University of South Carolina Libraries
CM OF RUSSIA. Sketch of His Life and Thirteen Years’ Reign. THE SUCCESSOR TO THE THROVE. a Man of Coango and Great Ftijiloaj Powor Worn Out by Urtnc la Con tin aal Danger—Intereat of All Knropo In HU bat Alexander III, the recently deceased lar of Russia, was the son of the as sassinated Alexander IE who was the son of Nicolas I, who was the brother of hit predecessor Alexander I and son of Cra- vj Paul, who was the son of lioentiom Catharine, whose husband was the sta id and brutal Veter IIL Beyond thii is genealogy is subject to question, of the seven imperial personaget lere noted Peter III was dethroned and and finally murdered by or- of his wife. Catharine died in a fit it on by excesses, Crazy Paul wat dered by a cabal of his nobles, Nio- I died of ohagrin, and Alexander II blown into eternity by a nihilist ib. The family has always been eo- itria Nominally the imperial line begini 1th Michael Feodorovitch Romanoff, (whom the Russian nobles made czar in 1618 in sheer desperation over the pro longed civil wars. He was only the son lof an archbishop, but the nobles man- iged to trace some connection by mar- iage with Rurik, founder of the em- dre. At any rate, the horrible wars and uurders of the preceding century bad left conflicting claims in such confusion that there was nothing for it but start tew, and so the Romanoff was made unperor. His grandson was Peter the treat, who was succeeded by his widow latharine I, and after her came another *a of confusion which ended with the lacoession of Elizabeth, daughter of Pe- [ter the Great Peter III was the son of ,ber sister, and as he was the husband of (Catharine II it is assumed that the line Ss regular from the first Romanoff through Peter the Great i The Romanoff blood is dilated to a very fine strain by frequent intermar riage with German princesses, and Alex ander II married Maria, daughter of the late Grand Duke of Hesse Darm- ALKXAKDER lit Btadt Their second son, Alexander, was born March 10, 1846. There ia a story, neither officially confirmed nor strenu- onsly denied, that he gave the blow to bis older brother, Nicolas, which caused •the latter’s death. It was accidental in tome rough “horseplay," but it injured the chest of Nicolas, and he died April 84, 1866, at the age of 88, and straight way everything was changed with Alex ander. Nicolas was engaged to be married to the Princess Dagmar, daughter of the King of Denmark and sister of the Prin cess Alexandra, who married the Prince of Wales Nicolas was a man of kindly disposition, and for a member of the Imperial Romanoffs of Russia possessed of much culture. Alexander seems to have been a young man of unusually morose and obstinate disposition. He was in love with the Prinoeu Met- chereki, who was one of his mother's maids of honor. She was a beautiful girl, and Alexander had told her of his passion. Alexander II was not pleased with this and sent bis son away. During his absence his sweetheart was forced to accept an offer of marriage from Paul Demidoff, prince of San Donato, and so, when the elder brother died and it was decided that for reasons of state Alex ander should marry the Princess Dag mar, he made no determined opposition. The marriage took place Nov. 9, 1866, and although authorities conflict about almost everything else pertaining to the life of Alexander HI there is no doubt that the married life of the couple was almost an ideal one, notwithstanding the unusual circumstances which led to their union. Czar Alexander II was killed by a nihilist bomb March 18, 1881, and his son succeeded him im mediately as Czar Alexander IIL During the years that he had been beir apparent be seems to have neglect ed no opportunity to fit himself for the exalted and arduous duties that were before him. Whether his design was to so rule Russia as to make its people happy and prosperous or simply to strengthen the Russian throne isa qnes- tion upon which there are vital and rad ical differences of opinion. Certain it I# that he changed the policy of bis fa then, who had freed the serfs and had in many ways indicated a desire to pre pare his country for a more liberal ad ministration of the government The cause of popular education, which bad received some encouragement under the father, was crushed by