THE HOBBIES OF AN AUTOCRAT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 173, 14 August 1909, Page 3

THE HOBBIES OF AN AUTOCRAT.

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF NICHOLAS 11.

W« have heard so much lately about the horrors that go on under the Czar's lule that it is interesting to turn for a moment to* the lighter side of this un-

; happy man's life. Although he is hemmed in by adversaries in the guiso of friends, although he is in almost daily fear of the dreaded bomb, he has been able to partly bury (his troubles by taking up various hobbies. SINGER AND COMPOSER.

Music is his favorite recreation, and he is himself a composer of no mea-.i merit. He plays the violin -well, and is very fond of an instrument called the balalaika, which is a kind of guitar with only three strings. He often sings' to this instrument, for he possesses a tenor voice of excellent quality. He is more than a little proud of his vocal powers, and once, after entertaining Ms domestic circle with' some ditties, he laughingly exclaimed: "Well, my children, my enemies' say many harsh things of me, and accuse me of hehg destitute of many capacities, but I defy ihc to say that I cannot sing as well as the best of them!" The Czarina is also very musical, and a celebrated violinist once said of her that "She sings and plays So well that if she were in another sphere of life, and became a professional, she would win great fame."

GOLF AND i'AHMIXG. The Czar is quite up-to-date in hk liking for golf, though he does not devote very much time to the "royal and ancient game." In the park of the Winter Palace there is a links, and Nicholas II- is sometimes to be seen there enjoying himself immensely. The Autocrat of All the Russias has always taken an interest in agricultural matters, and another hobby of his is farming. Some photographs were taken some time ago showing an engineer giving the Czar instructions' in the use of a. newly-invented plough. I one of these pictures Nicholas 11. was himself guiding the plough as it turned up the furrows. AN IMPERIAL SPIRITUALIST.

The Czar is .by no means what can bo called deeply read, but he takes great J tielight in liierature of the lighter kind, and he is credited with the remark: "Wore I not—well, what I am—l should be the greatest bookworm in the world." One of liis most curious hobbies—and yet perhaps not curious when one considers his extremely nervous temperament—is the study of occultism. He loves' to got hold of spiritual mediums and clairvoyants, and he is very superstitious in many ways. Some time ago a certain spiritmiliKt was established at the Court, and it was rumored that the Czar and this man used frequently to arrange seances together. A weird story usfcd to be told during the late Russo. Japanese war to the effect that a. diver told the Tsar that, having dived to the bottom of the sea, he beheld the illfated Admiral MakharofT standing <.n his sunken battleship with a halo round his head. '•Toll the Czar," said the apparition, "that Russia will soon be victorious."

Among the Czar's other hobbies may be 'mentioned yachting, philately, and collecting birds' eggs. Many of the latter were collected by himself in his younger days, and at one time he was a most daring and expert climber nf trees. Nicholas If. is also fond of card?, and frequently- plays a game in the evenings. His Majesty is a. great smoker, and continually seeks repose fium his,' troubles in the soothing weed. Pirect.lv after breakfast he lights a choice Havana cigar, and keeps on smoking throughout the day whenever he has a moment (hat he can call his own. The Czar is very fond of private theatrical-;, and in the lifetime of his father plays of various kinds were s'ometimes got up at the (Palace. It is said that among the favorite plays that were staged on such occasions were version; of such old English favorites as "Box and Cox" anil "David Garrick."—M.A.P.