The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-28
THE czARINA's LOVE STORY
FFrom the Young Woman1

EF'rom the Young Woman.l
The czar always loved his orphan
cousin, and as they met somewhat fire.
uuently he did not lack opportunity of
discovering for himself that his love
was reciprocated. But there were grave
objections to the match, and the young
lovers had many enemies. The cars
parents opposed the union with all the
emphasis they could command Princess
Alix was a Lutheran, and Nicholas be-
1onged to the Greek church. To Alex
ander III this was almost a fatal OBJ
lection to their marriage, and every
thing was done that could be done 10
convince the young heir to all the Rus-
sias that he must accept another bride
Even Queen Victoria Joined the little
army arrayed against the lovers Prln-
cess Alix was her favOrite granddaugh-
ter, 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 III was
anxious that the throne of Russia
Should be occupied by his sons son. At
last the obstinate 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 Mich
olas 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
objection, and Nicholas pressed his suit.
He was fortunate in securing two pow
erful allies-the then Duchess of Edin-
burgh and the Grand Duchess Serge,
sister of the princess Together these
women were able to overcome the fath-
er's objections, but Queen Victoria had
yet to be won over. 1t was no easy task
to convert the queen. but it was done
at length. The Duches of Edinburgh
persuaded the Prince of Wales, and the
Princess Victoria prevailed upon her
majesty. Then, as if to compensate the
young people for their disappointments,
the queen suggested that they should
visit England. Prince Louis of Batten-
berg invited the princess to WaltOn-On-
Thames, and hither the young man
who was to rule a hundred millions of
human beings came to win the hand
and heart of the woman he loved.
One would have thought that now the
task was easy, but the princess was not
easily won. If others had felt that she
should not change her creed, she her
self had felt so even more strongly.
Years before, when the czaTOwitch first
spoke of love to her. she had not lis
tened, because of her horror of having
to change her creed, in which she is
said to have devOutly believed, and her
strong religious nature had only rooted
years went by. What happened at
Walton. how passionately the devoted
Nicholas pleaded, we do not know. But
we know that a year afterWard, at the
wedding of her brother. the Grand
Duke Ernest of Hesse, and Princess
Victoria Melitia of Coburg, the betroth-
al was publicly announced. The cZaro-
witch had turned up at Coburg at the
last moment, not having been expected
until shortly before he arrived. L am
determined at last to have an answer
out of her own mouth, he said to his par
ents as he started A day or two be-
fore the princess had talked of her low
er with tears in her eyes. She gave
vent to her religious scruples before her
brother. you do not love him then ?''
said the Grand Duke Ernest; and the
answer, "Oh, yes. do, I do showed
how painful the struggle in her mind
must have been.
The queen was 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 wOoing was over. Then
came the illness of Alexander III and
the princess was summoned to Liva-
dia to nurse the dying czar. When the
monarch passed away, and her lover
was emperor of Russia. Princess AIix
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 sons throne, and the house
of mourning was frightened day by day
by the beautiful, sad figure of the fu-
ture empress, dressed in purest white
It was thought best that there should
be no delay for forms sake, and the
funeral was quickly followed by a we'd
ding. On November 26, 1894 at the age
of 2, Princess Alix became EMPRESS of
Russia.