the rule of the son; the press, which, though re stricted, had a faint semblance of free dom under the old, was fettered abso lutely under the new regime; Siberia, bad enough always, became the horror Of the century; the Jews, whose lot was never a pleasant one in Russia, be- came the subjects of the most malevo lent persecution. | With a private citizen the presump tion is for innocence till guilt is proved; .With a hereditary ruler the chances an 'even, but with an absolute ruler, espe cially a Romanoff, the presumption U always that he is despotic. We may, therefore, with perfect safety, reject all osaMC nadf for Alwaydgr gl that he was kept in ignorance or tne norron of Siberia; that the real condition of his subjects was carefully concealed from him, and that he was only cruel where it was a cruel neoesaity. That he was a devoted husband and father is to his credit; some of the worst persecu tors have been so. The hard, cruel fact remains that he reversed all the liberal movements of bis father, gave the penal laws a sharper edge, treated Jews and Poles with atrocious cruelty, adopted the worst features of so called panslav ism and to the very last quarreled bit terly with bis son for not being equally bigoted and intolerant He was most fortunate in his mar riage. Indeed the whole history of the Danish royal family is the pleasantest in the recent annals of Europe and Is delightfully colored with romance. King Christian IA and Queen Louise began life iu quite a humble rank compara tively, for he waa merely the fourth son of Duke William of Sleswiok-Holstein, but when the old royal line became ex tinct the great powers combined to ex tinguish jealousy by making this youn ger son king of Denmark, and be took the throne Nov. 16, 1868. His oldest daughter Is now Princess of Wales, and his second the widowed czarina His second son is King George I of Greece, and the other daughter and two sons are most royally connected. So little Den mark, largely because it is little and not dangerous, is prolific of royalty. Maria Dagmar became Maria Feodo- ronna when she married the czarowita, gave up her German Protestantism and became a member of the Greek Catholic church, and by all acconnts has intro duced a much needed element of mild ness within the blood of the imperial family, for among a thousand contra dictions it is at least agreed that her son, the successor of Alexander IIL i» purely German-Danish and qnite unlike his father in form and disposition. Five children were bom to the czar and cza rina—Nicolas Alexaudrowitch, bom at St Petersburg May 18, 1868; George Alexandrowitch, bora May 9, 1871; Xenia Alexandrowna, bom April 3, 1876; Michael .Alexandrowitch, bora Dec. 6, 1878, and Olga Alandrowna, born June 13, 1883. Of his children the czar, as a model family man, was very fond, and many stories are told of the methods he used to adopt to give them pleasure. He was very fond of amateur theatricals, and ho was never happier than when get ting np plays in which his children were to figure as actors. Like Charles Dick ens, he got an amazing amount of en joyment out of the details of Improvis ing play, wardrobe, curtain and every accessory out of ordinary materials and in the face of serious difficulties. Be sides his own children the actors almost invariably inclnded the elder children at the court, young lads who some day might rale provinces—possibly king doms—and yonng girls destined perhaps to be the mothers of long lines of princes and princesses. In religion Alexander III was a thor ough bigot. He never once doubted that he was the Lord’s anointed, rul ing all Russia and her subject prov inces by divine right, and that Jews, Btundists, Mennonitea and others who did not implicitly obey his directions Were in rebellion against God and de serving of little consideration. The Ro- taanoffs have always been given to a Sort of brutal devotion, and the natural bent of Alexander’s mind was intensi fied by the teachings of bis tutor, M. Pobiedonotsoff, in later years tbe mnch feared chief of the holy synod of the Russian church. Nevertheless he taught his pupil morality, and it is claimed that Alexander III was the only Euro pean sovereign of his time who never kept a mistress. He was frantically de vout, and his views on education were those of the Russian