Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-11-28
CAR AND GRAND DUKE S.
THE AUTOcRAT OF RUSSIA AND HIS
TWO BROTHERS.

vladimir and the Bachelor Duke
Aiexis-Men Whose Names May Shine
in Bloody AnnRls-The Gar at Home.
The eyes of all the world are turned on
Russia. The strange, strong, silent man
who is absolute dictator over 100, 000, 600
of people now holds the destinies of Eu-
rope for war or peace in his grasp. Not
a move will be made on the chessboard
of European politics that is not dictated
by fear of the tremendous power of the
Russian empire. Europe stands trem-
bling on the verge of war, and the one
thing that prevents the outbreak of hos.
tilities is doubt as to the Interior pur.
poses of the Gar of Russia.
Alexander III is intensely patriotic.
He regrets to find the influence of the
west still so potent on many points in
country which, with its civilization and
progress, could well stand alone. He
does not see why cultivated Russians
should not speak their own language
habitually, and insist on its being substi.
tuted for French at court.
He takes lively interest in his navy.
and travels in his dominions as much and
as freely as the knife and the dynamite
of the Nihilists will allow him. With
the imperial family he starts for Den.
mark on his new yacht, the Polar Star.
constructed by Russian builders with
Russian materials. 1t is magnifcently
appointed vessel, measuring 348 feet by
IS. and its average speed is IS knots an
hour. 1t is lighted by electricity; the
dining saloon can seat 80 guests; long
passage carpeted in red leads to the
chapel, in which is a superb iconostase, or
sanctuary for the holy images, without
which no good orthodox Christian ever
thinks his habitation complete. The
czar is devout but not bigoted man.
and those who have had the privilege Of
seeing him when he can relax the tension
of his official life in Russia with the hor-
rible dread of occult dangers necessarily
threatening him and those dear to him,
can assert honestly that there is no
kinder or more amiable man than Alex
ander III.
The Grand Dukes Vladimir and Alexis
are both brothers of the emperor. Vlad.
inir is the elder of the two. II not quits
so tall as his brothers, he is yet well
grown man and has a fine figure, the gen.
tie expression of mouth and eye COM
mon to strong characters, and bodily
force, which are essentially the distinc-
tive features of the splendidly framed
| race of the Romanoffs. With Prince
Vladimir great energy is tempered by
| equally great refinement. He is the
most cultured and artistic of the whole
family. A soldier who has proved what
he could do in his profession, he is still
fond of literature, loves music, has q
taste for collecting curios, antiquities,
and works of arts, miniatures and ivor-
les, old fans and engravings, and pursues
his researches himself with the gusto of a
connoisseur in the dingiest bricabrac
shops of all the cities he visits. Heis presi-
dent of the Academy of Fine Arts of ST.
Petersburg; takes an active interest in
the intellectual movement of the capital;
deserving literary men and artists find il
him an intelligent patron and generous
protector all the more so that there is
something in the grand dukes nature
secretly akin to theirs. He has the gift
Of assimilating himself readily to almost
every situation in which he may happen
to find himself, while remaining ever Q
perfect grand seigneur.
The second brother of the car,
Alexis, is one of the handsomest men in
Russia He has been compared to the
Emper, Nicholas. of whom it was said
that he realized the ideal of demi-god;
and some find likeness in him to Jean
de Reske, the fashionable Hungarian
tenor. He is great admiral of the Rus.
sian fleet. He is unmarried, and will in
all likelihood always remain 80. This is
the more strange that his manner and
disposition do not seem to imply eternal
celibacy; but probably his resolution to
remain single dates from an early love
episode that left an indelible impression.
The empress, his mother, had two beau
tiful maids of honor; one, Mile. do
Haucke, was much admired by the Prince
of Hesse, brother of the empress and aide
de camp to the car, who. disregarding
the strong displeasure of all his relatives,
married the young girl morganatically.
Before the excitement caused by his con-
| duct had subsidized the emperor was in
formed that his son Alexis had fallen
madly in love with the other maid of
honor. Strong measures were resorted
to. The young lady was sent away from
court and her lover was ordered off on a
vessel around the world. There was
nothing left for the sailor but to obey
orders, and his romance was thus cut
short. 1t was then that he determined
never to marry, and he has kept his
word.
Yet the Grand Duke Alexis is neither
hermit nor misanthrope. He seems to
enjoy life. He is fond of the society of
ladies and of bons vivants.
The grand dukes are on excellent terms
with the emperor. Alexander is, in the
finest acceptation of the term, family
man; whenever he can enjoy home life,
rs he does only at Ferdensborg in Den
mark, he is perfectly happy. No one
knows, probably no one can guess, what
he thinks, what he intends to do what
he will do. The most perspicacious of
foreign diplomats at his court can only
conjecture vaguely; he has no certainty.
The car is reticent, silent, self con-
tanned he shows no preference for any
one; loves to be with the empress better
than with all others; he is seriously
affected by any illness or misfortune
happening to his children; he discount.
enances extravaganza in his courtiers;
will not hear of immortality at his court;
prizes responsibility, expects all those
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