The evening times., 1897-03-27
GEAR NICHOLAS ShITTEA
His Infatuation for Sibyl Sander
son, the American Singer.
SEEN NIGHTLY AT THE OPERA
The Czarina an Invalid and Neg
Iecied, While the Cars Relatives
Plot TO Widen the Marital Breach.
The Advent of an Heir May Re-
unite the Imperial Couple.

st. Petersburg, March 26.-According to
stories now current in court circles and in
clubland the relations between the young
Car and his consort have undergone con-
siderable change, and that not for the
better.
The Czarina remains SO much of an in
valid that Sne has not come once into st.
Petersburg from TsarskOe-Selo during the
entire winter Her languor and her weak
ness are extreme, and she has become
frightfuIly thia, wnile her facets so pinched
that no one would recognize her from the
portraits which exist of her.
Nicholas, on the other hand, is in the
very best of health and full OF life and
spirits Instead of shutting himself up
with his wife as heretofore, and restricting
himself exclusively to her companionship,
he now spends much OF his time else " here,
is constantly at st. Petersburg, and is 10
be seen almost every night at the theater,
especially at the opera, where his undis-
guised admiration OF the American prima
donna, Miss Sybil Sanderson, is exciting
much comment
His relatives endeavor to encourage as
far as possible every infatuation that
can tend to estrange him from his wife,
since they both resent and fear the influ-
enee which she exercised upon him be-
fore she lost her health and her good
looks.
There are some who allege that the
appearance of the little stranger, whose
advent into the world is expected next
month, may serve TO reunite the imperial
couple, especially if the baby prove TO
l.a hpx MT Oth W n zP-
Quainted with the tickle character of the
imperial house of Russia in all that con-
cerns the fair sex, express the opinion
that the charm having once been broken
it is needless to expect that it viii ever
be restored.
Mean while the young Czarina is worthy
of good deal of sympathy. With the eX-
ception OF her sister, the Grand Duchess
Elizabeth, herself a martyr TO marital mis-
cry, she is practically without a single
friend at the court OF st. Petersburg, where
her lofty principles and her English ideas
on the score of morality and feminine con-
duet have clashed not only with the princi-
pal members Of the Muscovite ariStocracy,
but even with her husbands relatives.
Nor does she find any support in her
mother-in-law. Until now there has been
d sCrt OF silent struggle between the two
ladies for predominant influence over the
Gar, the Emperor's mother representing
the reactionary element in Muscovite poll
tics, and the young Czarina everything that
is enlightened and liberal
Moreover, the widowed empress is per
fectly well aware that her daughteT-in-
law has repeatedly made fun OF The En-
peror, even 10 the extent Of cancature
In connection with his submission to ma
ternal dctation.
1t may be added that the Car is by TO
means the first royal parsonage to mani
fest publicly his admiration for the charms
of Miss Sanderson The late Prince Bald
win, OF Belgium, was infatuated with her
beauty, SO much so that when he met with
his death wound in so mysterious man
ner in the ever since deserted mansion OF
the Avenue Louise, at Brussels, story
(since proved TO be untrue) was circulated
that she had played the part of heroine
in this royal tragedy.