High Life Romance

The official aunounceinent that a mitriage between the Duke of Edinburgh, the seoond son of Queen Victoria, and th Grand Uuchess Maria Alexandrovn, only daughtur of the Czar ot' Rusaia. shows tüat the latter has at length overeóme the repugnance of his wilí'uU daughter to the above inentioned match, aud that, iu some way or other, an end has been put to a curious and romantio !uve afluir, in which the young Russiaa princesa bore the most conspicuous part. It appears, according to what the gossips of 8t. Petersburg relate in regard to this affair, tliat about two years, ago th Emperor Alexander the Second, for reasuiia best known to hiniseli', had resolved tu inarry his only daughter to the son oí' tha Qm'en of England. The Grand Duches Maria was then a young girl of 18, not by any means beuutit'ul, but still vury attractive, owiug to her intelliganoe and great vivacity. Ha ving been an invahd lor years duiing her childhood, her" education had necessaiily been neglooted ; and, when her unión with an Engíish priuoe was deoidüd upon by her im pcrial fatber, it was found necessary to get for her a teacher to instruct her in the Anglo-Saxon tongue. A young prol'esaor in the Unircrsity f St. Petersburg, a Mr. Swayne, an Englishman oí' aristocratie desceut, was intrusted with ihis task. Twice a day Professor Swayne repaired to the Ereinilaga and gave the Prinouss a lesson. To th utter astonishnient of her parents, Maria AlexanJrovna, who had been anythiny but a docile pupil undei her other teachers, seemed to take the liveliest interest iu her Euglish lessons, and even prevailed ujion her indulgent father, the Czar, io ussign rooms at. tne .&reimtage to Jrrofessor Swayne, í'or a permanent resideuce. Several montbs rolled by ia this man ner, when, one day, the Eniperor told bis diiughter Maria tliat he would take her shortly on a trip to a Germán watering place, in order to uiake her acquainted thore with lier intended, Priuce Alfred, of Eugland. To his consternation, the saucy young lady told hiui that he mignt save kmiself that trouble, and that sha had no idea vvhatever of marrying the sou of Queun Victoria, inasmuch as she had already pledged her hand and heart lo Professor Swayue! ïho Czar of all tho Kussias was absolutely petrified upoa rtceiving this utterly unexpeoted oommuuication. He asked hÍ8 daughter ií sho was mocking him ; but she assured him that she was in dead earnest, and that nothing could swerye her from her purpose of raarryiuo; "John" - meaniugj the young English Professor. The Czar kuit his brow, and ordered bis diughter to go back to her apartrnents, and theu he sent ior hor inother, the Empresa. That gooii lady shared her husband's astouisüment and indignation, and then the Euglish Professor was sent for. With fear and trembling he appeared in tha Imperial presence, shovving plainly that he was not ígnorant of the cause that had led to the suiumons for him to appear before the Bmperor. Alexander th Seuond did not epeak unkindly to tha young Englishman, but siniply asked him to tell him ali about that love affau with. his daughter. Bluling, and his forehead bathed in a si . perspiratiou. Professor Swayne said o the Emperor that, if anybody was to blanie, it was tha. young Graud Duchess, who, one day had made, to his consternation, a very pointect declara tiou of love to him, and hd ulmost compelled him to confess to her that he was likewise attaohed to her. Ha had vainly represented to her that unión between them wns impossible ; but sho had laughed at him, and had assured him tbat sha would mauago the affair in her own way, and carry it to a successful issue. He would gladly have sovered his conneotion with her, but she had told ' hiin threateningly, that, if he left her, sho would kill herself, but him first. The Czar listened to thisextraordinary story with a clouded brovv, but then said to Professor Swayne th.it he would not blame him for what had occurred, but that he must leave Eussia within 2-i hours, and that his salary shbuld be paid to him during life. Professor Swayne promised to do so, and took the same day the Cronstadt steamer for Stockholm. The young Grand Duches upon hearing the turn affiurs had taken was inconsolable She rnved and wailod for davs in her apartmunts, and swore to her párents that she wouid not marry the Duke of Edinburgh. When she was taken shortly afterwrd by her fatlier to Germany, ehe refiüd to met her d ; and even during her recent sojourn with het mother in Italy, she heapad many a slight upon the duke. However, her repuguance to the latter has been overtoine, and iustend of becoming Mrs. Swayne, the Princess will soou be Duohoss of Edinburgh.