Year: 1872

The young princess was 10 truth very
frail and delicate creature-one Of those
tender flowers who seem to wait for the
kind hand of the gardener to transplant
them to warmer cline. She was charm.
ing and handsome but her beauty was
rather that Of the pale lily than Of ths
blooming rose. Charlotte was Just six.
teen, when 10 the year 1914, the Grand
Duke Nicholas, on his way to the camp of
the allied armies in France, passed
through Berlin, and was warmly welcomed
as on honored guest at the royal palace
The description which those who saw and
knew the Grand Duke at that time have
given of the incompatible graces of his
person and mind, makes it easy for one
to imagine that the heart of young girl
just budding into womanhood was cap.
tivated and charmed by him almost at
first sight. Well he might have said like
Cesar, "Vcni, vidi, vici." The Princess
fell iu love with him, and fortunately for
her, the young Grand Duke returned her
love passionate!y. The Grand Duke Nicho
las had the reputation Of being one of the
haudsomest, if not the very haudsomest,
man of his time and his majestic and
stately form, which measured no less than
six feet and two inches, was considered
unequaled in beauty, not only in Russia,
but in all Europs. He was vigorous,
strong, full Of life and health, with broad
shoulders and chest, while his small hands
and feet we're of the most a.istocratic
elegance; his whole figure realized the
perfect model Of manly and commanding
beauty which the divine art of sculptor
Of antiquity has immortalized under the
features OF the famous "Appollo Belvi
dere." His features Of the Grecian cast
forehead and nose formed a straight line,
and his large, blue, sincere eyes, showed
singular combination Of composure,
sternness, self-reianoe and pride, among
which it would have been difficult for
tho observer to name the predominant
expression.


Those who would look closely and at
tentively into those remarkable eyes
would have easily believed that their
threatening glances would suffice to repress
q rebellion, to terrify and disarm . mur
derer, or to frighten away a supplicant !;
but thero would have been buta few to
believe that the sternness Of those eyes
would ever be SO entirely softened as to
beam forth nothing but love and kind
ness. Among these fcw was, however,
the young Prussian Princess, who had
drunk deep in their intoxicating fervor.
1t 10 true she was the only person in the
world in whose presence the Olympian
gravity Of his features gave way to a
radiant chserfulness which made his
manly beauty perfectly irresistible. In
such moments his magnificent brow,
always the seat Of meditation and thought,
exhibited the serene beauty and Attic
grace of young Athenian-the serious
Pericles seemed by the invisible wand of
q magician to have been transformed into
youthful Alcibiades. Such is the Aatter.
ing portrait which his contemporaries have
drawn Of the persanal appearance Of the
Grand Duke Nicholas at the time of bis
arrival at Berlin. At that time, however
the matchless personal charms Of the
Grand Duke were not enhanced BY
political prospects Of the most exalted
character. He was not oven eventually
considered an heir 70 she lmpesia! Crown
Of Russia. II is true Alexandey ], his
brother, had 40 children; but 10 case of
hts death, which could aot be expected
soon, the Graad Duke Constantine vas 60
inherit the thress Of Peter tie Great,
aud leave to Nicholas, st best, the pssitioa