The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-02
HOME LIFE OF. THE CAR
Autoerat Alexander III. a Man of
Tender Disposition and Gen.
erous Impulse.
Never SO Happy as When He Is
With His Wife and Five
Children.
How They Live in Summer and Winter
Palaces-The Abandon of the Fred
ensborg Forest.

Whoever has seen the car will have at
once recognized in him the full-blooded
Russian, his face and figure betraying it at
the first glance. He has a black, full
beard, thick lips, a large, broad nose, and
peculiarly shaped eyes, with a stern and vet
kind and melancholy look, under extremely
low browB. He reached his forty-sixth year
last March, and is tall. stout and healthy
looking. Though his social abilities may
be less brilliant and his boldness and
activity Of intellect less prominent than
those of his predecessors, yet none of them
possessed more competence and moral
worth.
His favorite resort is the castle of
Gatchina, situated on a vast desolate plain
near st. Petersburg. But this very soil
tude renders it the more desirable as a
residence, for the approach of undesirable
persons can be easier avoided.
The road leading to the imperial castle
OF Gatchina, is closely watched and closed
to all other traffic. The park surrounding
the palace is enclosed by a high wall, which
ls under the constant surveillance of a
patrol guard. An entrance into the castle
Is Impossible without a special permit, and
the whole is under the supervision of the
chief of the imperial police guard. Gatchina
Is IN consequence considered so completely
cut off from the rest of the world that the
imperial family can reside there without
fear.
The castle is a simple mansion, of obloae
shape, with q tower at every corner, and is
three stories high. The arcades. with col
umna OF Finland marble, are in connection
with the castle, and offer an agreeable re-
treat and promenade in bad weather. The
inner apartments cannot boast of any par
tieular architectural beauty, but ar
adorned with valuable pictures and statues
which, by order of the emperor, were
brought from the Hermitage museum in St.
Petersburg, and from his winter palace and
Anltchkow palac.. The view ia limited nv
the park and forest attached to it, but as
much as human power could do to render it
diverse and picturesque has been accom-
pllslled ty the fa,nona landscape gardeners
OF 1T. Petersburg, with rare eklll and taste.
All this produces such an effect of com
fort and safety within the walls that one
hardly remembers the dreary surrounding
country and the ST. let, almost painful sur
veillEnce.
The ear and his family enjoy all the
conyeniences and pleasures which a coun-
try seat can offer. such as driving excuy-
SONS, hunting, riding, boating, soirees and
private theat1icals. The forest connected
with the well-tended park contains two
large ponds, resembling lakes, on which
the emperor and his cons row in summer
and spriEg and skate in winter.
Although it is generally r difficult thing
for the average person to get Il glance into
ths Russian emperor private life, it is
universally known that his marriage has
been n very happy one, writes a special
correspondent of the Chicago Inter Ocean
from st. Petersburg. The czar, whom ths
pubic consider severe and taciturn, is al