The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-21
Simplicity Of the Tastes Of
RusSia's Gar.
HE DETESTS A DRESS COAT
But Wore One in Paris That Cost
AmiabIe MOnarch-A Happy Royal
COupie-The Wife's Infuence-The
Emperor BelieYe in Education.

| York Sun prints a number of extracts.
among them these:
! zone detail gives striking proof of the
simplicity of the tastes of Nicholas ii.
| When he was about to visit Paris. in the
Summer of 1896, he did not have dress
coat in his wardrobe Nicholas III detests
a black coat; he prefers to wear the uni
| form of one of his regiments. He always
refused to wear an evening coat, but this
| time there was no help for him. If the
car could appear in uniform in any of
the courts of Europe he could not dis
| pense with a dress coat in Paris. He re-
| signed himself, therefore, with a sigh,
and sent an adjutant to the court tailor.
You must make for his majesty a
dress coat in the latest Partisan fashion,
commanded the adjutant.
Very WELL replied the tailor.
The court tailor was capable of cutting
the Uniforms of his imperial customer,
but by some strange chance he was ig-
norant in regard to the latest Partisan
fashion. He refused to execute the order
until he was thoroughly conversant with
the necessary details. Therefore he sent
to Paris to find out the latest fashions
in dress suits. A few days afterward his
messenger returned to st. Petersburg and
two weeks later the suit was ready. 1t is
estimated that the suit cost 100 roubles.
Certainly it fitted the emperor like a
glove, and Parisians would have been
very much astonished to learn that they
saw Nicholas II in a black coat for the
first time in his life.
The Car and Czarina are exceedingly
popular not only at st. Petersburg, but
also throughout Russia. AS husband and
wife. father and mother, they have won
the hearts of all honest folk. Nicholas
II has not that snappish and sometimes
imperious manner in court that was char
acteristic of Alexander III, who never
allowed anyone to forget for a moment
that he was master. The CZarina was
always obliged to obey him. But Nicho-
las II and Observation-Disclosures are like
two chums. Both do as they please; nei-
Their troubles the other In st. Petersburg
it is said that never was there seen on
the throne of Russia a couple 80 well
mated and so completely happy. When
the Car and Czarina go out in their car
! rage they may be seen chatting famii-
! iarly, joking and laughing and watching
+ everything and everybody.
4 - am a Russian. like any one of my
! subjects, said the Car one day.
This created a good impression upon
= the people and was repeated everywhere.
, The reciprocal affection OF the Car and
Czarina is remarked in many ways espe-
cially in the evident pleasure they find in
2 each others company. The ceremonies
during which they are obliged to be sep
! arated appear to weary them considera-
r bly, and as soon as the opportunity comes
I they reioIu each other
3 The young Gar often remains seated
: a his desk until late at night 1t fire.
4 | quently happens that he receives counsel
= lors and ministers after midnight, but il
: is rare that these dignitaries find him
alone. The Czarina is generally seated
h beside him. working al embroidery or
: sewing. As soon as a stranger appears
Y upon the threshold the Czarina picks W
Y scissors and spools and prepares TO leave
e the room.
I mo no. Sascha don't disturb yourself
- remain with us pleads the Gar.
g In silence the Cza=ina returns to hel
seat. puts her thimble on her finger anC
. works away with her needle while at he
: side her husband discusses public affairs
b The Czarina in a short time won the af
e fections not only of her husband but o
e her subjects as Well Her grace, simplici
q ~, and modesty everywhere produced tn
e best Of Impressions. In Russia much l.
$ ! expected from her influence over the Car
:. During the preceding reign the govern
r ment was blamed for resorting too mucl
y to violent methods for not always follow
d ing the ways of justice and also for ex
n hibting weakness in dealing with re
e ligious intolerance. a marked ameliora
2 ton in this respect has been noticed dur
e ing the past few years throughout the en-
: tire empire. This is attributed to the in
Il fluence Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS sh
has made the cause of the Catholics il
Poland and OF the Germans in Finland he
own.
But the Czarfna has not alone amfabl
: qualities; she has n cultivated mind ant
i well-developed, sound practical sense. Sh
h speaks French, English. German AM
l. Italian. Recently she took up Russian
a. and is beginning to speak that Difficult
u language fiuently. She has very swee
: voice, and at Frankfort-on-the-M Main sh
!. took lessons from Prof Herborn. She
IF a musician and plays the piano very well
e Remarkable aptitude for the culinary ar
e must also be added to her accomplish
t ments. It is said that she inherited al
= these qualities from her mother, tn
a. Duchess of Hesse, although she kney
,, very little of her. The Grand Duches
d died when her daughter was hardly seve
re years old. She lost her life under dra
matte circumstances that are perhaps no
l. forgotten. Her sons and daughters, sic
IF with diphtheria, occupied one part of tn
n palace. Notwithstanding the warning O
es the DOCTORS the Grand Duchess refuse
m to leave the bedside of her little patient:
le The disease, in the presence of whic
70 the doctors at that time were completed
A disarmed, did not spare her and she die
10 on December IA, 1873 the day of the deaf
re of her youngest child.
/ 1T is known that the Princess Alice {
ID Hesse married Nicholas II a few week
after the death of Alexander III. 1t wa
when she entered the Orthodox Russia
Church that she received her preser
name, Observation-Disclosures In plaC
o. of her mother it was the sister of til
aae | widowed czarina the Princess of Vale
Is who accompanied her TO the court {
ne Wales In the morning the Princess
s Wales entered the chamber of the youn
ID woman who was about to become tt
= czarina. The latter was still sleeping
= According to the ancient custom, she pr,
as scented to the young princess with ht
sh right hand bouquet and with her left
he cup of honey. The bouquet signifie
IN May you bloom and be fragrant lii
~ these fiowers!' and the honey signife
IN Like this, may your days be clear ar
it sweet
- THE good wishes expressed by IL
IA Princess of Wales have been realized 4
s. the present time nothing troubles tn
happiness of the young couple On n,
es vember 10, 1895, the birth of the Graz
ne Duchess Olga united them more close
a. a. than ever. It is said that the Czarir
II. could not forgive herself for havin
es brought into the world a daughter ratht