priests. As head of the church he consistently opposed ev ery form of Instraotion not controlled by the priests. Alexander in was a man of remark able physical force. He stood C feet 4 inches in his stockings, and it is told of him that he oonld take a silver coin of tbe size of a dollar and doable it be- TBR CZAItOWITZ. tween bis thnmb and forefinger. When in 1888 bis train was wrecked and a pumbor of persons were killed, it is said he saved those who were in the same Oopnpartinept with him from injury and perhaps death by supporting a portion of the fallen roof with his shoulders till assistance came. He was also an antiring worker, got down to his desk ns a rale by 8 a. m. and went resolutely throngb official pa pers till 1pm. Then ho had n light lunch and took recreation and read till a 6 o’clock dinner. Ho often wrote se vere comments on the margins of papers presented to him, and these wore glazed over to preserve them iu the royal archives. His favorite expressions were: “What a beast he 1st” “They are a set of hogsl” and the like. The Russian word “nezooteahitelno," which may bo translated “discouraging,” was a fre quent comment with him. Once he was prevailed upon to allow a very severe comment to be erased, “Tbe council thought to trick me," he said, “bat they shan’t, but may strike tbe words out" He was a man of unflinching courage. He proved this in the last war between Russia and Turkey, and though during his entire reign be waa in constant ex pectation of beine murdered be never hesitated to show himself to his people When he thought the occasion demanded it, and be oftentimes waa accounted even rash In his manner of doing thia For Instance, on several occasions when members of bis houaebold died and not ably when his English nurse passed away, he attended the funeral services like any common person, following tbe hearse on foci It was his custom fre quently to drive a pair of horaes over the public highways, the czarina and tbe whole family accompanying him in aaMMBMOiMa- ' Perhaps the coronation or Alexander IIL all of the ceremonials of which were determined by himself, fnrnished a* good an illustration of bis character aa any incident in his life He did not formally assume the crown nntll 1888, two years after the assassination of his father. The ceremonies were held on May 36 in the cathedral Church of the Assumption within tbe walls of the Kremlin at Moscow, for though St. Pe tersburg Is tbe capital of Russia the elder city, in deference to the patriotic sentiment of old Russia, is still the cor onation city. • The czarina, or rather empress, for the Russians do not now use the word czar habitually, presented a remarkable contrast to her massive husband. She is slender and petite, qnite beautiful, and with a refined and rather pensive air. She was long considered the best dancer in tbe imperial court and was very fond of tbe amusement They bad various places of residence, the winter palace being meet noted, bnt both pre ferred Gatchina, near St Petersburg. Whenever they or either of them ap peared in public there were tumultuous demonstrations of joy, for the masses of the Russian people are fanatically de voted to their White Father, as they call him. The nihilists come from a very small section of the fairly well educat ed classes, and even the advocates of re form and a constitutional government do not altogether include 10 per cent of the Russian Deonle. 1/ J THK CZAROWITZ S BtUDR. Brave as Alexander 111 was, the con tinued danger of assassination finally wore him out, as it has many another brave man. Ho narrowly escaped at the funeral of his father. At another time there was an explosion in the palace and again a narrow escape. Finally occurred the explosion on the railway to Moscow, and the slightest of accidents alone pre vented the whole imperial family from being blown into eternity. After that the czar lived very secluded for a long time, and his only real satisfaction was daring his long visit to his father-in- law in Denmark. There he was the good uncle to a lively gang of children, with whom be romped and boated and ram bled in the woods all day long. After alL he died young, and now all Europe is asking abont his successor. There is even more contradiction in the reports abont him than in those abont his father. It