The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-07-11
THE RUSSIAN BROTHERS.


village of the Ukraine two poor or.
phan children, who subsisted entirely
on public charity. Their whole prop
erty consisted of tambourine, which
| served TO accompany their singing on
holidays in the neighborhood town OF
Kharkow. They were both hand
some boys, but dissimilar in their APP
pearance. Ivan, the elder, wore his
miserable rags with certain air of
dignity, and arranged his beautiful
hair in long and graceful curls. The
second, Plato, was simple rustic
child, who enjoyed tho 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 subsistence.
One night, as they lay down to,
gether on their straw bed in the COR
ner of farmers stable, Ivan said,
suddenly, Brother, people say that
ST. Petersburg is very large"
"Brother," replied Phto, gravely,
"don't people also say that Paradise
IS very large.
Il will go to St. Petersburg, and
see all the grandeur and glory of the
court" murmered Ivan. May 81.
Nicholas assist me-"
Next morning, when Plato awoke,
he found his brothers place empty.
Greatly alarmed, he followed his
track en- the new fallen snow for
several miles uctil. fai;gued and dis
piri,ed. he returned TO haarkow,
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 bull
dings of the capital Hungry and
faint, without single kopeck in his
pocket, he entered cts stately streets.
and during the ensuing five years no
one has traced record of the vicissi.
tudes which marked his lot At the
end of that period we fird him a
handsome youth of one-and.,wenty,
singing chorister in the chapel of
the Empress Elizabeth. BY degrees
he rose to be the prime favoriie of the
Empress of all the Russias. He was
Installed in the palace as Grand Cham.
beFlain, and il was ascertained that he
belonged TO the ancient house of Ra-
soumowski, in Podolia.
Two years passed on. Ivan in.
creased IN favor. until he enjoyed at
St. Petershurgh an almost unlimited
power. He seemed To have complete
ly forgotten his brother, who remain
ell al Kharkow. as poor and ragged as
ever. Plato, however. often thought
of him, and longed 10 ascertain the
fate of his dear Ivan. The fame of
the rising iayori,e at length penetrat-
ed into the far Ukraine. The name
of Prince Ivan Rosonmowski struck
the ear Of the poor village singer,
and the seemingly wild idea occurred
that this Ivan might possibly be his
own lost brother.
Il will go and see him." he exelaim-
ed
Beware, my son." said an old man
to whom he had cnnfded his intcn-
tions. Even if this prince should
prove to be thy brother, thou art only
going in search of captivity and death.
Royal fayorites have no relations"
Plato, however, set out on bis jour
ney, and arrived at st. Petersburg as
hungry and poor as his brother bad
done. He FASTENED 10 the palace,
and tried to enter, proclaimiDg to
the guards that he was the princes
brother. Theyvery naturally thought
him mad. and thrust him, with very
scant ceremony, into the street. DIR
ing three days he continued 10 hover
around the palace, but without being
able TO intimate his presence TO bis
brother.
Faint and foodless, on the third
evening, he felt ready TO sink from ex-
haustion. The night was calm and
lovely. Russia seemed trying to en-
uIate the sky of Italy, and soft odor
gusbed from the open windows of the
palace. Presently some one stepped
out on the balcony, and the poor wan
derer, making one last effort, took bis
tambourne 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 bal
cony; the window was quickly shut,
and Plato, murmering the words, "My
brother, the beloved Iyan!" sank on
the ground.
-Four men came ont of the palace,
seized the unhappy Plato. and, despite
bis feeble resistance, carried him off
and placed him in a close travelling
I chariot. ess' 'is'A3. q =.
-Four swift Livonian horses soon
left St. Petersburg far behind them;
and Plato thoroughly overcome by
hunger, fatigue and sorrow, sank down
in state of insensibility. When he
recovered his consciousness, he found
himself in small, low room, lighted
only from the roof by a window of a
foot square.
I "Ah, brotherl" he exclaimed, Sim
prisonment is easier TO bear than thy
forgetfulness.'
"'Will your excellency choose to
take some refreshment?" said an OBJ
seqnious voice beside him.
Plato started with astonishment at
the speaker, who wore splendid nni-
form, and whose name, as he after
wards learned, was Colonel Spranus-
kof.
Perhaps continued the latter,
"your excellency would wish to put
on a more suitable costume: This
costume--v 3 skIk ss
The Colonel was interrupted by
Plato, who, casting proud glance
over bis own rags, exclaimed. bis face
crimson with Indignation "V Vassal, go