THE RUSSIAN REGENCY.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 47, 21 January 1913, Page 7

THE RUSSIAN REGENCY.

CZAR'S BROTHER'S POSITION . ST. PETERSBURG, Jan. IG. As the result of his morganatic marriage, a ukase has been issued establishing a guardianship over the Grand Duke Michael and relieving him of the Regency which had been entrusted to him -in the event of the death of the Czar before the Heir-Apparent's majority.

The Grand Duke Michael is a brother of the reigning Cssar. He is 34 years of age. The reported story of his morganatic marriage is a romantic one. I lie young lady, whose Christian name was Ekatarina, was of high social standing, and very beautiful. The Czar was highly incensed when the news of the Duke's attachment reached him, and he vigorously opposed the match. A clandestine correspondence was, however kept up by the lovers, hut on one of the Duke's missives being intercepted, the hanker applied for and obtained a divorce. After many tribulations Michael succeeded in getting an orthodox priest to marry Ekatarina, with whom he settled down in Moscow. He was suddenly recalled to St. Petersburg, and a clay or two after his arrival was called before the Czar, who said: "Of course, you intend to take leave of Ekat; irina, who is the cloister of Holy Trinity in Orel? Go and see her and have a talk with her." The young husband rushed to Orel the same night. Twelve hours later he ascended the steps of Trinity cloister, his heart leaping. At the appointed hour Grand Duke Michael was fully resolved to take his wife from the cloister by force, if necessary, but he changed his mind when he beheld the wreck of her beauty, for "discipline" had caused Ekatarina to be denuded of her lovely hair, and indeed of her very eyebrows. "When she was brought from her cell (so the story runs), clad in a coarse one-piece garment tied by a string, her head was shaven bald, her brows cut off by the razor, and her eyes red with weeping. He turned and tied down the hall like one possessed." But apparently the destruction of Ekatarina's beauty did not make the Grand Duke waver in his affection, and in spite of al Ithreats and entreaties he has steadfastly refused to consider the annulment of his marriage.