The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-10-02
Tutor of Future Gar
Regarded AS Init
mate Member of
the Royal
: Family.

---'~r~--' WV WIN Jul luNaAo WIN
certain officers and court function
aries. Members Of the imperial
suite and certain invited guests
alone were admitted to luncheon
with the imperial family. who. In
the evening. dined together In
strict privacy.
But, several days after our ar
rival. the Empress, wishing to
mark by a delicate attention her
esteem Tor those to whom she con-
fided the education of her children,
caused US to he invited to the Inn
perial table by the court chamber
lain. ..
was deeply touched. but the re-
past imposed q rather fatiguing
constraint. although court etiquette,
on ordinary days. was not very ex-
acting.
My pupils also seemed bored at
these long luncheons and It was
with pleasure that we met later in
the study hall, to resume. in all
simplicity, our afternoon readings.
saw little enough of Alexis Mic
olaievitch. He almost always took
his meals with the empress in her
private apartments.
We returned on June 10 to Tsar-
skoie-Selo. and the imperial family
appeared shortly afterward at Peter
hof. whence they departed each
summer for their customary yacht
ing cruise on the Standard in the
fiords Of Finland.
TEACHES CZAREvITCH.
At the beginning of September,
1912, the imperial family went on a
hunting trip in the forest OF Bel. !
oveje. in the province of Grodne.
where they spent two weeks. Then
they went to Spala. in Poland, the
ancient hunting ground Of the
kings. for a more prolonged stay.
There rejoined them at the end
OF September with NJ. Petrol.
Shortly after my arrival the en-
press announced that she desired
me to be tutor to the Tsarevitch
Alexis. I gave him his first les
son on October 2 in presence OF
his mother.
The child. then eight and half
years old. did not know one word
OF French. My lessons soon were
interrupted, for Alexis, who from
the first had appeared to be suf-
ferfng, had to- take to his bed.
My colleague and I had been
struck on our arrival with the
boys pallor, and that he was car
ried about, as If incapable of walk
ing. His malady we concluded
must be serious. .
Several days later It was whis-
pered about that his condition was
causing acute apprehension. and
that Profs. Rauchfuss and Fiodrof
had been summoned from st. {
Petersburg to attend him.
Nevertheless life went on there
as In the past; one hunting party
succeeding another, and the guests
more numerous than ever.
A PRINCE IN AGONY.
One evening after dinner the
Grand Duchess Marie and Anas.
TASTE were in the dining hall play
ing two scenes from the Bourgeois
Gentilhomme" before their majes-
ties. the members of the imperial
suite and several guests.
Acting as prompter, had hid. 4
den myself behind a screen which
served as a wing, and by leaning
a little I could perceive
the empress, In the front row of q
spectators, smiling and animated,
with her neighbors.
The play having come to an end,
left by the service door and
fund myself in the passage IN
'front.' Of the room Of the tsarevitch,
whose cries / heard distinctly.
Suddenly saw the empress, who
anne running. lifting with both
hands. in her haste, her long gown
which hindered her movements.
lid In a doorway and she passed
Without noticing me. Her features
we're contorted with anguish.
I returned to the hall. where the 81
was intense. Inverted