Is alleged that he is open hearted, liberal and progressive, and with equal force that he is too stnpid to have any marked characteristics and will be ruled by bis counselors and priests It is agreed, however, that he is very devoted to his mother, temperate and chaste and stndious, and so it is taken for granted that, so far as he is in fluenced at all, it will be chiefly by his mother and wife. A melancholy interest attaches to the second son of Alexander IH, the Grand Duke George. In his youth he was delicate, bnt nnder the active regime to which the princes were subjected he grew vigorous and com pleted the prescribed coarse of studies and military exercises. An accident, a fall while on a war ship, injured his chest, and he became consumptive. Nevertheless he served as colonel of an infantry regiment and held command of an ironclad, and as a naval officer started to accompany his brother in a tour around the world. While in Indian waters he fell from a mast and Injured his spine. He was ordered home, (topped awhile at Athens on account of his health, and not improving there made a voyage to Algiers, bnt in vain. He was sent to a region in the Caucasus supposed to be favorable to consump tives, and it was soon admitted that his case was hopeless. His father, disgusted at the liberal tendencies of theczarowitz, (bad designed to alter the succession in favor of his second son, bnt instead tbe second renounced his rights in favor of the third, Grand Duke MichaeL who now stands next to the czar. J. H. Beaduc. Wnen Baby wan dek, ire jrmvr her CVtcrtaL When she wxi a Child, she cried for Castoria. When she bccanw Mira she clung to Cartorio. When she had Children, she gave them Csstcria. LAW CAB1M. R. W. BOYD. «RO. W. BROWJI BOYD & BROWN- Attorneys and Counselors at Law Office in brick building south of the Bank of Darlington. DARLINGTON C B., & P. PROMPT PERSONAL ATTENTION TO ALL BUSINESS. B- O WOODS. T. H. SPAIN WOODS & SPA IN, (Successors to W&i J A Woods,) Attorneys & Counsellors at Law. Offices formerly occupied by Ward & Woods, over Bank of Darlington. Practise in State and Federal Courts. Prompt personal atten tion to all business. a. W. DAROAN. H. T. THOMPSON DAROAN & THOMPSON, Attorney! at Law, Office in Darlington Guards" Armory building, lower floor. Darlinftton, S. C • What is gkMV'--<''■V'C 'A.SV V Castoria is Up. Samuel Pitcher's prescription fop Infknto and Children. It contains ucithcr Opium, y* 0 “'hine nop other Narcotic substance. It is a harmless substitute for Parggoric, Drops, Soothing Syrups, and Castor Oil. It is Pleasant. Its guarantee Is thirty years’ use by Millions of Mothers. Castoria is the Children’s Panacea —the Mother’s Friend. Castoria. “Castoria is so well adapted to children that I ivcommend it as superior to any proscription known to me.'* H. A. Amrana, M. D., % 111 So. Oxford St., Brooklyn, N. T. “ The use of ‘ Castoria' is »> unircrsal and it* merit* so well known that it whom* a work of supererogation to emloroe it. Few are the intelligent families who do not keep Castoria within easy reach.** Caklps Majittm, D. D„ New York City. Castoria. Cmalaria curia Colic, CVnutlpatlon, Sour Stomach. Piarrbtna, Erudatlon, KlUa W anna, (.rea More, and promotaa dl rnuon. Without Injurious medication. “For arreral year. I hare reoommaaiM your ‘ChsUtria,' and shall always continue to do so sa It has inrartably produced beneficial results.'' E»wi* F. Paaoss, SC. D, lath Street and 7th Are., New York Xty. I* Tas CuiTArs CoarriT, 77 Hcboat Snurer. New You Srer ••• WOOL- HND-5C. • COTTONI That’s what prices are based upon on all goods at ALL NEW GOODS; ALL NEW PRICES. Ell H ALL M, PAST VI, SHE AID UL Ml aii all stk M of tas Eoois wit! Trimiigs to nalcli. (iHTIil.yS PIT WOOL HRSm AM) Dltut ll 50 CENTS; EXTRA PINE HOODS AT T5 CENTS '10 $1.0#. LaEIES’ UNDERYESTS, 20 cents to $ 1 25. 