Evening star., 1909-05-23


Empress Eugene He found child in the
gateway of the palace of the Duke of San Fernando
at Madrid. ensconced in a hamper bearing the
and address of the Duke. Inasmuch as the latter
was to be married day or two later to of the
royal Princesses niece of King Ferdinand he felt
considerably disconnected we'll realizing the i'm
preston that would be created IN the mind of his
bride if the story reached her ears from other
lips than his own Fortunately for the baby the
Infanta kind hearted woman, and chose to
regard the little fellow mascot destined to bring
happiness to her married life. and she decided to
adopt him. AS her union proved childless she and
the Duke by degrees came to look upon the found
ling their son, had him educated as such at
Madrid and at Paris. along with other young Span
iards of high degree, and dying left him their
tire fortune; which he in turn when he died few
years ago bequeathed to the present King, as a
Bourbon
Don Alessandro was not Grandee and had there
fore no recognized position at court. He not
even Hidalgo, nothing in point of law but found
ling Yet he was an honored and welcome guest in
all the grandest houses of the Spanish arstocracy
formed part of the most ultra exclusive cotere
and was on familiar terms with the haughtiest de-
scendants of the ancient nobility of CASTLE and
Aragon. Nobody knew his parentage with any de-
gree OF certainty but it was generally believed that
failed to visit him when she came to Spain. and
half-brother of Queen Isabella. The fact remains
that he treated by the entire reignng house of
Spain in the light of a non-roya relative status
that in measure confirmed by his bequest of
all his property to young King Alfonso.
Mystery of Russian Empress
CONSIDERABLE mystery also prevails with re-
- gard to the parentage of the late Empress of
Russia, the consort of Alexander H. The latter
while still Czarevitch sent by his father Nicho-
las l., to the court of Karlsruhe present himself
to Princess Aexandrne of Baden, whom the Car and
his ministers had selected suitable bride for he
heir to the Muscovite throne 1t in the days of
post chaises; and when his way the capital of
Baden his carriage met with mishap which COM
PEELED him to seek hospt atty at nearby chateau
He discovered it to be the home of young Prince
of the house of Hesse, Alexander by name, who
lived there in retirement with; his sister, Princess
Marie. The latter girl of such beauty that
the mpressionable Czarevitch fell head ears in
love with her, fingered and on and ere long dis
covered the history of the Prince and Princess.
They children of the Grand Duchess of
Hesse. But the Grand Duke had for some
other conceived doubts of their being his off
spring, suspecting a chamberlain of the Grand
Duchess of being their father. Unwilling to go to
the length of publicly repudiating them as long
aloof from his other children declined to let them
appear at court and subjected them to the most
severe ostracism. The story of the treatment of
the young Princess only increased the ardor of the
Czarevitch and he determined to make her his wife.
Instead of proceeding to Karlsruhe, he made his
way to Darnstadt and asked the Grand Duke for
the hand of Princess Marie.
The prospect of matrimonial alliance with the
reigning house of Russia and of becoming the father
in law of future Car was not one that petty and
poverty stricken German ruler such Grand Duke
Louis could afford to let pass He gladly gave his