The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-08
THE CARS HOME LIFE.

EFrou the Pail Mall GaZette.1
A volume dealing with the private
life and mode of existence OF Nicholas
II has been issued in Paris The au-
thor is NJ. Maurice Leudet, a distin-
gished member of the staff of Figaro,
who some time back published a sue
cessful book dealing on similar lines
with the German emperor.
Nicholas II Intime,' as the present
work is called. is quite unpretentious
production. With the exception of the
preface. which discusses the disarna-
Tnent proposals, and one or two chapters
devoted to the present condition and
destinies of Russia, its pages are occu-
pied exclusively by minor details re-
Iating TO the personality of the car.
and by we'll informed and entertaining
gossip The most varied aspects of the
cars life are touched upon. a chap
ter is devoted, for instance, to his edu-
cation, and a chapter to his marriage
a chapter to the imperial stables and
another to the imperial table. The
court fetes, the grand dukes. the royal
palaces and the cars journey to the
east are few more Of the many sub
Jects dealt with.
The car, it appears. has an excellent
memory, and acquired the numerous
languages he speakes with remarkable
ease and quickness- NJ Leudet assures
US that he talks English without an
accent but it is noteworthy that he does
not venture to say as much with regard
TO French. Mr.. Heath. his English
like for Mr. Gladstone, and a pro-
nounced fOndness for boxing, but wheth-
er he transmitted these tastes to his
pupiI is not recorded The young princes
were brought up with as little ceremony
as possible On Sundays they enter
tanned at dinner the small boys and
girls who were admitted to the honor
of their friendship These parties seem
to have been exceedingly lively func-
tons
There was no end to the tricks 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 perpetu-
ally striking princely noses or landing
in royal mouths Another favorite Joke
was to jog your neigh bOrS elbow while
he was drinking. or TO baptiZe him with
a gIassfuI 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, 1t must not
be supposed from this occasional Ii
eense that the cars education was
neglected. He received a very strict re-
Iigfous training. and the impression it
made on him may be gathered from
remark he made on the occasion of the
death of Victor Hugo He knew that
the great poet was a free thinker, and
on reading in a newspaper an account
of his public funeral, he said that he
could not understand how such hon0rs
could be paid to man who had died
like a dog"
The car rises at s. takes tea with the
empress at 9, and at $50 retireS to his
study to read the principal European
newspapers. This task accomplished.
he goes out for a short walk, and at II
is ready to receive his ministers and
attend to his correspondence 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
Importance of this meal is considerable
at the Russian court, as may be mag
ined when it is said that over 200 per
sons are engaged in preparing and serv-
ing II.