1 Yard wide, Good Quality, Sea Island Homespun, 5 cts., yard. 7 8 ” ” Yellow Homespun 4 cents per yard. Calicoes at 4, 5 and 6 1-4 cents per yard. Unbleached canton Flannel at 5 cents per yard. Remember my stock is entire ly new from front to rear door, bought lately which enables me to offer to the buying public bar gains heretofore unheard of. Boy’tt and Gentlemen's H*dTS, Would be pleased to have you call. No trouble to show goods. RESPECTFULLY, J. D. JOVE. SHOES. SHOES. SHOES. SHOES. SHOES J J.1UM Shoes until yon can’t rest! Shoes for Men and 13oys. Shoes for Ladies, Misses and Children. ALL STYLES, ALL GRADES, AND AT PRICES TO SUIT THE TIMES. WE HAVE THE LARGEST AND MOST COM PLETE STOCK THAT WE HAVE EVER CARRIED, AND REQUEST AN INSPECTION OF THE SAME WHEN YOU ARE IN NEEDOF NICE FOOT-WARE. WE ALSO CARRY A FULL LINE OF UMBRELLAS, TRUNKS, VALISES, WALKING-CANES AND SHOE-FIND- INGS. HATS. HATS, HATS. HATS. DARLINGTON SHOE STORE, WOODS & MILLING. PROPRIETORS. jpSS<ra3WJiWiJi!.B>h ^wnwwVw^FwrVif w: TXART8VILLE RAILROAD. June 8, 1894. MIXED TRAIN Leave Hartrville 4.80 am Jovann 4.46 a m Floyd’s 5.06 a m Darlington 5.36 a ia Palmetto 6.40 a in Arrive Florence 6.00am Leave Florence 7.86 p iu Palmetto 7.60 p m Darlington 8.30 p m Floyds 8.35 p m Jovann 8.66 pu. Hartsville 9.10pu J F. DIVINE. Gen. Supt. p.HAKLESTON. SUMTER AND ^ NORTHERN RAILROAD CHARLES E KIMBALL Reoelv«r. NORTH. icvi Man. SOUTH. 9 8 P.M. P.M. Lv 4.10 Charleston 2.80 Ar 5.20 Pregnall's 1.10 7.25 Sumter 11.03 8.87 Darlington 9.50 9 29 Bennettsvllle 9.00 9.52 Gibson 8.87 Ar 10.20 Hamlet 8.10 Lv P.M A.M No. 9 connects at Hamlet with 8. A. L. Vestibule train fur Raleigh, Rich mond. Washington, Baltimore, Phil adelphia and New York. No8counects with 8. A. L. Vesti bule train from above named points. Trains run solid to and fiom Charles ton. C. MILLARD, Superintendent. C & D. and C. A 8. RAILROADS, • In effect June 3, 1894, MIXED TRAIN Leave Wadesboro 2.00 p m Bennett’s 2.25 p tc Morven's 2.40 p in McFarland 2 56 p m Clientw 8.46 p m Cash's 4.10 pm Society Hill 4.40 p in Dove’s 5.10 pm Floyd’s 6.80 p m Darlington 6.06 p m Palmetto 6.20 p m Arrive Florence 6.46 p m Leave Florence 7.36 a m Palmetto 8.00 a m Darlington 8.85 a m Floyd’s 9.00 a m Dove’s 9 r> a m Society Hill 9 45 a m Cash's ; 0.15 a in Cheraw 11.00 a m McFarland 11.40 am Morven's 11.65 am Bennett’s 12.10 a m Arrive Wadesboro— 12.80 a m Local Freight- Leave Darlington 4 10 p m Palmetto 4.42 p m Arrive Florence 5.00 pm Leave Florence 8.80 am Palmetto 8.60 a m Arrive Darlington 9 06 a m A. F. RAVENEL. President. NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD. i.w In effect June 3, 1894. BOOTH BOUND. N J. 85. Leave Florence 8.10 a m Lanes 4.06 a m Arrive Charleston C.10 a m No. 28. Leave Florence 7.46 p m Kingstree 9.02 p m Lanee 9.23 p m Arrive Charleston 11.18 p m No. 68. Leave Lanee 7.10 p m Arrive Charleston 8.40 p m NORTH BOUND. No. 78. Leave Charleston 8.86 a m Lanes 6.40 a m Kingstree 6 00 a m Arrive Florence 7.10 a a No. 83. Leave Charleston — 8.80 p m Lanes - 6.83 p m Kingstree 5.67 p ra Arrive Florence 7.06 p ia No. 53. Leave Charleston 7.15 a in Arrive Lanee 8.46 s oc No. 52 runs through to Columbia via Central R. R. of 8. C. Train Nos. 78 and 14 runs via Wilson and Fayetteville—Short Line—and makes close connection for all points North. J. F. DIVINE, Gen. Sopt. IV ILMINGTON, COLUMBIA * AUGUSTA RALROAD. In effect Jane 8, 1894. SOUTH BOUND. No. 66. Leave Wilmington 8.40 p m Marion 6.81 p in Arrive Florence 7.10 p m No. 50. Leave Florence 7.86 p za Sumter >••••••##•••••• •••••• 8a 46 p m Leave Sumter 8.48 p m Arrive Columbia. 10.10 pm No. 68. Leave Florence 3 15 a m Arrive Samter 4 91 a m No. SR Leave Sumter 10.00 am Arrive Colombia. 11.30 a m No. 53 runs through from Charles ton via Central Railroad; leaving Lanes 8.48 a in. Manning 9 26 a m. NORTH BOUND. Leave Colambli Sumter... Arrive Florence Leave Florence —. Marion Arrive Wilmington Leave Colombia. ...... Arrive Sumter No. 61. . 4.80am . 5 58 am . 7.10 a m No. 56. .. 7.40 a m ... 8.38 a m ...11.10 am No. 58. . 4.30 pm ^ 6.60 p m No. 69. Leave Colombia Samter 5.56 p m Arrive Florence 7.06 p m No 88 runs thiougu «o unarleston via central Railroad, arriving Man ning 6.98 p m. Lanes 7.06 p m. oharlsston8.40 pm. Trains on Manchester and Angosfa B. R-, leave Florence daily except Son- day, 8.16 a. m., arrive Denmark 6.1T a. m. Returning leave Deumsxk 8.68 p. m., arrive Floreses 7.06 p. m. Trains on Wilmington, Chad) onra and Conway Railroad leave Chad- bourn at 10.10 a m. arrive at Conway 12.80 p m, returning leave Conway at 2:00 p. m., arrive Chad bourn 4:60 p. m. Leave Chadbonrn 6J6 p m arrive at Hob 6 90 p. m. Re turning leave Hob 8.16 a aa, arrive at Chadbonrn 9,00 a m. Dally exopet Sunday. JOHN V. DIVINE, Geol Soft,