Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-15

Grand Duke Michael.
throne. is to become the husband Of the
beautiful Princess Xenia OF Montenegro
It is in every way a suitable match. The
princess is a sister of the Queen OF Italy.
and her maria ge to the grand duke will
unite the two reigningi families.
And when Russia's car sends that young
couple his blessing and munificent gifts, he
can say to himself, with all sincerity:
BLESS the sacred icons, that one of my
grand dukes has escaped mesallance."
1t will be a new experience for the car.
His royal relatives, have been VIGOROUSLY
ill-advised, according TO diplomatic stand
ards, in the choice of their consorts.
There are more of these grand dukes than
America dreamed of, until the outbreak of
the present conflict threw the searchlight
into the family of Nicholas
The title in fact is borne by all his fmme-
date male rela tives. These consist of one
brother, four uncles, four first cousins, ten
cousins of the third degree. thirteen cousins
OF the second degree and one great uncle.
Over these royal beings he cars power
is absolute, and he controls their places of
residence and can imprfsons them, confiscate
their estates, or banish tlep from the
country. LIZ
In fact, Nicholas has shown himself able
to do NEST anything with his grand dukes,
except to make them. marry as he wills.
Their ventures in this direction form an
exciting chapter of scandals and heart
burns. <
The most serious of these difficulties
arises from the desire of the grand duke
Cyril. the czar's eldest cousin OF the first
degree
Disregarding the wishes of his imperial
relative. the grand duke wants to marry
the divorced Grand Duchess of Hesse,
who before her marriage was the Prin-
cess Melita of axe-CoburgGotha, niece
or King Edward of Great Britain.
The princess made the mistake of mar
rying when she was only seventeen years
of age and was divorced from the Grand
Duke of Hesse in 1901. She has an annual
allowance of 100000 a year.
Nicholas is bitterly opposed to his
cousins marriage with a divorce, but If
precedent is followed the cars wishes
are not likely to carry much weight with
the dashing sutton.
Another grand duke whose romantic
idiosyncrasies have cost the car many
sleepless nights is Paul Alexandrovitch.
Fascinating ovna.
Paul was widower of forty-two years
of age when he married the second time
in 1902. His choice is Madame Valerian
Ovna, aged thirty-seven. AS result of
previous marriage she has also borne the
name of Pistolkova. Her maiden name
was Carnovitch. and she was the daugh-
ter of a prosperous st. Petersburg law
yer.
Paul's first meeting with the fascinating
Valer1an Ovna was romantic She at
tracted his attention while walking in
the street, and. forgetting his obligation
to marry only with the cars consent the
grand duke contrived an introduction
won her assent and announced boldly to
the aStounded car that he intended to
hird md hot
royal one.
Even the mild-mannered Nicholas lost
his patience at this latest atrocity.
IF you marry her." was the royal edict
you connscate your estates, are expelled
from the Russian army and banished
from the country"
1T is worth it, said Paul. or words to
that erect and off he fled to Leghorn
with Madame Valerian Oyna. where he
Weooed her according to the rights of the
orthodox Greek Church. a priest brought
aIehg Tor the purpose performing the
Nlchoias made good his imperial word
Ban1shment, confiscation and expulsion
rom the army We're at once visited on the
seht,msntaI husband He laughed, went
20 Farls, and there olived gaily with thu
woman or his choiea, apparently indiffer-
ent TO the Imperial ,displeasure of the
autocrat of all the Russians
A Gay Gallant
Inc Grand Duke Michaelovitch. dismissed
ior MS desire to marry a st. Petersburg
woman not of noble bifth. went to wies-
Baden and with the .licklgness that is sup
poseo 10 mark masculine affection, even
with royalty, soon became involved In an
otner ana even morel serious love affair
AT the risk of his life he rescued from a
runaway morse Countess Natalie Nuremberg
the morganatic wife of Prince Nicholas Of
NASSAU In two weeks the grand duke had
married Natalie NJ
Inc car at once decIared the marriage
nun and void, but was indeed to withdraw
TINS decree by the Intervention of the Grand
Sweden u
me grand duke and his wife have lived
very happily and are, socially popular In
England and France
Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovitch
mas peen an exile thirty years. First for
ueeslrinB 70 marry French music hall ar
slsle, ana second for completing his dis
grace py marrying peasant girl
Ahotner uncle of the car, the Grand
luke Alexis, married a Miss Joukoffsky
Tor three years the marriage was kept Sc
cret, ana the then car, father Of the
present ruler. declared the marriage null
ana Volo, and Miss Joukoffsky was banish-
ca forever. She married a German baron
ana died recently in Saxony
Liked Gayety, Too.
The Grand Duke vladimar is another Of
the Russian ducal circle whose marriage
was unsatisfactory to the car. The grand