The Washington herald., 1912-08-11
Gossip on the Continent
of the Doings of Royalty

I Igresses at Lemberg. and whose children
to-day have to be satisfied with the say
memory OF
dana. o dana. oyezyma kochans...........
Catherine made Poniatowski suffer
many humiliations. not because she bore
him malice. but because she was shrewd
and knew that through him she would
be able to get the finest portion of the
great Polish empire for Russia. It must
be said in her favor that after she had
her wish, she paid Poniatowskrs debt
and gave him a handsome allowance.
Among her later favorites we find Ser.
gius Soltikoff, OF whose unfaithfulness
to her she walls bitterly. But It must
not be overlooked that this very Solt-
ikoff Is credited with being the father Of
her son. afterward Emperor Paul. AZ
ter Soltikoff came the two brothers Or
lon. both princes with huge fortunes and
influence In the country. The brothers
Gregory and Alexis. who remained faith
full to her for years, helped her to as
cend the throne after Elizabeth died.
The Grand Duke Peter. OF course. sue
ceeded his aunt. But he was determined
to divorce her and marry Princess wo-
rontsen. But Catherine had the Orloffs
behind her, as well as the church and
the household guards. Many suppose
that the orloffs strangled Peter, but ac-
cording to recently discovered memoirs
he was simply kept in the dungeons of
the SchlusseIberg fortress till GATHERINGS
death. The plot made her Empress. and
the Orloffs had her favor till their death.
But Catherine In her diary tells OF an
earlier plot in her favor. Her admirer.
the Chancellor Count Bestuzheff, laid a
plan by which she and not the grand
duke would reign after Elizabeths death.
Elizabeth was already in bad health.
Bestuzheff was suspected and thrown into
prison. Though he had managed to burn
GATHERINGS letters beforehand. the En-
press grew more suspicious than ever of
her niece. She kept her a prisoner.
The grand duke also had wind of Cath
crimes ambitions. and asked the EN-
press to let him divorce her, but Cath
crime declared that she would not be
treated in this way and must either have
the consideration due 10 her rank or be
allowed TO go home. The Empress fear
ed this. as she knew Catherine was the
only person about her capable of saving
the country from ruin when she herself
was dead. So she treated her with more
consideration. talking to her in public
which she had not done beforehand re-
fusing 10 listen to the grand dukes COM
plants.
This is how Catherine the Great ex-
plains her ffirtations. which she never
gave up until the end OF her life, though
she was more than sixty when she died.
7 please men. hence half of the temp
tation is passed. because to tempt men
is tantamount TO being tempted. And 1
do not know how one can resist temp
tations when sentiment also helps. How
can We escape from those who please us
greatly? Those who say II is possible
repeat mere pruderies, which are not
craven upon the human heart Nobody
holds his heart in his hand to tighten or
losen at will"
Count Poniatowsk thus describes the
great Catherine:
Her dazzling complexion seemed all
the whittier in contrast to her raven-black
hair. She had blue eyes. rather promi-
nent. long black lashes. a Greek nose. a
mouth that invited kisses. perfect hands
and arms, q slender waist and a perfect
ly fascinating laugh. In manner she
was most caressing. but the weak points
OF every one she met were as clear to
her as MONDAY" RIANEUR
lCouyricht 1912 NV Court GosxIn Syp,Iic.tsl