Evening star., 1899-04-13
THE CZAR's HOME LIFE.
Personal Details About Nicholas III by
French Author.

From the Pail Mall Gazette
A volume dealing with the private life
and mode of existence of Nicholas III has
been issued in Paris. The author is NJ.
Maurice Leudet a distinguished member
of the staff of the Figaro who some time
back published a successful book dealing
on similar lines with the German Emperor.
Nicholas II Intime," as the present
work is called, is quite unpretentious pro-
duction. With the exception of the preface.
which discusses the disarmament propos-
ais and one or two chapters devoted to the
present condition and destinies Of Russia
its pages are occupied exclusively by minor
details relating to the personality OF <he
czar, and by well-informed and entertain
ing gossip. The most varied aspects of the
cars life are touched upon. A chapter IL
devoted. for instance. to his education and
a chapter to his marriage. a chapter to
the imperial stables and another TO the i'm
pertal table. The court fetes the grand
dukes. the royal palaces and the czar's
journey to the east are a few more of the
many subject dealt with.
The czar, 1t appears, has an excellent
memory, and acquired the numerous Lam
guages he speaks with remarkable casa
and quickness. NJ. Leudet assures US that
he talks English without an accent, but IL
is noteworthy that he does not venture to
Sety DIS InucH WIN regard TO french. NJ
Heath, his English master. is credited with
a cordial dislike for Mr. Gladstone and a
pronounced fondness for boxing, but wheth-
er he transmitted these tastes to his pupil
is not recorded. The young princes wera
brought up with as little ceremony as Dos
sible. On Sundays they entertained at din
ner the small boys and girls who were ad-
mitted to the honor Of their friendship.
These parties seem to have been exceed
ingly lively functions.
There end the
hosts and their small guests played on one
another, From end to end of the table
there used to be continuous firing of bread
pellets, Which Were perpetually striking
princely noses or landing in royal mouths
Another favorite joke was to jog your
neighbor's elbows while he was drinking or
to bapuze him with glassful of wine"
This charming picture of home life" as
NJ. Leudet calls it, is proof at any rate
that there are various ways Of becoming
fitted for the most polite society. Still il
must not be supposed from this occasional
license that the cars education was neg
lected. He received very strict religious
training, and the impression ii made ON
him may BE- gathered from a remark he
made on the occasion of the death of Victor
Hugo. He knew that the great poet was
paper an account of his public funeral, he
said that he could not understand how
such honors could be paid to man who
had died like a dog"
The czar rises at 3, takes tea with the
empress at 8 and at $50 retires to his study
to read the principal European newspapers.
This task accomplished, he goes out for q
short walk, and at IL is ready to receive
his ministers and attend to his correspond
ence. After lunch he drives out With the
empress, and on his return shuts himself
up in his study, where he is hard at work
until s. the imperial dinner hour. The i'm
portance of this meal is considerable at the
Russian court, as may be imagined when
1t is said that over 100 persons are engaged
in preparing and serving it.