The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-30

mouth. When animated. winch she IN
stantiy becomes when interested. the effect
of this popularity completely vanishes, and
the face is that OF a supremely happy
woman. bright and replete with sunshine.
Her laugh Is ringing and infectious. both
her husband and herself giving way TO II
with a light-heartedness as refreshing as
1t is. at times. unexpected. People who
think of these two as living in constant
apprehension OF assassination, detected.
morose and given to bad dreams. labor
under the h~allucination quite common to
things Russian in the popular mind
In each others society is obviously that
found which TO them is above all the splen-
dor and glitter court life can insure. Tar
kaselo. just outside OF St. Petersburg. and
Peterhoff. on the Neva, are the havens
OF privacy to which the pair fit upon every
possible occasion. The great big barn.
yclept the Winter Palace at the capital.
is not home to ~them-merely the place
where they are on show.
A SON WANTED.
Three little girls have come TO gladden.
the home circle, and the sex of the fourth
child. which promises to grace it ere many
O - - hlaANC4 III h1AAOAoA n
beyond our power to appreciate. As soon
as a new Car is crowned interest centers
upon his successor, and should. as In the
instance of Nicholas. the new ruler be
without direct heir through such not hav-
ing been born TO him the advent OF the off,
spring is eagerly awaited. none expressing
larger concern than the masses. At coro-
nation the fealty of subjects is sworn. not
to the new Emperor alone, but TO his sue
cessor likewise, although the latter may
not be definitely indicated. The States
mans Hand Book for Russia, edited by
the chancery of the committee Of minis
tiers. says: 1.-THE new Emperor publicly
proclafms his ascension to the throne by
means of a special manifesto. In the man
.festo the lawful heir, If he already exists.
is announced. The oatn is k TO the
Emperor and his lawful heir. even though
he is not mentioned in the manifesto" OF
the succession to the throne the same au-
thority, which is an interesting one
inasmuch as It proceeds direct
from the Emperor-the proof sheets OF
the limited edition in English having
been read and corrected by the Empress
says: Females and female lines are not
absolutely excluded. but the rale heirs en-
joy superiority in all the lines, and all the
degrees, of relationship. Only in the case
of the entire extinction of the male de-
scent In all male lines does the throne pass
to the female lines" This is known as the
German-Dutch system and has been In
force in Russia since the act or edict OF
April s, 1877. When icholas succeeded his
father the heir apparent, or Czarovitch,
was his brother next to him in age. Grand
Duke George. Had Nicholas died during
the life of George the latter would have at
once become Emperor, for during that pc
riod no son had been born to the former.
George was a wild sort of a fellow from
his youth; no more so. perhaps, han the
ordinary run of monarch's sons. but TO the
extent, Notwithstanding, Of completely un-
dermining his constitution. He died a
couple of years ago at twenty-seven; OF
quick consumption. it was proclaimed. butin
reality worn out by his recklessness. The
present Czarovitch, Grand Duke Michael,
is just twenty-five and a splendid young
fellow, in height and general build more re-
sembling his father than any Of the other
children, he. while by no means compar-
ing physically with the Romanoffs of old.
is nevertheless a conspicuously ine-looking
man, easy and graceful Of manner and
an immense favorite with everybody.
George was cross-grained, disposed
to surliness and not overpleasant to get on
with. The common people, composing the
great bulk of the Russian constituency,
seem to posses a wonderfully clear intuition
for discerning in their superiors the traits
calling for confidence and admiration. In
George they found nothing TO stir them; in
Michael they find everything productive of
enthusiasm. lie is the beau ideal OF a
King in embryo.
A POSSIBLE CAR.
Whether he is destined TO be Michael I, re-
mains to be developed. Had the present
Emperor died during his recent illness, and
the child. unborn at his death, some months
later emerge into the world a boy, he
would be the Car. This as unalterably as
though his birth preceded his fathers de-
mise.
Abortion IS murder pure and simple by
the Russian code which holds life coincident
with conception.
The death of Nicholas would have made
Michael Regent pending the disclosure in
due course Of nature of the sex Of the
posthumous child. BY a literal construc-
ton of the law of succession. as set forth
I'm the Russian Handbook, the unborn
child, in the event of being a boy, would be
an Emperor before his entrance into the
world.
1.-THE sovereign power is perpetual. 4. e.
its functions do not terminate with the
death of the monarch as by law his rights
are at once transferred to his successor"
I heir ascends the throne" continues this
the highest authority, Immediately upon the
death Of his predecessor, but he begins TO
reign on coming of age. The heir Is held
to be of age at sixteen years. In the event
Of a minor Emperor ascending the throne a
guardianship and an administration are
established"
As George would be the Emperor de ture,
he would undoubtedly assume the guar
dianship and dominate the administration,
pending the development as to whether or
not he was to be Emperor de facto. In any
event he would, to all intents and pur-
poses, be the Car during the minority Of
his august nephew.
Material for a dozen Hope romaDces in
such a m situation as would eventu-
ate from the death OF Nicholas prior TO the
approaching addition to his family. An
old woman's prophecy which, unmindful
of its real source, has gained tremendous
n Dr~~- al -. D,,cCfoa &c rhar The