Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-06-29

to a focus within a week, he stakeC
them all upon a blow.
This blow was given at midnight
in the house of bis brother, and aimed
at his brothers life.
While Nearchus was sleeping, after
the cares of useful day, Kartar
stole into his chamber and buried 6
knife in his bosom.
The victim woke no more. The
fratricide stole from the apartment
and returned home. He had been un
seen save by the two children, Niche
and Phiera. Through their room be
had passed in his hurried exit from
the scene of blood.
"That was uncle" said the girl
trembling. "Did you know he wa:
here, Michel ?"
NO. When did he come? Cal
mother. MotherP
Paula answered the call, and, learn
ing the cause, FASTENED in surprise to
her husbands couch. There she fell
and tainted on the blood-stained body
1t was instinct with life and love nc
longer.
The sun had not shone two hours
on the morning spires and domes of
holy Moscow ere Kartan Salakoff had
filled the roads before the house OF
his murdered brother with an infuri
ated mob of the lowest, most fanatic.
al order.
Revenge p he shouted. "My broth.
er's murderess must expatiate her
crime at once. Enter my friends
you who so loved Nearchus, and visit
vengeance on the head of the afro.
cious Paula p
The ignorant and british populace
did not slowly execute his request.
They rushed into the mansion with
hideous yells. With merciless force
they seized the feeble wife, who, with
her weeping children by her side, was
bowing in agony over her husband s
corpse. Wrenching her from their
embrace, they hurried her down to the
road.
"Instant death to the accursed Cir
cassian !" was the universal cry
Dragging the helpless woman to the
river, they cast her in.
"Oh, save my mother!'' screamed
Michel and Phiera, with imploring
hands, as she rose to the surface.
death to my brothers assassin p
shouted Kartan, hurling a rock at the
drowning Paula.
1t dashed with a fearful sound
against her fair head. The waves
closed over it for ever.
A wild roar of vengefQl exultation
burst from the fierce wretchcs, and
they strolled away with boasting from
the waters side.
Il am fully revenged now" mutter-
ed kartan. "All is mine. But what
shall be done with Michel and Phi
era ?"
The orphans saved him the trouble
OF guiding their young destinies for
veal or woe. They had fed. Search
was made for them. but they were not
to be found.
Let US now revert again to the
year of the plague, Of which we have
before spoken.
That year Of popular excesses, med
ical ignorance, and rapid depopula-
tion, was the period in which, to the
astonishment of the Russian rabble,
and to the distrust of the officers of
the empire, appeared Olinska, the en-
chantress.
In the presence of the plague, all
Moscow had become pale. Many
hundreds died helpless every day in
that city and throughout the neigh
boring provinces.
The physicians, powerless to arrest
the speedy destruction of life, became
the objects of popular fury. Many
of them were sacrificed by the howl
ing, despairing mobs who roamed the
city.
Scores of people lay dead where
they had fallen in the agonies of the
pestilence, the survivors fearing to
approach them, even in the street.
Moscow mourned the loss of her
most useful citizens. The measures
devised for the crisis by the solicit.
Gus genius of Catherine, who truly de.
plored the affection of her subjects
and which were commanded to be OBJ.
served as precautions by her minister
Gregory Orlof, were utterly disre.
garded by the masses.
They preferred to rely upon pray
ers to saints and images. The conse.
queIce was that the putrefed bodies
of the dead lay in heaps.
One day-a day of unusual mortal
lty and horror-when conflict had
occurred between the populace and a
small body of the troops of the en-
press, sent to prevent violence toward
the physicians and the plunder of
dwellings, loud cries were heard in
the streets Of
"Olinska Olinska! the great en-.
chantress has come for our deliver
ance! Great is Catherine, but great
er is Olinskar'
A general rush was made by the
multitude toward temple, where an
immense crowd had already assemb
led. They were kneeling before an
inscription in gold, placed upon a col
umn. 1t read in Arabic as follows:
40 great Mohammed! ! have pity
for once upon these dogs of Chris
tians for the sake of our deliverance
from captivity, and free them from
the pestilence!' p Aae
The authorities and the people had
been SO far imposed upon by Turk
ish captive as to believe it in his pow
er to work miracle by this means.
Neglecting all other duties, they were
now bowling in blind superstition be
fore the strange inscription they were
unable to deciuher. althouph mean