The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-26
fcoprrisht. lgs. By A. D. Iaeobson.l

| Copyright 1873 by A. ID. Jacobson)
| The Russian Grand Duke, whose eccen-
trio freaks are the gossip of the courts
| of Europe. could point to many a pre-
decessor of his blood who has been much
less sane than himself, from that most
| savage Of rulers, Ivan ". called the
| terrible" to the first Alexander. son
and grandson of madmen on The throne.
Ivan the-"TerribIe.'' among his many
insane freaks, would let loose wild beasts
| in the streets of his capital, Moscow, and
placidly say his prayers while watching
the slaughter Of his people, f1inging a
| few coins to the mutilated survivors as
| he rose from his knees. He would COM
pei parents to slay their children, and
| the children to kill one another. and II
there wac a survivor that anIiable
| monarch" would dispatch him with his
| own hands, exploding with laughter at
so excellent a Joke" In one of his
lighter moods of frolic he commanded
the citizens of Moscow TO provide him a
quart measure full of heas. to be con-
cocted into a medicine, and fined them
1000 roubles when they failed.
The intensity of Peter III took less
savage IL more grotesque forms. His
ruling mania was for the pomp and cir
cumstance of war, and one day he gave
orders that a hundred cannons should
be fired simultaneously so that he might
get some idea OF the din OF battle. on
other occasions he would rise from the
table and, glass in hand, PROSTATE him
self before the portrait of Frederick Che
Great OF Prussia. exclaiming: My
brother we will conquer the universe
together"
Peters son. the first Paul. was no less
insane than his father, although his
madness was longer in manifesting it,
self. So violent was his hatred of the
round hats, a fashion imported from
France that one day he sent 900 police
and dragons 10 scour the streets of St
Petersburg and tear them from the heads
of all who wore them. He banished all
the cabmen from his capital because one
of them was found with a pair of pistols
in his possession. Hundreds of his Of
ficers and coutiers were sent in chains
to Siberia for a glance or word that
displeased him. many without any cause
at all. and he sent an entire regiment
on a aoHO-mile march. because. in drill
ing. it had failed to understand one of
his indistinct words of command.
A soldier first a member of the royal
family afterward. That is how King
Georges uncle the Duke of Connaught,
always wished to be recognized: for he
takes his military duties very seriously.
There is a story told OF an occasion
when one night, at Aldershot, he walked
along the road through the camp, and
sentry. recognizing him, promptly
turned out the guard The duke ac-
knowIedged the salute, and then walked
up TO the sentry and said:
why did you turn out the guard after
the retreat had been soundedT'
Orders to turn out he guard at all
hours to members Of the royal family,
SIR
Remember. / am a general at Alder
shot. whatever l am at Windsor was
the quick reply.
Fuss and ceremony the duke heartily
dislikes. There is nothing that pleases
him better than to mix Incognito with
the general public and make his own
observations. During his tour OF Can
ada last year his habit OF mingllng with
the crowd and conversing with all sorts
and conditions of Canadians led to many
amusing incidents, and he is fond OF
telling the story of how. when near
Winnipeg. he asked a man. who was I'M
aware, of course, of his identity, what
a certain building was.
How the deuce should l know" was
the reply; I've only been here a few
days"
The characteristic good nature Of the
duke was illustrated by an incident
which occurred during the Boer war,
when. attired in multi, he was witness
ing the departure of the troops from
Nine Elms Station. Unaware of his
identity, a reporter approached him to
get certain names. which the duke at
once supplied. Then the journalist
asked Il the Duke of Connaught had not
been expected also. and received the smil-
ing answer: We'll. you may put my