St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-12-19
czARs IN ENGLAND.


A Iapse In Their Visits Between the Years
1914 and 1893.
Queen Victoria was only % years
old, although already the mother OF two
children, when last she received the
visit of a czar. The news that the ter
rible Nicholas was coming, and that
only two days hence. produced an ex-
traordinary fluttering in the tame dove
cote of Windsor. For nearly 20 years
this emperor of Russia had been the
most striking figure among the princes
of Europe. The accounts OF him still
fascinate the imagination. Taller by
half a head than most of his own picked
guard, of powerful and well-roundeti
form, and straight as pine. no other
man of our century has SO looked the
part of an autocrat. His face, particu-
larly in profile. was rs exceptional In
its regularity of beauty as Napoleon's.
albeit of wholly different order. This
face had a strange popularity. tn.
cyelashes were curiously undevelOped.
and of SO pale color that his big, bold,
piercing eyes had the effect of no relief
whatever. They frightened people who
met their gaze. Still more did the tales
that were told of him, of his colossal
ambitions, his wild outbursts of saw
agery, his iron-handed grip upon the
lives and thoughts and very souls OF
uncounted millions of subjects, impress
the popular fancy of his time. 1t had
been given out that he was to visit Eng
land some time in 1S45, but now sud-
denly at the close of May, 1874. word
came that he was to appear in London
in two days time. He liked to descend
upon people in this abrupt and unex-
pected way; it was in keeping with his
own conception of his character, and
produced just the impression of ire
sponsible omnipotence which it pleased
him to create, in small matters not less
than in large affairs.
The girlish queen and those about her
were greatly excited by this unlocked
for apparition. Victoria filled her diary
with wonder-struck exclamation points
each day Of his stay. and wrote long
letters to her relative, King Leopold of
Belgium, detailing her emotions dur
ing the eventful ten days. HE is GER
tainly q very striking man." she wrote;
"still very handsome; his profile is
beautiful, and his manners most digni-
fed and graceful; extremely civil, quite
alarmingly 50, as he is 90 full Of atten-
tions and politeness. But the express
sion Of the eyes is severe, and unlike
anything / ever saw before. He gives
Albert and myself the impression of a
man who is not happy, and on whom
the burden of his immense power and
position weighs heavily and painfully.
He seldom smiles. and when he does the
expression is not happy one" Again.
in her Journal, the queen writes, . day
or two later: II don't know why, but
can't help plying him. think his inn
mense power weighs heavily on his
head"
have been interested in recalling
this impression of grave unhappiness
which the first Nicholas produced upon
the queen. The strongest and most
robust Of men, with . giants will and
nesyes of steel, he still found his burden
too great. Now, Sc years later. the
queen welcomes as a guest the great
grandson Of that splendid, somber first
Nicholas. whom she couldn't help
plying" How infinitely greater must
be the impulse to pity the second Nicho-
las, himself frail. timid little fellow.
and bowed under . weight of response
bility which from any point Of view 10
manifold heavier than that which was
carried by his ancestor In 1S44!-Lon-
dom Cor N " T;mes