the earth snowbound. Enter
tainments were given by the mobiles, at
which the entire imperial family appeared,
and which cost vast sums of money.
Nicholas died disheartened and disappoint-
ed, never having recovered from the shock
occasioned bv the death of his eldest son,
deceived by his friends, and the ingrati-
tude of the Emperor Francis Joseph. lie
aged rapidly in the latter part of his life.
Great improvements were made IN en-
cheering and architecture, and the first
railroad was one of the chief works OF ms
reign.
his SON ALEXANDER SUCCEEDED HIM
at the are of 81. He married a German
princess, of whose youth and beauty he be-
came enamored, seeing her walking in
front of her fathers palace. She was a
devoted wife and mother, but did not
possess the strong individuality OF the
bowager Empress. He was crowned at
Moscow in great splendOr, the princes and
mobiles of Europe lending their presence to
the ceremonial, the Dowager Empress APP
pearing in a court dress Of purpIt velvet.
The Crimean war was ended, the laws were
revised and public educational lnstlm-
tiors were established to which all classes
had access at Kief. Odessa, and elsewhere.
The greatest measure OF his reign was the
emancipation Of the serfs In 1861. The
Polish instruction Of 1863 was quelled
after a two year struggle, the last effort
made by the people for national freedom.
In the Crimean war thousands Of young
men. the flower of Russia, fell and We're
buried in nameless graves, and heroic
work for the wounded and dying was
done bv the sisters of the Red Cross In
the subiugation of Turkestan great ulster
was ..dded to the renown Of eminent Rus
sian generals. The effort of Russia topro-
tqct the Christians from the brutality
Of the Turks was touched upon, with
the final adjustment Of the Roumanian diff
hculty
ALEXANDER DIED MARCH 10, lssl'
from the explosion Of a nihilistic bomb.
Such was the fate Of a man who had done
more for his people than any preceding
ruler. He was a victim Of the fanaticism
Of those whom he had liberated. The fun
eraI was the occasion of universal mourn
ing The streets were crowded with peo-
ple. who were kept back by the police as
tie cortege passed The Grand Duke, clad
in black. rode behind the bier on horse
back. and the family followed incarriages.
all in deep mourning, which was worn by
the court for year The car was lament
ed bv the people who reverenced and loved
him. The literature Of Russia through ms
influence had been marveIously developed,
and the list Of poets and noyeilsts incjF5i-
inc suchnam as Koltzof, Nikiten, O gol,
and Tolstoi.
The responsibilities Of empire came up
on Alexander. finding him entirely unprre-
1 nj rftIr