The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-04-25

tom, became alarmed and fired the
city one night. When Ivan awoke
he was terrified, being of an ab-
normally nervous temperament,
and the apparition of u warming
monk, together with the influence
of Anastatia, the young Czarina,
led the Gear to abandon the simple
and straightforward methods of
government in which he had been
bred, and for thirteen years, under
the dictation Of Alexis Adascheff
and the monk Sylvester, Ivan de-
voted himself to the commonplace
employmcnts of developing Russia
politically and socially. He dis
missed his ministers md put others
in their places: He re-organizcd
the army; revised the code in the
interest of abstract justice; equal
lied assessments; subdued the
Tartars; established forts for the
protection of the frontiers; laid the
foundation for tho future greatness
of his empire; began the work
which was completed so grandly
under Potter the Grent; introduced
printing into Russia; added greatly
to her possessions; checked the
abuses of her clergy; brought ar
lists from Western Europe, and in
q hundred ways made himself
famous by doing those things which
Nfcfn1.I0 1oro ~
Meanwhile, his genius for 60
verning upon the Gluiskan system
lay dormant. It was not dead, but
slept, and after it's nap of thirteen
years, it awokc one day refreshed.
Anastatia, the beautiful qncen,
whose influence had been supreme
for SO long time, died, and Ivau
was free again He recalled nm old
bishop who had been banished for
his crimes, and consulted him rs to
his future course.
''If you wish to be truly Il sovc-
reign" said this eminent prclatc,
"never seek q counsellor wiser
than yourself: never receive advice
from my man. Command, but
never obey; and you will be q
terror to the boyards. Remember
that he who is permitted to begin
by advising is certain to end by
ruling his sovereign"
Here was advice of u sort suited
to Ivan's taste and education, and
for reply he kissed the good bishops
hand, saying:
''My own father could not have
spoken more wisely"
That the Gar spoke sincerely,
his faithfulness in following the
bishops precepts abundantly Mt
TESTS.
His ministers and advisers being
manifestly wiser than he, and
therefore not at all the proper kind
of people to have about, he straight
way banished them. He then Began
n diligent search for their partisans,
some of whom he put to death,
condemning others to imprison-
ment and torture. He next turned
his attention to his own household,
which he resolved upon ruling alb
solutely, at least, if not we'll. One
of the princes made himself disa-
greeable by declining to participate
freely i'll the pleasures of the place,
and for the sake of domestic harmo-
ny, Ivan had him poniarded while
he was Mt his prayers. Another so
far overstepped the bounds of cour-
tesy and propriety as to demonstrate
with one of the new favorites upon
his improper conduct, and Ivan, in
order that there might be no bick-
ering and hard feeling in his
family, slew the discourteous prince
with his own hand.
He was in the habit of carrying oil
iron rod about with him, and he had
a playful way of striking his friends
with it now and. then, merely for
his amusement. His pleasnntries
of this md other like sorts were
endless. One day Prince Boris, a
boyard, came to pay his respects to
the Gar, and as he bowed to the
ground, according to custom, Ivan,
seizing Q knife, said, ,"God bless
thee, my dear Boris; thou de-
servest proof of my favor" and
with that kindly cut the nobleman' s
ear off. '.'