The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-06
AN IMPERIAL ROMANCE.
Disinterested Attachment at Court.
The Cars Early Love.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
The czarina of Russia has had, since
her first arrival at St. Petersburg, little
over quarter of century ago, but one
intimate friend, whose marriage took
place at a few days distance from her
own, and who from the very first has oc-
cupied an important position in her house
| hold 1t is the Countess Woronzof-
Daschkow, who still retains traces of the
beauty for which she was formerly so
celebrated She is the one person above
all others who has been the empress con
tidante and adviser in all her domestic
and family affairs, such as the children's
illnesses, the questions relating TO their
education and bringing up, etc. The two
women have practically had no secrets
from each other, and the intimacy between
the two has been rendered all the closer
by the fact that, owing TO the countess
vast wealth and the lofty position which
she enjoys both by birth and by marriage,
she alone of all the members of the impe-
rial encourage has been above suspicion of
self-interest and intrigue. Her devotion
to the czarina is, perhaps, the only one Of
all those at her majesty's command which
is entirely disinterested, unseltish, and
complete. A further bond Of union be-
tween the two ladies Is the intimacy
which has for many years subsisted be-
tween blClE nus DduOS. anu WHICH udJcS
back to the days when the present cars
elder brother was still alive, and there
was small prospect of the younger broth
er's succeeding to the throne.
To the countess influence is attributed
the remarkable uSase just issued by the
car, which practically confers upon her
husband the power of vice-emperor. The
count has already, ever since the begin
ming of the present reign, held the posi-
m of frt1. faara of m a
hold, and by the decree recently pub
lished his functions as such have been ex-
tended to such d degree that, next to the
car himself, he has become the most
powerful man IN the entire empire. In
the first place, every ukase and order
bearing Alexander's signature is
hencefOrth to be promulgated
and communicated exclusively through
the count, who is responsible to his
imperial master alone, and absolutely
Independent of the other cabinet
ministers. He has under his immediate
orders not only the entire imperial house
hold, but also the households of all the
various members of the imperial family
and Of their estates. The crown jewels
and the management Of the mines of
gold and precious stones In Siberia
belonging TO the emperor are also under
his direction, as are also the vast
crown lands, the imperial stables
and stud farms, which cost no less
than 81, 200, GOO year; the game preserves,
the Ouch, of Lowitz the court clergy, the
imperial museums, the theaters. the or
ders of knighthood, and last, but not
least, the imperial guard. In one word
there is no limit to the power with which
he has been invested, and the cause of
this extraordinary manifestation Of i'm
perial favor being, probably, that he and
his wife are perhaps the only two people
in the whole Of the great Russian empire
whom Alexander III. and his consort can
implicitly and unreservedly trust.
Among the many presents which the
count has received from his imperial mas
ter was magnificent coat lined with al
most priceless silver-fox fur This gar
ment is, however, no longer in the counts
possession, and the manner in which It
was lost is sufficiently amusing to be
worthy of record here. The count had
been attending some court function at the
winter palace of St. Petersburg last Feb
ruary, and at the conclusion thereof, on
coming down into the hall where his chas-
seur was waiting with other servants
and footmeG bearing their masters furs
and wraps, he found greatly to his dis
gust, that the entire left sleeve Of the