The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-18
AN EXAMPLE FOR GIRLS.

Now that Princess Alix of Hesse is
about to become CZariDa OF Russia curl
osity is awakening about her life as girl,
and gossipers are writing books and maya
zine articles 10 crafty il. At an age when
most young ladies conceal their idiosyn-
crasies as carefully as their elbows this
little Princess is becoming as well known
as her predecessor, Catherine or Louise
of Prussia.
She W as left motberless at years Of age
and she was not in her teens when her
father contracted morganatic alliance.
But her mother. Alice of England, who
was as bright as her sister. the present
dowager Empress of Germany, and as
strong willed, laid down rules for the edu-
cation of her children which we're faith
fully adhered to after her death. She
ordered that they should carefully avoid
the morgue and hauteur which are OBJ
served in the daughters of most nobe
families in Germany. 1t was her will that
they should be brought up as girls in the
middle class, but rather more strictly. Her
m other ext ressed the guiding principle OF
her system in the sentence, Il desire that
my daughters shall be unassuming and
perfectly frank and natural. They must
understand they should have nothing to
conceal"
Under the direction of competent gov
ernesses Alix and her sisters rose early
and before breakfast prepared their les.
s0Hs, which they recited until the begin
ming of the afternoon. Then they walked.
played croQuet and tennis, rode, rowed in
summer and skated in winter. Their
studies EN- braced the usual bran ches of a
complete education, including English and
French, likewise an exhaustive course in
cookery. sewing and dreSsmaking. Until
their confirmation their clothing Was all
made at home, and they took turns to fur
nish the pastry for the family dinner.
When they entertain ed their young friends
they were required TO make the cakes
which were served, and they were en-
couraged to supply the children OF neigh
boring orphan asylum with bon bons of
their own manufacture. They were also
taught music and painting. In the latter
accomplishment Alix is said to excel.
After their confirmation their pocket
money. which had been % cents a week,
was raised to 30 cents. and they were al
lowed TO wear long skirts and go to a few
parties and theaters. Queen Victoria OBJ
them to drive with her and her court when
they visited England. On that occasion,
for the first time in their lives, they were
allowed to pay visits to grown people. The
fruit of this training is exhibited in the
character Of the Grand Duchess Ella. the
eldest of tbs three Processes of Hesse,
who married SeTgus OF Russia. She is the
active patroness of the ms titute for train
ing nurses at ST. Petersburg, and is never
ceasing in her works of charity and kind
ness. 1t was she who chose the nurses
who watched the late Cars deathbed.
1t is quite on the cards that the legacy
of Alice of England may enure to the
benefit OF peace and civilization. In the
ruling class in Europe. as in the class that
is ruled, women are potential, and the
sway of policies is sometimes in their
hands. Common rumor accuses the En-
press Eugene of having boasted-wheu
the French started on their mad race, "a
Berlin P'-that the war then beginning
was cher war;" Whether she was so in
discreet or not, there is no doubt that she
used her influence with her husband to
egg him on TO a war from which he in
| stinctively sbrank, and she must have her
share of the blame. 1t Is pleasant to think
that II good training can MAKE a good
woman the world may be gamer by the
accession of Alix of Hesse to the throne
of the Russias.