, 1874-01-25
RUSSIA,
Foundation and Growth Of the Illus
coyite Empire.
Incidents in the Reigns Of Various
Sovereigns.
The Career Of Peter the Great.
Fro7,t London society.

From London society.
We trust, when tho fair Northern Princess 1ano7
m A1biou's slores in all hor youth, her be.uty,
and her happiness, that bright Sol may sneo
forth bis rsys from beneath the murlsy January
alv and smile on the Gor1ian knot 30 lately lieu
at 81. Petersburg between the Gear OF tussias
;. little maid " and tho Duke OF Edinburgh we
fec1 snre. we're tue old custom revived which |
ohliood tho bride, on her return from the core
mony, 10 null off the busllins of the bridegroom,
and to iudye from their contents whether no
would prove tyrant or lover she would not
find in them the whip, but myrrh and balm
would drop out Of the Royal boots. 4
In the dark ages OF tho fifth century.
ONE OF THE WILD HoRpEs
on the banks Of the Dnicpor aud Volkhof, hear
ing of the rich plains of the Tolga, cauo up in
large numbers, and established themselves
where the city of kiev now stands. They wero
called 6lay and gradually spread as far Us the
Baltic. Many tribes submitted to thom;
but the Novogorodians, who had been
their allies, bethought to be their
masters, and, aftor fierce engage
ments, .,ubjugatod them, and established
monarchy under Ruric. SEQ .. c. By cleTer
strataseu1, his successor. Olcg, acquired pos
session of kiev. Disgusting himself as NoTo-
yorod merchant going on commercial business
to Dyzautium, he nsked permission to pass
through tho town, and, fcigning Illness, begged
tho Princes to pay him q visit. Tho Royal
brothers agreed, aud arrived on the banks OF the
river but slightly attended. Oless followers,
who lay concealed in the boats, darted out anu
killed them, exclniming, Let kiev be mother
of Ill the Russian cities y
Elated with success. lie next cast
An ESy1ous EYE on DyzAST1uM,
the Queen of the Euxine Sea, who sat calmly at
the entrance, holding tho keys OF its commerce
in her hands. Quickly raising an army, he led
it through the peri1s, labors, and fatigres, which
none but ba1barians could have overcome, across
tho dcath-like eteppcs, where nothing IS to DO
seen but the canopy OF sky above aud the
creen grass below. Ridges Of hills lie on either
aide. here aud there interspersed with conicaly-
! shaped mounds, On which the traveller OF the
present lay secs weird statues made OF stone,
| found 400 miles from the spot where thoy are
| erected, It is eaid these deserts extend over
| spaco OF 600 GOO square miles, Having traverscd
| the wild country of Bnotia, lie ca1no ut
| last in sight OF tie city, then governed
by Leo tic Philosopher. Rumors Of tho
approach OF the invading 1o5co hao atroaoy o
reached tho inhabitants, and MI waa confusion
| and dismay In hasta Leo assembled his coun-
srlors, to deliberate What measures to take
against tho threatened danger, when the town
| was thrown into still greater CONSERVATION by
| the news that 9, 600 barks were on their way to
hcsio G it by sea- To frustrate this attempt, 4
| heavy iron chain Was SWING ACROSS the harbor,
when, to their utter amazement, they saw tho
barks
| " ADVANCING DY LAND
m vbeels affixed below the kcels, which were
| hat and in this manner navigating track to
| tho very gates. Dyzantium, nwed at this PROOF
! Of OleG's ready wit and ingenuity, submitted to
| lie conoueror, who with his victorious army
entered triumphantly, and hung his shield over over
tho entrance as trophy. treaty was soon
arranged arr between him and Leo, BY
Which the latter was bound to do
liver up various tributes connected
With the traffic of the Baltic; and, laden with
spoils Oles returned in triumph to his country,
Were whero he Vas ever after highly revoroncod. We
/ ind his SUCCESSOR. Igo, making war against the
| Drevliars. but without achieving any brilliant
victories At lis death his son, S7lastoslat,
being but q child,
Ills MOTHER, OLGA,
assumed tho reins :of power, and By trick and Il,
artitice reduced tribe after tribe. She hnally
| drew up her army before the capital OF the Ore.
| villains, and, after siege of several "coks. II
still continuing to hold out. and both parties oe
ING wearicd, she proposed to retro, on condition
th2t they should send all their pigeons to her,
in those days carrier-pigcons being much en-
| ployeJ as a means Of communication. 10 thls
thov agreed. Certainly Olga WAS not an excep.
on to the SAYING that 1he[e 4 tna;r 1ed "nt nn
nearance. they we're seized, lighted matefisoa tic:
to their tails and with tl1is appcndagc sent bacl
| to their homes, aud the whole town was speed1l.
in o state OF conhagration. Porchaneo this cruc
sho cmaraced Christianity. which for some TIM
had been creeping along with gentle strides: ant
| ,yas bautizel under the name of Helen. She ii
numbered among the Saints Of the Russla'
calendar. and died, at IN advanced age, ~ 9o9.
few roigns, during which wars and r11rnors
vars" prevailed especially against tho Poles
| Sycdee. and Tartars, who were pcrpetually in
vading the country. We will merely remar'
that ....-
was the first King who became Christian, ate
! heine q most bigoted heathen. His MARTA
fame had spread far and wide. and thlf
together with bis bad character lfor Il
| lived openly with six wiyes), excited
great rivalry among tho four religions for th
| Gouor Of his conversion. Mnhometanism be r.
iected, as it prohibited the use OF WING; tt
| Roman Catholic he refused. because It had
man tho Pope, at the head Of it; mud Judnis1
was to him out OF the question. as he saw 4
sense in oboying 3 nation under the ban {
Heaven, In tho meantime his eulsearles RI
turned from Dyzantiam with sueh u brilliant ae
count of the Greek worship as practiced in ths
rich city, that l1o was delighted, and
| EMBRACED IT 1SbrASTASEoUsLY,
broke down his idols, threw them into th
Dnieper, aud ordered the people to be baptlze
in tho river on fixed day. Millions tlockea
this compulsory baptism. In tho present da
immersion in cold water is not adopted
warn water ia substituted, and tho bal
Is blown on three times, which
supposed to blow out the devil; some Of t.. IL
hair is cut off, waxed. and thrown into the fo1'
}. | The service very much resembles the Roma
- Catholic; it is read in the Slavonian dialect.
:. great deal of Gregorian music il introduced
- It. Confession il most important doctrln
# At the gacrarncnt they hnyo five loaves: one f
j. our Savior, ono for the Virgin, and three for Il
t. Saints. The one for our Savior ls dipped
&c wine, and eaten in small pieces. a curious Pra
It ticc is observed at their burias. A piece Of P
10 1,cr is nut into tho hands of the deceased. it
3. ing prayer for the remission Of voluntary OF
TX involuntary sins.
d In the thirteenth century, Genghis Kha
Y. With his wild hordes, poured down on the cou
At try, ...........
= SPREADING pEsoLATloS AND TERROR
e. all around. The Taztars maintained the
1e footing till the fifteenth century, VIII
If Ivan |aEilwitch expelled them but still t
= Poles and swcdes remained formidable en-
I'M frtt rf patnF