New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-07
EMPRESS MARIES FRIEND.
AND AN IMPERIAL ROMANCE.
DIsINTEREsTED ATTACHMENT AT CoCRT-THE
CARS EARLY LOVE.
,OURT-TIIE

took place a few days distance from hT OWL anu
Who from the very first has occupied an important
position In her household. 1t Is the countess "oroh
zog Doscbkow who still retains traces OF the beauty
| for which she was formerly celebrated. she Is
the person above all others who has been the Ell
prcsss cenfdante and adviser In all her domeSuc anu
| family affairs, such the childrens Illnesses Tie
questions relating to their education and bringing up
ETC. The two women have practically had no secre''
from each Other and the intimacy between the TWO
has been rendered all the closer by the fact that ow-
Ing to the Countcsss vast wealth, and the lofty posi-
lion which she enjoys both by birth and by marriage
She alone Of all the members OF the Imperial encourage
has been above suspicion OF selfinerest anu INTRIGUE
Her devotion to the Czarina Is, perhaps the ohy ohc
Of all those Her Maiesty's command which Is en-
tirely dlsintercsed unselfsh and complete. a iur-
,hcr bond OF union between the two ladies is the in
macy which has for many years subsisted between
their husbands and which dates back to the days when
the present Cars elder brother was still alive ana
there was small prospect OF the younger brother sue
ceedlng to the throne
TO the Counesss influence Is attributed the re-
markable ukase Just issued by the Gar which prac-
tcally confers upon her husband the power OF VICE
EMPEROR The Count has already ever since the be-
ginning OF present reign, held the position OF Nn
lister Of tie Imperial Household and by the decree
recently published his functions AS such have peeh
extended TO such degree that next TO the Gar MN
self he has become the most powerful man In the
order bearing Mcxanders signature IS heheeior'h 70
hc PROMULGATED and communicated exclusively through
the Count who Is responsible TO his Imperial master
alone and absolutely independent OF the other 'aoi
net Minister'S lie has under his immediate orders
not only the entire Imperial household but also The
households OF all the various members OF the Imperial
family and Of their estates. Tho crown jewels ana
the manag erhen OF the mines OF gold ana precious
stones in siberia belonging to the Emperor are also
undor his direction as also the vast crown ahcs
the Imperial stables and stud farms, which cost no
less than 81 600, 900 year; the game preserves the
Duchy Of LOwltz, the court clergy, the ltnper"i III"
scuns the theatres, the orders OF khlghthoou anu
last hut NOT least the Imperial Guard In one WORD
there is no limit to the power with which he has been
Invested the cause OF this extraordinary manifestation
Of IMPERIAL favor being, probably that both he ana
his wife are perhaps only two people In the whoIe
Of the great Russian Empire whom Alexander III. ana
his consort can implicitly and unreservedly trust
Among the many presents which the Count has re-
celved from his Imperial master was magnificent
coat lined with almost priceless siiverfox fur ms
garment IS, however, no longer in the CoVntS posses
,on and the manner In which II lost 8 sufficient
ly amusing TO be worthy OF record here. The Count
had been attending court function at the Winter
Palace OF ST. Petersburg last February and AZ the con-
cluSlon thereof. coming down into the hall where
hi, waiting with other servants ana 1901
men bearing their masters furs and wraps he found
the coat had been cut of. The chasseur was unable
TO account for the theft. which had evidently been
perperated by clever thief In tho crush OF servants
waiting In the entrance hall OF the palace. On the
following morning the Count lost no time In sending
the pci.sc 70 the nirricr. with orders TO fix new
sleeve I'm place OF the that had been stolen. A
couple Of hours afterwar and before the tailor had
had TIME 10 find new piece OF fox fur suffciently
fine to match Of the cloak. servant dressed In
the livery Of the woronros entered the establishment
hearing missing sleeve. lie stated that the polio"
had iu,, recovered H. and that he had been sent by
the Count 10 have 1t quickly while he waited,
as His Exccllency wished 1t the same after
noon Within half an hour the furrier had completed
the job and hand. the pclisse IL the iootman, who
.traichway disappeared in the direction Of the Wer-
ouzoG palace. Later IN the afternoon the furrer was
astonls.d To the Counts valet enter the Shep ana
nsL for his masters coat and only then did he realize
that the livcricd individual who had called upon him
on the morning with the missing sleeve II clever
thief who had first stolen the sleeve with the object
OF being subsequently able 10 obtain the entire coat
which has never been recovered TO this day.
Countess woronxon and her husband have u,ade one
cast iron rule the Observance Of which has greatly
facilitated their intimacy with the Emperor and EN-
prc.s They have made law never under any cir |
cumstances TO ask for any favor either for them
selves or for any else and hence. whenever either
Of them has had occasion TO recommend appointments,
,lrir Maiesties have always had the assurance that
the recommends tions prompted In no wise by a
desire to serve the candidate but solely because they
considered the person In question rs better qualified
than any one else for the post. There Is court in
Furops save pchap. tbos, OF the Balkan states where
there is such OF intrigue and dishonesty Of
one Kind and another at that Of the Car. This j.
d,. I'm a great measure TO the fact tAat Russians, |
a. a rnlc have more OF the ASlac than OF the Euro
pcan I'm their composition. and AL the Oriental ten
dcncy 10 plotting and intrigue. As the Car Is. Tx
Tin Il Tho.
man upon whom alone rests the making or marring Of
the rank position Of his subjects, both he and the
Empress naturally surrounded 10y horde OF well
born but interruptions people whose one aim In life
Is 10 capture either by fair 10y foul the favor
OF their MaicstcS. upon which thing depends IN
Russia and to Dust thcrcfrom those who happen 10 be
I'm the enjoyment thereof. Tho only people who are
absolutely suspicion of any designs of this Kind
are the Countess Woron,of- DasChkow and, her hus-
band who have but one fault, namely. that IN their
Sorts to spare both the Emperor and the Empress
from trouble and annoyance they keep their MaJesieS
In ignorance Of many things that IL would be far better
they should know-espccially in SO far public opn
and the sentiments OF their subjects concerned.
The Count,sss daughter by the bye. has just bccom,
the wife Of young Elm Demidof, Prince OF San Dona'
and there Is quite romance. according 10 the cur
gossip In Petersburg society, connected with
the Interest manifested by the Emperor IN the happi
ness OF the brdcg room. and with the part which he
has taken I'm bringing about the match. Young Demi-
don mother was u P.incesS Metchersk. maid OF
honor TO the late Czarina. and secretly afianced TO
Alexander H. before the death OF his elder brother
elevated him 10 the rank OF Czsrowcz. Alexander
was deeply infatuated with the Princess who WAS
highy gifted only with oycliness Of rare type.
but also with Intellect and delicate seIslbites. On
The late Car discovering his sons attachment he
tcavorcd to put stop to II by persuasion and when
This method faied-Mexander declaring that he would
never marry any else. and that he had pllehtcd
l, troth 10 the IrnccsS-the old Emperor sent him
iway from the capital 10 the Caucasus regimenta
duties. During his absence the Princess forced
10 accept an offer OF marriage which Paul Dcmdoir
Prince OF san Donate. had been instructed. may sag
Commanded, by the late Emperor To make TO her
Neither Paul nor the Princess Were desiroas OF be-