The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1872-07-25
WORLD.
THE RUSSIAN BROTHERS.

century, there lived in a small village of
the Ukraine two poor orphan children
who subsisted entirely ON public char
ity. Their whole property consisted OF
tambourine, which served to accom-
paRy their singing on holidays in the
neighboring town of Kharkow. They
were both handsome boys, but dissimil-
ar in their appearance. Ivan, the elder,
wore his miserable rags with a certain
air of dignity, and arranged his bcauti-
full hair in long and graceful curls The
second, Plato, was simple, rustic child,
who enjoyed the noisy games of his
village comrades as much as Ivan did
an hour of proudly pensive solitude,
Both possessed rich and powerful voices
whose sound gained them scanty sub
sistence
One night, as they lay down together
on their straw bed in the corner of u
farmers stable, Ivan said suddenly,
Brother, people say that st. Peters
burgh is very large !"
Brother" replied Plato, gravely,
don't people also say that Paradise is
very fine?'
II will go to St. Petersburgh and see
all the grandeur and glory of the court, F"
murmured Ivan. May St Nicholas
assist mep'
Next morning, when Plato awoke, he
found his brothers. place empty. Great
y alarmed, he followed his track on the
new-fallen snow for several miles until,
fatigued and dispirited, he returned to
kharkow weeping and alone.
Ivan meanwhile pushed on bravely,
singing as he went, and regardless Of
fatigue and privation, At the end Of
six weeks he deserted the white build
ings Of the capital Hungry and faint
without u single kopcck in his pocket,
he entered It's stately streets, and Dur
ing the ensuing five years no one has
traced record Of the vicissitudes which
marked his lot At the end Of that pc
riod we find him handsome youth Of
one-and-twcnty, singing rs choristcr III
the chapel of the Empress Elizabeth.
BY degrees he rose to be the prime ia
vorite of the Empress ofall the Russians.
He was Installed in the palace as Grand
Chamberlain, and it was asccrtained
that he belonged TO the ancient house
of Rasoumowski, in Podolia.
TWO years passed on. Ivan incrcas-
cd in favor, until he enjoyed at st Pc
tersburgh an almost unlimited power.
He seemed to have completely forgotten
his brother, who remained at kharkow,
as poor and ragged as ever. Plato,
however, often thought of him, and
longcd to ascertain the fate Of his dear
Ivan. The fame Of the rising fayorite
at lengtnpcnetratediuto the far Ukraine
The name Of Prince Ivan Rasoumowski
struck the ear of the poor village sing.
CIR, and the seemingly wild idea occurr-
cd that this Ivan might possibly hc his
own lost brother.
3" | will so and see him." he exclaimed
Beware, my son." said an old man
to whom lie had confdel his intentions.
Even If this prince should prove to be
thy brother, thou art. only going in
search Of captivity and death. Royal
favoritcs have no relations"
Plato, however, set out on his Journey
and arrived at st. Petcrsburgh as hun
cry and poor as his brother had done.
He FASTENED to the palace and tried to
enter, proclaiming to the guards that
he was the princes brother. They very
naturally thought him mad, and thrust
him, with very scant ceremony, into the
street During three days he continu-
cd to hover around the palace, but with
out being able to intimate his presence
to his brother.
Faint and foodIcss, on the third crc-
ming, he felt ready to sink from exhaus-
ton. The night was calm and lovely.
Russia seemed trying to emulate the
sky of Italy, and soft odors gushcd from
the open windows Of the palace. Pres
emily some one stepped out on the bal
cony, and the poor wanderer, making
one last effort, took his tambourine and
sang, in plaintive tone, one of the airs
which he and his brother were wont TO
sing long ago through the streets of
Kharkow.
An exclamation came from the balco-
ny, the window was quickly shut, and
Plato, murmurinr the words. "My|