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Show THE CZAR'S CRUEL FATHER. Nicholas' Strong Contrast to His Haughty Predecessor. (London Modern Society.) The czar is a curious contrast to his father, and the peasants in Denmark who used to gaze with admiring awe in the huge Alexander III can scarcely understand that the slight boyish figure fig-ure which is so overshadowed by their own tall old king can indeed toe that of the great white czar himself. In disposition dispo-sition and in attainments, as well as in bodily presence, the son differs strangely strange-ly from the father. Alexander was a very uneducated man. His elder brother, bro-ther, Nicholas, had been carefully taught and trained, but his death, at the age of 22, placed Alexander in the position of heir to the throne, and he was then too old to learn. He was a thorough Romanoff, imperious and haughty. The one person with whom he was gentle was his wife, whom he treated to the last as though she were a pet child. To his underlings he could be absolutely 'brutal, although towards the end of his life his manners were said to have wondrously improved. Before he succeeded to the throne a very painful thing occurred which proved how callous he could be. An officer of Swedish origin had been sent to the United States to order rifles for the Russian army. On his return he had to report to the czarewitch, who was appointed to superintend the rearming re-arming of the troops. During the Interview In-terview the prince lost his temper and began to scold sharply. The officer replied with dignity, whereupon Alexander Alex-ander fell into a fit of fury and loaded the officer with insult. The man bowed himself out of the royal presence, went home and wrote a letter to the heir apparent ap-parent asking him to apologize within four-and-twenty hours, adding that if the apology did not come he would shoot himself. The czarewitch took no notice, sent neither exew aor apology, and the officer kept his word. Next morning he was dead. The czar heard the story and was very angry with his son. He ordered him to follow the hearse of the officer to the grave. But even this terrible lesson failed to cure Alexander of his haughtiness. The gentle ways of the present czar and his unwillingness unwilling-ness to hurt the feelings of anyone are j in sharp contrast indeed. |