South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-17

people had muimured when the
children Of the Grand Duchess
Marie Of Russia had been by a ukase
OF the latter's father. the ear Mich
olas / raised 20 the rank of semi
grand duke, and therein lies a tale
which it may bo interesting TO re-
late.
The Grand Duchess Marie was
perhaps the loveliest Of the three
beautiful daughters Of Nicholas I.
She was also his favorite. and he
wished her 10 make a brilliant mar
riase. but negotiations which had
been entered into with the reigning
Grand Duke Of Mecklenburg-Strel-
itz fell through. for reasons con
nected with religious questions, and
the grand duke subsequently mar
ried Princess Augusta Of Cam
bridge. The car became furious
and declared that ne would not al
low his daughter to marry abroad.
So he tried 70 find her a suita bic
husband willing TO settle in Russia
and become a Russian subject, as
the idea of a princess of the imperial
house marrying a great Russian
noble was not considered possible
at the time Some one told him
that the son Of Prince Eugene of
Beauharnais would be just the kind
OF sOn-in-law he required, and the
prince. who was known by his
fathers German title of Duke Of
Leuc atenberg. was invited 10 come
TO ST Petersburg. Grand Duchess
Marie had never seen him. and when
she did, she protested against the
marriage. declaring she could never
love such a husband.
Opposition was Of no avail. how
ever. and the wedding was solem-
nized Immediately. The newly mar
ried couple duarreled almost from
the first day. and soon it was wills
pered that the bride was finding
consultations elsewhere. Almost ev-
cry goOd-Iooking officer in the smart
guard regiments stationed in the
Russian capital was credited with
being her cavalier Her husband
was about TO make a scandal, when
the car came TO his daughters res
cue. and granted TO her six children
i the titles Of Prince and Princess
Romanowsky, with the appellation
Of imperial highness. This stopped
the gossip more efectually than any
thing else. In the meanwhile the
grand duchess husband had died
and she had fallen in love with
/ Count Gregory Strogonof who was
perhaps one OF the ugliest men in
tho v-boIa Of Et,ccfo I,,t c.,y+ro,,, q Il,
( clever and attractive. The romance
went on for some time, in great Sc
cret. because the princess knew very
well that her father would never
have consented 70 a marriage be-
tween her and the count. One day,
however, rumOrs Of the affair reach
| ed the ears of Nicholas 1, who in
I his rage had himself, accompanied
I by one aide-de-camp, driven TO his
daughters palace with the intention
/ of surprising her and the count. AS
/ it happened Strogonod was with
+ her. but the aide-de -camp proved
the savior Of the enamored pair. He
knew Of a back staircase which he
rad had opportunity to use in the
)ast, and which led to the grand
duchess private apartments. While
the emperor was being taken up
them through the state rooms. the
officer rushed up the staircase. and
warned Marie NicOlaiewna OF her
fathers approach. OF course. Count
StrogOnoh disappeared. so the
princess, with flying colors. escaped
a peril which might perhaps have
turned out worse than she had even
feared After the death Of the car.
the grand duchess married Gregory
Strogonoff, but her union with him
was not looked upon with favorable
eyes by her brother. Alexander III.
Tn consequence she took up her
abode i'm Italy. where she acquired
a splendid villa near Florence. and
Russia did not again see much OF
her. Her eldest son 10y her first
marriage. Nicholas by name. sue
ceeded TO his fathers estates in
Bavaria and i'm favor Of his broth
ers renounCed his share i'm his moth
er's fortune. He married, not NOR
ganatically but i'm accordance with
Bayarian law. a lady called Madame
Akinhed not Akinson as some peo-
pie have said) after she had di-
,orced her husband for his sake.
she was "a very pleasant person. 10y
birth a Mademoiselle Annenkoff.
I but was in no wise related TO the
/ famous Gen. Anuenkon. the con-
struCtor OF the Transcaspian rail-
J road Their two sons were not
/ created Dukes Of Leuchtenberg by
| Alexander III. as has enormously
/ been stated but this title-a Bavar-
\ ian one, as ! have had the occasion
10 point out-was simply recognized
in Russia i'm the ukase by which the
/ car accepted them as Russian sub
iects. on their demand. One OF
them subsequently married a Coun-
tess Grabbe. while the second one
took for wife a Princess Repnine.
The two daughters Of the Grand
/ Duchess Marie Nicolaiewna married,
respectively. Prince William OF
Baden. and Duke Alexander OF Old
enburg. The latter had until now a
wonderful palace in Petrograd,
which she inhabitated most OF the
year. and she is a very charming
and delightfully."- clever woman. who