Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-05
THE CZARINA'S LOVE STORY.
A Long OpDOsition to he Overcome
HcfOrc She Married the Cznr.

A Long Opposition to lie Overcome
Before She Married the Czor.
The czar always loved his orphan cousin,
| and as they met somewhat frequently he did
| not lack opportunity of discovering for HIM
self that his love was reciprocated. But there
were grave objections to the match, relates
the Young Woman, and the young lovers
| had many enemies. The czar's parents OPP
posed the union with all the emphasis they
| could command. Princess Alix was Luth
eran, and Nicholas belonged to the Greek
church. To Alexander III this was almost
| fatal objection to their marriage, and every
| thing was done that could be done to con-
| vince the young heir to all the Russias that
| he must accept another bride. Even Queen
Victoria Joined the little army arrayed
| against the lovers. Princess AliX was her
| favorite granddaughter, and she did not wish
| her to change her religion or to face the
perils of the Russian throne There was
another serious objection, too. Both the
| lovers were delicate, and Alexander HI was
naturally anxious that the throne of Russia
should be occupied by his sons son. AT
| last the obs mate czarowitch was sent on a
voyage round the world, It being hoped that
| in the constant change OF scene he would
forget his love and come back prepared to do
| as he was told. The love which had bound
| Nicholas to his orphan cousin was not, how
| ever, a thing that could be put off In new
| country and the heir apparent went back
| to Russia more determined than ever not
to marry unless he loved. The voyage had
greatly improved his health, so that part OF
the objection was removed.
! But there still remained the religious OBJ
lection, and Nicholas pressed his suit. He
was fortunate in securing two powerful al
Il = ~ J,,aI ~
Grand Duchess Serge, sister of the princess.
| Together these women were able to over
come the fathers objections, but Queen VIC
| torda had vet to be won over. 1t was no easy
| task ito convert the queen, but 1T was done
at length. The duchess of Edinburgh per-
suaded the prince Of Wales, and the Princess
Victoria prevailed upon her majesty. Then,
! as If to compensate the. young people for
| then. disappointments, the queen' suggested
| that thew should visit England. Prince
| Louis of Battenberg invited the princess 10
Walton on Thames, and hither the young
| man who was to rule a hundred millions OIL
| human beings came to win the hano anu
| heart Of the woman he loved.
One would have thought that now the task
was easy but the princess was not easily
won. II others had felt that she should not
| change her creed. she herself had feit SO
even more strongly. Years before, when
the czarowitch first spoke OF love to her'
| she had not listened, because OF her horror
Of having to change her creed, In which sne
| Is said to have devoutly belleVed, ana her
strong religious nature had only rooted this
objection deeper and deeper as the years
went nv. What happened at Walton, how
passionately the devoted Nicholas pleaded
we do not know. But we know that year
| ha wedding of her DrOtner,
the Grand Duke Ernest of Hesse and Prin-
| cess Victoria Melitia Of Coburg, the be-
| trothal was publicly announced. The czaro-
witch had turned up at Coburg at the last
moment, not having been expected until
| shortly before he arrived 81 am determined
at last to have an answer out OF her own
mouth" he said to his parents as he started.
/ A day or two before the princess had talked
| of her lover with tears in her eyes. she
| gave vent to her religious scruples before
| her brother "You do not love him, them
| said Grand Duke Ernest, and the answer,
"Oh yes, l do, l do" showed how pain
| full the struggle in her mind must have been.
The queen was the first to be informed
| of the news that the czaroWitch had pro-
| posed and been accepted, and there was great
| Joy among their friends that at last the
| long woong was over. Then came the i'll
ness of Alexander III and the princess was
summoned to Livadia to nurse the dying
czar When the monarch passed away and
her lover was emperor Of Russia. Princess
| Alix wore no signs Of mourning. 1t was a
happy thought of the widowed empress that
no needless pain should mar the JOY of the
bride, who was so soon to share her son.
| throne, and the house Of mourning was
frightened day by day by the beautiful, sad
figure of the future empress, dressed in
purest white. 1t was thought best that there
should be no delay for FORMS sake, and the
funeral was quickly followed by wedding.
On November 26 1894, at the age of 22, Prin-
cess Alix became empress of Russia.