Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 April 1910 — AFTER HIS MAJESTY. [ARTICLE]

AFTER HIS MAJESTY.

Hsulssi Delight In Playing Second Fiddle to the Tsar. The second place is not often coveted, but in Russia royalty ranks Iso high that to the loyal subject it seems great honor to follow the Czar. The government Is eminently patriarchal, In theory, at least, and theemperor must supervise as well as patronize the schools. At the Easter festival the pupils are treated with especial favor. Of this George Brandes, in hls “Impressions of Russia,” gives such account as he had from a pupil ol high standing. Young girls of the upper classes of the Imperial Girls’ school were driven In a long procession through the streets in the imperial carriages. The pleasure for them was Only that of being allowed to take a drive in a stylish court carriage, with coachman and footman in the imperial livery. There was n&thing special to be seen. The theory of this is that the Czar stands in a sort of higher parental relation to all these children. When he once a year visits one of these schools —to which only the children of the nobility are admitted—it is a custom that, as a sign of hls favor, he drops his pocket handkerchief and the girls all scramble for it, and it is torn in pieces, so that each one can get a fragment. He takes the most brilliant girl to the table, and tastes of the food of the,lnstitution. It is valued as tjie highest distinction when he gives one of the girls hls plate with what is left upon it. It is the custom and usage for her to eat it with delight shown in all her features. Great was the astonishment of Alexander II when a young girl, a Pole, whom the Czar bad taken to the table, as being the most distinguished scholar of tbe institute, and to whom' he had passed what was left of bis meat and potatoes, nodded to a servant and calmly gave him the Czar’s plate to take away.