The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-01-11

then there come reports that the
hereditary faint of insanity which has
shown itself from time to time in tho
Romanoffs has marked him in an open
manner. Under these circumstances
his conduct towards his son in whom
he places little faith may be highly
important in it's results.
Those who have come into contact
with the czarowitz-and they are not
numerous-all concur in the opinion
that. while not overnight, he is fairly
intelligent and very amiable.
This latter quality has made him
popular with all parties in the Russian
court even including those who look
upon him as very weak figure indeed
to support the weight of the Russian
crown-as he may some day. He has
a certain grace and tact that comes to
him from his clever Danish mother and
not from his cross-grained father. He
is more Of scholar than most of the
Russian men of rank are, but is both
modest and simple of manner. Tutors
whom he has had from time to time
have reported of him that the amia bill
ity he shows in public is not assumed.
In the schoolroom he was the same.
He always met his tutors half way in
their efforts to improve him. He was
never churlish, nor did he display any
Of the spoiled child qualities that
might have been looked for in a
young man in his position. Not es-
pecially quick to learn, he was will
ing and patient. It was from one
Of these tutors that the grand duke
imbibed the ideas which made him
German rather than French in his
tastes and sympathies, contrary to
what would have been the wishes of
his father had the latter known any
thing Of the matter. Still the young
man is fairly well versed in French lit
erature as well rs German, and, unlike
his father, he is an admirer of Tolstoi
and of the younger writer's of the mod
ern Russian period who are pushing tc
the front. He is said to care little for
heavy reading of a political or histori
cal character. He has taste for poe
try and fiction; and in this again he is
like his mother, for Alexander III. has
no liking for that sort of reading, or,
indeed, for any other.
As might be expected from mild
hammered young man, the czarowitz
is not partial 10 war, as some of his
forefathers have been. There is moth
ing Of the Don Cossack in him. He has
no ambition to crush the Turks or to
wage war with Austria, or with Eng
land on the eastern frontier. He is
peaceable young man, who would
rather improve the somewhat expan.
sive bit of ground now known as Rus
STA, and no one denies that there is
room for Improvement. He is unlike
his two brothers in this respect. OF
these George, the naval officer, is not
the kind to turn his back on fight
vorite, and, though younger than his
brother, is said to be the one whom
Alexander at times contemplates
naming as his successor. Youthful
though he is, he is extremely precau-
tious, and has a talent for political in
trigue and government.
Either of these tive young men
might cut q more dashing figure than
Grand Duke Nicholas. Yet these
backward weddings are often deceiv-
ing. More than one of them have out
stripped stronger and better equipped
men on their own ground, What has
occurred may occur again, and. be-
sides. Duke Nicholas is young. When
his time comes to t1y alone his pinions
may prove stronger than they seem.
There is one thing to. be said of the
young man that cannot be said of other
knights Of his age. His life has been
clean. His name is unsmirched BY
scandal. He has lived quietly with
his books and studies. His habits
have been and are of the simplest. He
is tenderly attached to his mother.
and, if his affection for his rough bear
of father is less strong, he has at
least given him respect and obedience
while disagreeing with him on many
points. He really wishes to improve
the condition of the people of Russia.
and on no narrow lines. He is no
apostle of war or bloodshed, and no
OF race or religion
FOSTER COATES