The Washington times., 1906-01-21

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stagecraft in bringing about a de-
sired state alliance. When the time
arrived for the Crown Prince OF Ger
many, afterwart Emperor Frederick
III. and father of the present kaiser.
10 seek a wife, he came to England
on a visit. He was royalty enter
tanned at BalmOral Castle. Shortly
after his arrival the queen took
him for a walk in the gardens sur
rounding the palace. She had pre-
viously arranged ths- her eldest
daughter, Victoria Adelaide. should
be in a certain bower reading. As
if by accident the queen and the
young prince discovered the princess
amid poetic surroundings. With an
exclamation OF delight the heir 10
the German empire erred: 4 have
found my hearts desire" The queen
discreetly withdrew, and it was not
long before the engagement was puD-
iely announced
At the age OF tWenyy-siX, Nicholas,
then the Czarevitch, paid visit To-
the Court of St James, with the
avowed purpose of winning bride.
The young prince was retiring in his
nature, and had come upon a mis-
sion in the success OF which he ap-
peared 10 be more or less Indifferent
Ii was a command from his royal
father and there was no demurTing
Under such conditions. the world
might naturally have looked for an
unhappy, or at least a loveless union.
But Fate, knowing what unhappi-
ness awaited the young man in mat
ters of state. seemed 10 have pre-
pared a cOmpensatiuS grace for him.
The courtship was very formal. the
Czarevitch being reported 10 have
proposed to Princess Alice in the fol
lowing stilted way: MY August
father, Alexander, has commanded
me TO ask for your heart and hand.
Princess Alice, in an equally austere
and resigned manner. replied:
My heart | give of my own accord.
From this rather unpTOmising be
ginning has sprung a love so deep
and so true that il is the only sOlace
TO a monarch whose cares Of state
are almost more than mortal can en-
iure. The marvel among those who
know what he has to undergo is that
he bears up as well as he does. The
only explanation is that when he re-
tires TO the bosom of his family he
throws aside all cares OF state and
enters into the pleasures of home
life afforded by the woman who
freely gave her heart" twelve years
age.
Court alliances have their dark
sides as we'll as their bright ones.
as has been demonstrated in the
case of the late crown prince of Aus
tria. This young mans father. En-
peror Franz Joseph. has for many
wears had the reputation of being
one of the greatest match-makers in
Europe. Among his many coup
d'etats was a marriage between his
only son, Archduke Rudolph and
Stephanie. daughter of King Leo
pold of Belgium. This proved to be
one of the most unhappy unions in
the annals of Europe The natures
of the young people were wholly in
compatible. Rudolph fell in love
with one of the young women of the
court, and realizing the hopelesSness
of his affection, after eight years OF
a miserable domestic existence, he
committed suicide in a hunting box
in 1889 The crows princess married
a Count Lonyay six years ago, thus
closing the sad chapter. AS result
of his matrimonial scheme the Aus
trian emperor has been deprived of
the satisfaction of feeling that his
throne will descend TO one of his di-
rect descendants. The crown, at his
death, will pass to his eldest brother.
Archduke Charles Louis.
While only vague rumors reach
the world, il is alleged that Queen
Wilhelmina has been peculiarly un-
fortunate in her choice of royal
spouse.
After all. perhaps a state marriage
is not the worst faiS to befall young
persons who do no. know their own
minds. for in such alliances there is
at least some compensation in being
able to say that unhappiness is not
! ones own doing, but the result OF
machinations of scheming sta