Year: 1871

In will be remembered that the EN-


peror William /. of Germany, Immediately


after the preliminaries of peace had beet


signed at Versailles, sent to st. Peters


burg Telegram in which he expressed to
the Car his gratitude for the friendly at


tituds which Russia had maintained dur


ing the progress Of the Franeo-Prussian


war, and in which he frankly admitted


that Germany was indebted to this sincere


friendship of her powerful Eastern neigh


Dor for the comDaratiyely limited dimen-


sions of the gigantic CONFLICT. Uneues-


tionably the political interests of Russia;


and above all, her well known policy in


the Eastern question, have mainly con-


tributed TO hef partially for Prussia; but


not an insignificant share in this pdrtiality


must be attributed to personal consideTa-


tions-to that near relationship which for


upwards of half century has existed be-


tween the dynasties of Pussia and Prussia; !;


for Alexander the Second, tie present Eiii-


peror of Russia, is d son of the Princess


Charlotte of Prussia, the sister of the


present Emperor of Germany.


The betrothal and marriage of this PTin-
cess with Nicholas, who was then only


Grand Duke, hut afterYard Emperor of


Russia, forms one OF the swestsst and


most romantic love episodes in the world
of European courts, which is usually so de-
void of love and romance, and would, on
that accotfit alone, deserve being remem-


bered, quite regardless of the historical in
terest which will henceforth adhere to all
the members of the family of the con-
dueror of France.


Princess Charlotte Tsas horn in the year
1898, and was the eldest daughter OF King
Frederick William the Third of Prussia,
and his beautiful and accomplished wife.
Queen, Louisa. Her early childhood
elapsed amidst scef1ea OF terror end hHmili-
alton for the royal family Of Prussia, and
nobody would at that time have ventured
to predict for her the brilliant career
which Providence kept in store for this
child, born and bfotigEt up unaer such fatal
auspices. We might, indeed, make an eI-
ception in favor of her mother, who, with
that prophetic intuition which seems to
have been the distinguishing feature of
that high minded woman, wrote one day
to her father, the Duke OF Mecklenbgrg,
the following lines about her daughter:


"Charlotte is given to silence and re-
serve, but under her apparent coldness
she conceals a warm and loving heart.
Fer indifference snd pride are but the dull
outside of diamond of the purest water,
which some day will shine forth in its
brilliant luStre Her bearing and manners
are noble and dignifed. She has but few
friends, and these few are warmly attached
to her. I know her value; and predict for
her brilliant future, If she lives long
enough"


The young Princess was, indeed, a very
fr2il and delicate creature-one of those
tender flowers which seem to wait for the
bird hsnd OF the gardener to transplant
them into a warmer cline. She was
and handsome but her beauty
was rather that of pale lily than that of
a bl0oriing fose.


Charlotte was Just sixteen, when, in 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 an honored guest q.
the royal palace.


The description which those who saw
ard knew the Grand Duke ct that time
have given of the incompatible graces OF
his person and mind makes it easy for us
to imagine that the heart of young girl
just budding into |onanhoed was capti-
vated and charmed by him almost at first
sight. Well he might have said, like
Cesar, came, I saw,.I conquered" The
Princess fell in love with lin, ard fortu-
nately for her the young Grand Duke re-
turned her love fully as passionately.


The Grand Duke Nicholas had the repu-
tation OF being One OF the handsomest, If
not the very handsomest man of his times
and his majestic and stately form, which
measured no less than si3 feet two inches,
was considered unequaled in beauty, not
only in Russia, but in all Europe. He
was vigorous, strong, full of life and
health. with broad. shoulders and chest,
while his small hands and feet were or the
most aristocratic elegance; his whole
figure realized the perfect model of manly
and commanding beauty which the .deyine
art of SCULPTOR of snticuity has imricr-
talized under the features of the Apollo
Belvidere. His features were Of the Grecian
and nose formed straight
ine-and his large, blue, sincere eyes
showed a singular combination of com
posure, sternnesss, self-Ieliance, and pride,
among which it would have been difficult
for the observer to name the predominant
expression. Those who would have looked |
closely and attentively into those remark
able eyes would have easily believed that |
their threatening glances would suffice to
suppress a rebellion, to terrify and disarm
g murderer; or to frigbten away a suppli-
ant; but there would have beea hut few
TO believe that the sternness of those eyes
could be so entirely softened as TO beam
forth nothing but love and kindness.
Among these few was, however, the young
Prussian Princess, who had drunk deep in
their intoxicating fervor. 1t is true that she
was the only person N the world in whose
presence the 0lympian gravity of his fea-
lures gave way to a radiant cheerfulness,
which made his manly beauty perfectly ir
g


In such moments his magnificent brow,
always the seat of meditation and thought,
exhibited the serene beauty and Attic
grace of young Atbepisn-the serious
Pericles seemed, by the invisible wand of
a magician, to have been transferred into
the youthful Alcibiades.


Such is the fattering picture which his
have drawn of the personal
appearance of the Grand Duke Nicholas
at the time of his 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 even
W NAC
perial crown of Russia 1t is true Alex
ander the First, his brother, had no chill
dren, but in the case of his death, which
could not be expected soon, the Grand
Duke Constantine was to inherit the
throne of Peter the Great, and leave to
Nicholas at best but the position of
Prince of the first blood. Nevertheless,
Frederick William, charmed alike by the
besuty and intellect of his guest, and by
the hope of uniting the sovereign houses
of Prussia and Russia by the close ties of
a family union, greeted the prospect of


marriage between the Grand Duke and
his daughter with enthusiasm, especially
when he discovered that the young folks
themselves were very fond of each other.


The King then delicately insinuated to
his daughter that if she had taken liking
to the Grand Duke, and had reason to be-
lieve that the Prince entertained similar
feelings toward her, their marriage would
meet with no objection on his part.


But the young Princess, although Sc
cretly delighting in hope which SO fully
responded to the secret wishes of her heart,
was either too proud or too bashful to con-
fess to her father her love for the Grand
Duke, who had not yet made any declara-
ton to her.


In this manner the day approached on