Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-20
CAR HAS MORE FREEDOM
Now Seen to Drive Daily Without
Former Precautions.
IS IN MUCH BETTER SPIRITS
Says He Believes His Subjects No
Longer Have Designs Upon His
Head and He Trusts in the
Almighty.
~ George FRAzER.

BY GEOkCE FRAZER,
ST. PETERSBURG, March 1s.-(special
to the Publishers Press)-The change
which has taken place in Russia Of recent
years is more clearly demonstrated by the
freedom of the czar than by any other one
thing For years 1t has been the custom
to picture his imperial majesty as prac-
tically a prisoner in bomb proof, hardly
daring to eat until the food had been first
analyzed for poison, and not daring to go
out from the palace unless guarded as
carefully as a carload of gold might have
been guarded
But these day the czar is almost as free
In his movements as President Taft or King
Edward of England, who are perhaps the
freest Of all earths rulers.
Nearly every day now his subjects see
him driving without escort in the streets
of st. Petersburg, and none of the usual
precautions are taken for his safety.
The czar later went shopping, and bought,
without being recongized, gloves and
sweets. He is in the best of spirits and
seems really delighted with his recovered
freedom. But the police are in despair,
and it is even reported that the chief Of the
secret police asked his majesty on his
knees not to expose his life in this manner,
but the czar answered that he had con-
fidence in his people and that the Almighty
would protect him from attempts of anar-
chlsts and fanatics. He said he was con-
vinced that the revolutionary socialists did
not wish to murder him.
Romance in Cars Life.
The well known Russian author. NJ. Syda-
koff, has just published the first volume
of series Of books dealing with Russian
contemporary history, and this first install
ment throws an interesting light on the
early life of the present car The author
deals at some length with an early love
affair which is said to have caused great
pain and suffering to all parties by reason
of its unfortunate nature. The lady con-
cerned was girl of Jewish descent, named
Rajssa Kagan, the daughter OF a govern
ment contractor At the age of II, she was
celebrated as beauty and courted by
some of the highest in the land, including
the Grand Duke Paul, uncle of the present
Car Nicholas. The grand duke, on one
occasion, took his nephew to one of the
| ladys receptions, and no sooner did the lad
see her than he fell violently in love with
her. The girl evidently reclprocated the
sentiment, and the same evening the young
man succeeded in meeting the beautiful
Jewess In the conservatory Of her father
house, where he frankly declared his pas
! sion and swore that he would never marry
| anyone else
Ended by the Parents,
At about this time the Empress Marie
Feodorovna was attempting to secure a
suitable bride for the future czar, and her
choice fell upon the Pripcess Alice OF
]
! to the young man he refused to hear OF
any such match, declaring that his troth
was already plighted, A stormy interview
followed between the czar and his son, as
a result OF which, alarmed at the turn
events had taken, the lad agreed to respect
his fathers wishes, his last re-
monstrance being silenced by the threat
that II the affair were not Immediately
dropped the contractor and his daughter
would be sent TO Siberia in exile. When
news Of what had happened reached the
young Jewess, she made a desperate at
tempt to commit suicide. Hearing OF this
the young man hurried TO her house, and
a heart-rendlng scene ensued the girl
again attempting to take her life. A vio-
lent scene followed between the car and
his son, and II was eventually decided that
the young man should travel for a year
on the condition that during his absence
no steps should be taken In the matter OF
his love affair. Scarcely had he left Rus
sia, however, when a compact was en-
tered into by which the contractor Kagan
arranged 10 marry his daughter to a GER
tain state official Of Importance, and when
the unhappy Prince Nicholas returned from
his travels he found the marriage already a
'fait sccompli." His marriage with the
Princess Alice was celebrated some little
| time afterwards. The author vouches for
the details Of the affair, In many instances
quoting his authorities at length.