The Indiana State sentinel., 1894-11-07

like any common person. following the
hearsc on foot. 1t was his custom fire.
quently to drive d pair of horses over
the public highways, the cZarina and the
whole family accompanying him in an
open carriage.
The Coronation.
Perhaps the coronation of Alexander
III, all Of the ceremoniaIs of which were
determined by himself. furnished as good
an Illustration Of his character as any in
cident in his life. He did not formally as
sumo the crown until 1888, two years af-
ter the assassination of his father. The
ceremonies were held on May 26 in the
cathedral church Of the Assumption with
in the walls of the Kremlin at Moscow
for though st. Petersburg is the capital
of Russia the elder city, in Difference to
the patriotic sentiment 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 q remarkable con-
trast TO her massive husband. She is
SENDER 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 They had various places
Of residence, the winter palace being most
noted. but both preferred Gatchlna, near
ST. Petersburg. Whenever they or either
of them appeared in public there were
tunultuOuS demonstrations OF JOY, Tor the
masses Of the Russian people are fanatic
ally devoted to their White Father, as
they cal him. The nihlists come from a
very small section of the fairly we'll edu-
Gated classes and even the advocates Of
reform and a constitutional government
do not altogether include 10 per cent Of
the Russian people.
Brave as Alexander III was, the con-
tinued danger Of assassination finally
wore him out, as it has many another
brave man. He narrowly escaped at the
funeral of his father. At another time
there was an explosion in the palace and
again a narrow escape. Finally occurred
the explosion on the railway to Moscow,
and the slightest of accidents alone pre-
vented the whole imperial family from
being blown into eternity. After that the
czar lived very secluded for a long time,
and his only real satisfaction was during
his long visit to his father-in-law in Den
mark. There ne was the good uncle to a
lively gang of children, with whom he
romped and boated and rlmbled in the
woods all day long
The Successor.
After all, he died young and now all
Europe is asking about his successor
There is even more contradiction in the
reports about him than in those about
his father. 1t is alleged that he Is open
hearted, liberal and progressive, and with
equal force that he is too stupid TO have
any marked characteristics and will be
ruled by his counselors and priests. 1t
is agreed, however, that he is very de-
voted TO his mother, temperate and chaste
and studiOus, and so 1t is taken for grant
ed that. so far as he is Influenced at ALL
1T will be chiefly by his mother and wife.
A melancholy interest attaches to the
second son Of Alexander III. the Grand
Duke George. In his youth he was deli
cate, but under the active regime to
which the princes were subjected Re grew
vigorous and completed the prescribed
course Of studies and military exercises.
An accident. a fall while on a warship,
injured his chest, and he became con-
sumptive. Nevertheless he served as
colonel % an infantry regiment and held
command Of an ironc-ad, and as a naval
officer started to accompany his brother
in tour around the world. While in In
dian waters he fell from a mast and in
jured his spine. He was ordered home,
stopped awhile at Athens on account of
his health, and not improving there made
a voyage to Algiers, but in vain. He
was sent to a region in the Caucasus sup
posed to be favorable to consumptives,
and il was soon admitted that his case
was hopeless. His father. disgusted at
the liberal tendencies of the czarewitch, had
designed to alter the succession IN favor
of his second son, but instead the second
renounced his right in favor Of the third
Grand Duke Michael, who now stands
next to the car.