Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-16
CZARINA A MOTHER.
SIZE HAS A LITTLE DAUGHTER.
AND ALL rs WELL.
sketch OF the Lie OF Her imper'"i
Ujrbpess-Vcr strength OF ChHrac-
tcr-rIcr Popularity with All
Classes.

LONDON, -NON'h'NA ~
nounced from 81. Petersburg, via Vienna,
that a daughter was born TO the Czarina
az 10 O'Clock this evening. Mother and
child are doing well.
The Czarina is one OF Queen Victoria's
many grandchildren. She Is the youngest
child Of the late Grand Duke and Duchess
OF Hesse-DarInstadt. Her mother, Prin-
cess Alice. perhaps the most popular men-
ber OF the English royal family, died when
the little Aiix was only 6 years of age,
and from that time the child was cared
for almost exclusively by her grand
mother. Queen Victoria, whose special
favorite she has always been. She was
surrounded by nurses, attendants, and
eoyernesses. selected at Windsor and Bal
moral with the result that the future
Czarina grew up more English in senti-
ment and training than many of her
English cousins.
HER CURIOUS NAME.
Princess Alix was called by this curious
modification of her mothers name be-
cause Queen Victoria found that the name
OF Alice was so badly pronounced by the
Germans. The little Princess received in
addition the names of her aunts, Helena,
Victoria Louise. and Deatfice.
When Princess Alix was about 10 weeks
old her mother wrote TO the Queen OF
England: Baby is like Ella elizabeth,
the present wife OF the Grand Duke
SERGE. but has smaller features and
darker eyes. with very dark eyeiashes and
auburn hair. She is "A dear. lively little
thing. always laughing. and has a dmple
on one cheek exactly like Ermin ther
brother" As she grew UP this bright
ness OF temperament remained one OF her
most marked characterlstics. and for this
reason in the family circle she was always
called the sunbeam-or sunny as 1t
was usually abbreviated. Her carly train
ing WAS confided 10 an elderly English
nurse. Miss Orchard. Who promised the
Grand Duchess Alice. wnsn she lay dying,
in 1875. never TO leave sunny" ana who
went to Russia last year, when her
charge-stlll sunny" to her-was be-
trOthed to the present Car.
INDIVIDUALITY OF CHARACTER.
After the loss Of her mother and
father-the Grand Duke died in 1852
Princess Alix became more serious. From
childhood she was remarkable for a dis
tinct character and individuality of her
own. and this was shown last year In
tUfHrttIDn Will fifl 'tlAlN INTO Aflt Isis'-
ern Orthodox Chush. For the last seven
centuries NEARLY all the Cars have gone
abroad for their brides, who in every
instance have been bautiZed into the
Russian faith. In the case OF Princess
Alix difficulty arose. She refused 10
say that her former religion was ac-
cursed: that her conversion To the Rus
sian faith was due to her conviction that
her own religion was not founded upon
truth" as the law OF the Russian
Church required. Never before has the
Holy Synod Of Russia had 10 face such
refusal. Argument was in vain. II
merely join the Greek Church that | may
be- Of one faith with my future husband"
she said firmly. And the Holy Synod OF
Russia had 10 make this highly important
and unprecedented concession to the
young German girl. who. not even for
the crown Of an empire would condemn
the religion Of her fOrefa achers -At her
baptism In Russia she received the names
Alexandra Feodorovna. and the car
afterward conferred upon her the rank
Of Grand Duchess OF the empire.
GRACEFUL Personal TRAITS.
The iirmness Of character which the
Czarina possesses has never overshadow-
ed the more graceful qualities of her dis
position. She g. not stiff. but lively.
graceful. and "eegante" in the Partisan
sense Of the word she Is sensitive. i'm
pulsive. sympathetic. and witty. She Is
beautiful OF the refined, fair-haired. blue
eyed type OF beauty, with finely -chs seled
features. a clear complexion, and large,
bright. laughing eyes. Her accomplish
ments are more than ordinary. She is an
admirable llnguist. expert at needewOrk.
very musical. a good player on the piane>
forte, and an excellent artist She is
skiful rider and. after lhe fashion Of
young English women, was devoted TO
outdoor sports, delighting in tennis. boat
ing and skating. In Darmstadt, the Hes
sian residence. her popularity was un-
bounded.
Krasnoe Zelo. "thc red hamiet," whore
the CZarina Is now. is a village. some
80 miles from 81. Petersburg, on the bor-
ders Of Finland. IL is full OF little toy
cottages, which recall memories OF Trou-
willie and Dieppe There il military camp
there and i'm the village is situated the
Imperial School of Pages" where the
scions Of Russian nobility are educated.
and from which they pass as officers into
the guard-regiments. The imperial palace
was built by Catherine III. IL stands in
the midst of a magnificent park. and in
its general appearance H. suggestive of
Versailles. II is one of the most magnif-
cent palaces i'm the world, and is fun or
most costly art treasures.