The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-09
THE ROMANCE Of ALEXIS.
The Grand Duke Said to Have We'd
ded a Girl Of the People
When Young.
She Died and He Has Ever Since
Remained Faithful to
Her Memory.
She Was the Daughter of a Poet, Left q Son
and tho Latter Is to BE Remem-
bored by the Gar.

Lie Matin, of Paris, publishes the follow
ing letter from st. Petersburg: II can tell
you a sensational story. which, after hav-
ing been kept absolutely secret for some
time, has within the past few days leaked
out and been the subject of gossip at tho
imperial court. It means. briefly, that we
are shortly to be favored with a new grand
duke. Ihs facts are these:
1T has already been a matter OF COM
ment that the second brother Of the car,
in spite Of his forty-one years, has never
boon married and shown no disposition to
enter the holy state. I give you now the
absolute fact why the grand duke, Alexis
Alexandrowitch. grand admiral of the
Russian fleet, is single, and why he will re-
main so until death.
"When quite a youth he fell desperately
in love with one of his mothers, the car
ina's, maids of honor, 4 young and charm
ing girl named Vera Shaukovskaja.
daughter of the great national poet, who in
his turn was tutor of the Emperor Alexander
III. Vera. though not pretty, was remark
ably intelligent. The young people met
often, and their love was mutual and ard
emit; SO ardent. indeed, that the daughter of
the great poet forgot her prudence, and
very soon it became impossible to hide
from the world the result Of their mutual
flame. Then a bold step was decided upon.
The lovers went hand in hand to the
emperor, and on their knees begged his
consent to their union. lhs reply was q
brief and petemptory refusal. The empress
was equally severe, lamentinp that her
favorite son should desire to marry a
daughter of the people.
"Ths punishment that followed their in
discretion was hard. Vera was banished
from court and sent to a small farm belong
ing to ons Of her relations. where shs was
kept in the utmost seclusion. The Grand
Duke Alexis was handed over TO the care Of
the celebrated Russian Admiral Possietts,
and WIS sent off on a cruise around the
world.
"Vsra, however, was no ordinary ehnrac-
ter. Shs escaped from exile and set sail for
America, %rejoining the grand duke in New
York. There, in exchange for a round sum
Of money. q priest of the orthodox Greek
;hurch made them man and wife, and from
hat nonent Vera accompanied the duke
birth to q hns boy, but, weakened by her
org and fatiguing travels, she fell i'll. and,
upon her return TO Europe, was obliged to
90 10 Mont Rsux, in Switzerland, in hope
of successfully fighting the first seeds Of
-aIiI consumption.
$ihOu NtA IotorNeu 10 et. T6teTH-
burg. where be daily received news Of his
beloved, which became more and more
claiming every day. till at last the physi-
cinns pronounced the case hopeless. The
duke then went 10 his father and told him
all. Alexander, who WAS a good hearted
man for an emperor, said: Il have known
tho whole affair tor n long time, and |
know also that there are no obsta sles for
those who love. Go, my son, and comfort
the last days of this unhappy lady,
1.-The duke Immediately left for Switzer-
land. whence a few months later he re-
turned an inconsolaDie "idowsr. Before her