Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-09-12
FOREIGN CHAT.
Some Things Of Interest from European
Capitals.

tTlIlCtSS -AtUld, Vi AtloIlleIleSTo, I'D!
been reported as atfianced to 50 man,
princes. and even sovereigns, that thu
news of her engagement to Grand Duk,
Michael, only brother of the Car. will
be heceived with incredulity until off1
cial confirmation is given to the rumor
Should the marriage take place
would undoubtedly be due to the influ-
ence of the Empress mother, who I:
very fond of the daughters of the
Prince of Montenegro, and it would
constitute a somewhat tardy act OF
reparation to the reigning house of the
Black Mountain. Princess Xenia, with
her sisters. was brought up at St. Pc
tersburg at the expense and under the
personal direction of the now widowed
Empress. who bestowed upon the girls
the most motherly care, and desired
that one of them. preferably Helen
should become the wife of the then
czarevitch, now Emperor Nicholas.
The Car. however, fell in love with
Princess AliX of HeSse. instead, and in
sisted upon marrying her. His mother
made no attempt TO conceal her disap
pointment. Princess Helen had been
TO such an extent regarded. not only at
the court of St. Petersburg, but also
throughout Europe, as the future Gar
ina that when Nicholas bestowed his
affections elsewhere she was looked
upon as having been Tilted. a couple
Oh years later she was led to the altar
pv the present King of Italy. and the
Car did his best to atone for the NOR
tiication to which she had been sub
Jected at st. Petersburg by furnishing
1'r dowry. her trouseau being given by
his mother.
Princess Xcnia has onue been actual
~ anianced, namely, to the late King
Alexander of Scrvia. The match was
duly negotiated by the pIenipotenti-
aries of the respective nations. But
"hen the Servian King arrived at Get
tlnJe to claim his bride. the beautiful,
h1gh-spirited girl was so Mortified by
MS degenerate appearance and by his
fepulsiVcly coarse manners, that she
insisted on breaking off the marriage
then and there. in spite of all that her
1atner could say to the contrary, and
the ill-fated King was forced to return
to Belgrade alone, so profoundly humil-
lated by his treatment ut Cettinje that
diplomatic relations between the courts
of Montenegro and of Servia were sew
cred.
The hand of Princess Xenia was like
wise sought by Prince Andrew of
Greece, while there have been repOrts
from time to time to the effect that
Queen Helen of Italy had negotiated Il
match between her sister and either
the Count of Turin or the Duke of the
Abruzzi. first cousins of her husband.
in the line of succession to the Italian
throne. Prince Ferdinand OF i5ul..,l ...
is said to nave been another suitor for
her hand, while it has even been as
serted that she was about to marry her
law, the present King of
Servia, whose wife was her eldest sis.
ter.
There is no doubt that a marriage
between the Grand Duke Michael and
Princess Nenia would be Very popu-
lar one in Russia, far more so than if
the grand duke We're to wed any of the
German or English princesses who
nave been mentioned as suitable
matches for him. Xenia belongs to the
same creed as himself, and. having
been brought up by his mother at St.
petersburg, would find herself quite at
nome in Russia, where she would never
De looked upon in the light of a for
elSner. Her two eldest sisters are al
ready established in Russia, one as the.
wife of the Grand Duke Peter. the other
as the consOrt of Duke George of
Leuchtenberg. who, although not
grand duke, is nevertheless an imperial
highness. Then. too. she comes from
a maEnilicently healthy stock. and this
would no doubt tend to counteract the
tendency to consumption. which has |
manifested itself among so many of the |
younger generation of the sovereign
house of Romanon.
With regard to the dynastic and
political Importance of the match ii is |
only necessary to recall the fact that |
the emperor recently issued a decree |
Grand Duke Michael re-
gent of the empire I'm the event of his |
death during the minority Of the /
Czarevitch Alexis, who was born a
month ago. Princess Xonia might,
therefore, if she became the wife of the
Grand Duke Michael, find herself at |
any moment the conSOrt of the virtual |
ruler of Russia during n long number
of years. with only the life of young
Alexis between her husband and thu
throne. By the marriage Grand Duke
Michael would become 4 trother-in-law
of the King of Italy. as well as Of King
Peter of Servia. relationships which
would not be without much political
Importance We're he to become either
regent or emperor.
With the exception of Princess |
Xenia's two sisters. above mentioned
and of Grand Duchess George, who is
4 daughter of the King Of Greece and
IF Grand Duchess Alexander MichailO-
vitch, who is the Cars sister, all the
)ther wives of the Russian grand dukes
have been German princesses. Now
The German strain in the blood of the
house OF Russia is not popular
With the people. who complain that
hese repeated matrimonial alliances
With TeutOn princesses for a hundred
years past have served to almost en- J,
irely obliterate every vestige of the old
2omanoff stock. II
The memorial which is being raised -,
~ the people of Scotland and by many
If his English friends admirers. and
yrpat thizers. to the late Gen. Sir
Hector Macdonald. popularity known IA