Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-11-02
czAe DEAD.
[Continued from 1st page. ]

ough bigot. He never once doubted that
he was the Lords anointed, ruling all Rus.
.ia :, and her subject provinces by divine
right, and that Jews, Stundists, Mennonitei
and others who did not implicitly obey his
directions were in rebellion against Gsd and
deserving Of little consideration. The Ro-
manoffs have always been given to sort OF
brutal devotion, and the natural bent Of
Alexander's mind was intensified by the
teachings of his tutor, NJ. Pobiedonotsotf,
in later years the much feared chief of the
holy synod of the Russian church
Nevertheless he taught his pupil NOR.
ally, and it is claimed that Alex.
ander III was the only European
sovereign of his time who never kept
a mistress. He was frantically devout, and
his views on education were those of the
Russian priests. AS head of the church be
! consistently opposed every form of instruc-
ton not controlled by the priests.
Alexander III was man of remarkable
physical force. He stood 6 feet inches in
his stockings, and it is told of him that he
could take silver coin of the size of dol
lar and double it between his thumb and
forefnger. When in 1888 his train was
wrecked and number of persons were
killed, it is said he saved those who were in
the same compartment with him from in
jury and perhaps death by supporting por-
tion of the fallen roof with his shoulders
till assistance came.
He was also an untiIing worker, got
down to his desk as rule by A. M, and
went resolutely through official papers till
n h. Id l,Svbk lt,rnn nh AND
took recreation and read till 6 o'clock
dinner. He often wrote severe comments
on the margins of papers presented to him,
and these were glazed over to preserve
them in the royal archives. His favorite
expressions were "What beast he is -
They are set of hogs" and the like.
The Russian word "nezooteshitelno, which
may be translated "disc ouraging," was a
frequent comment with him. Once he was
prevailed upon to allow a very severe COM
ment to be erased. 1.-The council thought to
trick me-" he said, "but they shan't, but
may strike the words out"
He WAS man of unfiinching courage.
He proved this in the last war between
Russia and Turkey, and though during his
entire reign he was in constant expectation
of being murdered he never hesitated to
show himself to his people when he thought
the occasion demande it, and he oftentimes
was accounted even rash in his manner of
doing this. For instance, on several &C.
casions when members of hi, household
died and notably when his English nurse
passed away, he attended the funeral ser
vices like any common person, following
the hearse on foot. 1t was his custom fire.
quently to drive pair of horses over the
public highways, the czarina and the whole
family accompanying him in an open
carriage.
Perhaps the coronation of Alexander III,
all of the ceremonials of which were deter
mined by himself, furnished rs good an
illustration of his character as any incident
in his life. He did not formally assume
the crown until 1888, two years after the
assassination of his father. The ceremonials
were held on May 26 in the cathedral
Church of the Assumption within the walls
of the Kremlin at Moscow, for though St.
Petersburg is the capital of Russia, the
elder city, in Difference to the patriotic sem
timent Of old Russia, is still the coronation
city.
The czarina, or rather empress, for the
Russians do not now use the word czar
habitually, presented remarkable con-
trast to her massive husband. She is slen-
der and petite, quite beautiful, and with a
refined and rather pensive air. She
was long considered the best dancer
in the imperial court and was very
fond of the amusement. Tney had
| various places of re.idence, the winter
palace being most noted. but both pre-
ferred Gatchina, near St. Petersburg.
!, x1ov ell of b,y oraA
in Iublir there were tumultuous demonstra-
tons of Joy, for the masses of the Russian
people are fanatically devoted to their White
Father. as they call him. The Nihlists
come from very small section of the
fairly well educated classes, and even the
advocates of reform and constitutional
government do not altogether include 10
per cent. Of the Russian people.
Brave as Alexander III. was. his contin-
ued danger of assassination finally wore
him out, as it has many another brave man.
He narrowly escaped at the fuaeral of his
father. At another tim, there was an ex-
plosion in the palace and again narrow
escape. Finally occurred the explosion on
the railway to Moscow, and the slightest of
accidents alone prevented the whole impe-
rial family from being blown into eternity
After that the Czr lived very secluded for
long time, and his only real satisfaction
was during hi, long visit to bis father-in-
law in Denmark. There be was the goo
uncle to lively gang of children, with
whom he romped and boated and rambIed
in the woods all day long.
After all, he died young, and now all Eu-
| rope il asking about his successor. There
is even more contradiction in the reports
sbout him than in those about his father.
1t is alleged that he is open-hearted, liberal
and progressive, and with equal force he is
too stupid to have any marked Characters
ties and will be ruled by his counsellors
and priests. 1t is agreed, however, that he
Is devoted to his m )ther, temperate and
chaste and studious, and so it is taken for
granted that 80 far as he is influenced at
all it will be chiefly by his mother and wife.
A melancholy interest attaches to the
Youngest son of Alexander III, The Grsn1
Jake Gsorge. In his youth he was deli
cate, but under the active regime to which
princes were subjected he grew vigorous
aud completed the prescribed course of
studies and military exercises.
An accident, a fall while on warship,