The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-04-07


tire story of his life would be to tell the Russian
history of the last twentyone years.
Three weeks after his accession to the throne,
November IA, 1894, he married Princess Alix of
Hessen, sister of the Grand Duchess Elisaveta
Feodorovna, wife of his uncle Grand Duke Sergii
Alexandrovich
The czar rises at seven o'clock and before nine
he has finished his modest breakfast and begun
his daily work He reads the newspapers, tee-
grams and other information presented to him,
and makes a note of all interesting matter. The
time from ten to eleven o'clock is assigned to
walking, but nearly always from ten to half past
ten o'clock he receives the reports of the officials
of his household gives special audiences to
dignitaries men who interest him, and only
during the time until eleven o'clock does he walk
alone with his son, accompanied by two Scotch
hounds. At eleven o'clock he returns to the
palace and tests the food Of his infantry regiment
of his bodyguard. A sample of the soldiers
food in a locked stewpan is brought to him by the
chief noncommssioned officer OF the regiment.
After the test of the food the reports of the
ministers begin, lasting until luncheon.
A Days Activities.
The luncheon is informal There he meets his
family for the first time in the day. Sometimes
the officers Of the suite duty that day are in
vited After luncheon the emperor receives OFF,
cials and deputies, and from four to five o'clock
he walks drives, rides a bicycle, or canoes
and goes boating with his son or with his daugh-
ters and the empress From six to eight o'clock
he works again in his study. From eight to half
past nine he dimes with his family, and from that
time to twelve or half past he works again. He
never rests during the day, yet keeps cheerful
and unwearied. Sometimes, when he finishes his
task earlier than usual he reads to the empress
at her evening tea. Before going to bed he prays.
The czar works about ten twelve hours
day. OF which he spends fewer than four hours
IL. tlnV, hon and
only about six hours are given to meals and
relaxation with his family.
On the eve of holy days the goes to the
evening church services at half past seven oclock.
and on holy days he goes to mass Mt eleven.
The rest OF the time on holy days he works as on
week days
Every evening. at home or abroad, the en-
peror writes his Impressions in his dairy.
Possessing an excellent memory and clear
method of thinking. the writes in clear
hand, quickly and without erasures. His thoughts
are expressed simply and briefly he does not like
long phrases and foreign words. He always
writes his orders, to the nearest officers, on
the block notes with pen and ink. The en-
peror does not like to speak by telephone and
there is none in his study one is placed in the
room OF his servant Sometimes he directs his
aid-de-camp or his secretary TO transmit his
orders verbally or by telephone. The persons
concerned are notified i'm advance. I'm the event
that there should be any change in the time set
for audiences or for receiving reports.
The tables and settees in the emperors study
are covered with state papers but they do not lie
there long; questions decided and carried out
at once. The emperor always knows where the
required papers are He puts the reports, after
he has read them in envelopes and seals. He
reads easily all handwritings even the most diff
cult italics of the seventeenth century.
The private charity OF the emperor is extensive.
lie gives not only by hundreds but by thousands
and ten thousands of rubles.
The difficult work of the government the czar
does alone-he has no private secretaries. He
has some help from the officials of his household
and the officers of his suite. officers OF the field
chancellery decipher and cipher kilograms and
make drafts OF letters, but he said once, quite
truly: Il am doing three mems work. ] wish
everyone knew how to do the work at least