THE TSAR AND TSARITSA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12859, 6 May 1905, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE TSAR AND TSARITSA.

A MODEL HUSBAND. Whatever may be one's opinion of the Tsar as a ruler there can be but one verdict as to his home-life—lie is a model husband and a model father. Nicholas is passionately fond of his children. Last Christmas he accompanied one of his foresters to a fir plantation at Tsarskoe Selo, in order that he might, personally select the "yolka," or Christmas-tree, for his little ones. The Tsaritsa decked the tree herself, but it was the Tsar who mounted a step-ladder and hung a ball of solid gold—which has been used on Russia's Imperial Christmastrees for over forty years—on the topmost branch. It was the Tsar, moreover, who decked the "yolka'' with Chinese lanterns containing electric lamps. Even at the present, lime, with his army discredited, his uncle, slain by the hand of an assassin, and anarchy raging in many of the principal cities of his Empire,- Nicholas finds time every morning before dressing to knock at the door of the room where the little Tsarevitch lies in a. blue cradle, and ask in Russian : " Kale Aliosha sedodma':' ('• How is little Aliosha. to-day'.'") It is said that Nicholas 11. is so wrapped up in his baby boy that, when depressed. he goes to the child's bedside and opens his heart to lite infant, telling him all his troubles. The special correspondent, of a German newspaper declines that when the. Tsar heard of the death of the Grand Duke. Sergitis he proceeded at once to the Imperial night nursery, and. bending over the Tsarevitch's cot, exclaimed, in despairing tones: " Little son. they have slain your greatuncle! Whose turn may it not be next'.'" The Tsar is a remarkably clever amateur artist. Both he and the Tsaritsa have, made hundreds of sketches of the little Tsaievju.li. most of which have gone to illustrate a special "Child's Lift Album." the joint production of the Imperial couple. In this connection an amusing story went the rounds of the Russian "smart set" last November, i' being freely declared that a minor official of the Court, named Vlasolf, had been dismissed for attempting to purloin one of the Imperial sketches. It was gravely asserted that Via so had been offered a thousand roubles by tin enterprising New York editor, who wished to reproduce the sketch iu the. Sunday edition of his journal. Although opposed to progress of a public character the Tsar in his private life is a modern of the moderns. When be arrived at. Peterhof last year his first act was to replace, the Tsaritsa's old-fashioned four-poster lied with a light brass bedstead of English make, wrought in " new art" pattern. It was. this bed that the little Tsarevitch was born. NKUVIHS AND SUPERSTITIOUS.

As is well known, Nicholas 11. is an extremely nervous man. The slightest untoward event upsets him greatly Moreover, he is superstitious. Some time ago. when working in his cabinet at Tsarskoe Selo. the Tsar noticed that the clock on his writing-table—a birthday present from the Tsaritsa—had stopped, He ordered an aide-de-camp to go into the next room and -certain the time from a clock there. When he learnt that that also had stopped at exactly the same hour as his private timepiece he was much distressed, and telegraphed to Admiral Alexeioti. in Manchuria, inquiring whether disaster had overtaken the Russian arms.

Some vears ago. when the Tsar was travelling abroad, his extreme nervousness formed the subject of many remarkable stories. A highly-placed official in our own Foreign Office, who on one occasion dined at the same table as the Emperor of All the Russias. declares that, when a champagne bottle was opened behind the autocrat's chair, Nicholas started violently, anil for some time was absolutely unnerved. Knowing his own weakness in this respect the Tsar will not tolerate superstition in others. When the Tsaritsa sent a graceful letter of thanks to l'ioto Mustuikin, the notorious Yogi of Varoslav. who hail forwarded her a. magical iron locket, containing all incantation to ensure the birth of an heir, the Tsar was furious. lie is said to have snatched the amulet from the Empress' hand and to have crushed i; under his heel, exclaiming: " How can you be so foolish'." The Tsaritsa ■should have common sense!" A few days later he gave instructions for the removal of a strangely carved sword-shaped rattle, such as is made by the Kirghizes of the ('(Mitral Asian steppes when they desire male children, which Alexandra Feodrovna had hung up "for luck" on the wall of her dressing-room. It is well known in St Petersburg society circles that Mis. Munro, Iho Anglo-Russian foster-mother of the Tsarevitch, lost her post through telling fairy tales, which the Tsar termed "superstitious rubbish," to the Gland Duchesses Olja and Tatnintv. TSARITSA, MISTRESS OF Till: I'ALAI K. The Tsaritsa has no rest either by day 01 night (says the Daily Telegraph's Vienna, correspondent). Jll the first place, she is tilled with anxiety as to the. comfort, and health of her husba'nd and children. She is quite like the mistress of a house, aud i it this were not so who knows whether j the Tsar would not. have reached the end of his powers of endurance before now'.' 1 The greater part ot Her Imperial Majesty's time is paused in consoling her husband and in inspiring him with courage. Besides this .she must concern herself with every trifle, She prepares food tor the Tsar, who is in constant fear of poison ; she assists at every detail of his toilette, as would the German wifo of some small citizen, since the Tsar mistrusts every act of his servants; she superintends the tailor and the laundress, as well as the barber, and, besides this, she attends to every want of her infant son, whom she rears herself.' Formerly, she left little for the nurses to do, undertaking everything herself. Now. she scarcely allows the female attendants to approach the Tsarevitch's cradle. Even if she would she cannot, us the Tsar has greater fear for ids son than for himself. It has become almost, a fixed idea with the Tsar that- his son's life is threatened. His Majesty fears that the loss of his son, whom lie so long cainly expected, would cause the outbreak of a revolution in every comer of the Empire, even among Conservatives, and for this reason everyone in any way connected with the Imperial family is surrounded by hosts of spies, who in their turn are watched by a second series. Naturally, everyone knows that lie is under close supervision, and that the slightest untoward act. would give room for denunciation. No care is taken to prove the truth of a suspicion, but everyone in the slightest degree suspected is removed upon some vaguo pretence. Hence arises a general feeling of insecurity, as nflbody knows what the next hour will bring forth, and on the whole the well-known people about kite palace are not having by any means a comfortable time just now.

Matters are nob much better in the palaces of I lie grand dukes, who scarcely trust themselves in the streets, and intrigue one against the other Tn order to obtain the greatest influence over (lie Tsar. Their relations accuse tliem of abandoning the traditions of the Imperial House in order to cause a revolution and to save their properly. This information concludes with the statement that the future lies in darkness, and that, everyone may be prepared for the most alarming surprises.