Year: 1872

The Gar rs a Match maker.


In a recent number of Harper's Bazal
was given the history of the betrothal ant
marriage of the Emperor Nicholas of Rus
| sia (the grandfather of the Prince Alexis,
who is now on visit to this couLtry) tC
! Princess Charlotte of Prussia. and our fail
readers will not have failed to admire the
! ingenious way in which the handsome
| suitor pleaded his cause with the queen
OF his heart. To-day we propose to pre-
sent the same Prince in another love affair
no longer as a hero wooing tor himself,
| but in the more modest part of a match
maker, intent on causing the happiness
| of a beloved daughter. even at the sacri-
fee of his personal pride and his most
cherished hopes.


1t was in the vear 1888 At the Court
of St. Petersburg there lived at that time
a young lady 50 lovely, SO charming, 80
beautiful, that it had almost passed into
a provero among the courtiers that the
most powerful monarch, it he had met
her in peasants cot, would have turned
his back on all the princes,ts of Europe.
and would have offered her his hand and
his throne. This young lady, born in the
shadow OF the proud throne of the czars,
was Maria Nicolaiewna. the eldest daugh-
ter of the Emperor Nicholas.


She had Just attained her nineteenth
year: and when her father beheld her.
blooming and hagrant like the flowers
of May, and saw that nearly every crown
prince in Europe entertained the hope of
winning the heart of this matchless
beauty, he commenced himself looking
about tor the most eligible, the WORTH
est, and the most powerful consort tor his
darling.


Dear Maria said he one day to the
princess, with the kindliest smile which
his stern features could command, "vou
are now old enough to think of getting
married pretty soon. There are quite
number of suitors tor your hand, and, al
ter mature deliberation. | have selected
for your consort prince, who in due
time Will make you queen, but who is
at the same time a man who will make
You happy"


The princess blushed and grew pale at
the same moment.


"A man." she gasped forth, with vio-
lent effort to appear composed, who will
make me happy?n ?n



anxiety in the tone of her voice, perhaps
the trembling molten of her lips betrayed
the fear which this announcement had
awakened in her heart; for when she
looked up and fixed her eyes lnquiringlv
upon the countenance Of her father She
saw at a glance that the smile had disap-
peared from his features and that a threat
ening cloud was gathering on his fore
No I.
tempest Of wrath which might burst forth
at any moment, and added, in faltering
voice


Command me your majesty, what |
am to do. | shall obey"


You will obey" exclaimed the en-
peror IN voice trembling with emotion
and anger. You will obey, Am | to
understand that it will be mere obedience
on your part il YOU accept husband from
my hand ?"


The grand duchess remained silent.
But during the short pause She trembled
like a flower moved by the breeze, and 4
tear which, in spite of the most painful
efforts she made to repress it, rolled down
her cheeks was mute and vet eloquent
answer to this question.


"What," resumed the Emperor, You
keep silence Can ii be possible that YOU
have made already a choice Yourself?
Tell me honestly and sincerely, Maria" :"


The young princess still remained 81
lent: but the trembling nervousness be
came SO violent that she WAS on the point
Of tainting.


"Speak out, frankly and openly Maria. :"
said the car, in a gentler tone Il com
mand it.


The princess threw herself at the feet
of the cZar. For moment she was una
Bile to utter anything but means and sighs,
and to clasp the knees of her father with
a convulsive grasp. But then. overcom-
ing her emotion and her fear, she raised
her hands imploringly toward the emper-
or, and said in voice almost stuffed by
her tears, "As you command me to speak
the truth, | will be sincere to you. Yes.
| have made my own choice. NV heart
is no longer my own. 1t belongs to a
young man who does not know | love
him-who will never know it. if such be
your will. He has seen me only at long
intervals; we have exchanged only a few
words with each other, and if you wish
we will never speak to each other again. :"


Nicholas made no reply. He had
grown pale, and, as he was wont to do
IN the moments OF his greatest and most
painful excitement or anguish, he paced
to and fro through the spacious apart
ment. This silent walk lasted three or
four minutes, during which the prin cess
remained in kneeling attitude, waiting
TOR the address of her father, and not dar-
ing to interrupt his meditation


Evidently he was anxions to learn the
name of the happy mortal who, as it ap-
peared had won without an effort, with
out a contest, the priceless Jewel which
he held dearer than the crown Of Russia
itself, the heart of Maria-and vet he was
afraid of his name He, the all-powerful
monarch, who for mere whim would
have defed the united armies OF Europe,
trembled like coward at the mere
thought of hearing the name of the Young
man who disputed with him the posses
sion OF his most precious Jewel But at
last he recovered his self-command.


''Is he a king ?" he asked


NO father


but at least the son of a king?"


mo, father"


''Ah! Then he is not a crown-prince ?"


NO father"


After every new question in this down.
ward descent in the social scale, from the
very pinnacle of human greatness, the
car made short pause, during which
he gasped for breath.


"Is he foreigner ?" he asked with a
painful effort


Yes father"


The emperor, as if overwhelmed and
crushed by this terrible information, sank
back upon his chair, and covered his face
with both his hands.


The grand duchess did not dare to stir
or speak. Quietly, like victim waiting
for the death-stroke of the executioner, she
bowed her beautiful head, ready to un-
dergo the wrath Of the emperor, which
might burst upon her head at any mo-
ment.


SIS this man whom you love in Rus
sia? ?' the emperor at last resumed his ex-
animation.


Eyes, your majesty"


"Ah! He is here in St. Petersburg ?''
ssYao father y