The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-12
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
A Strange and Interesting Leaf from Musco-
wife History. ..

den death, however, left the growing
MtBcOvlte Empire in a very unsatis-
factory condition. Military pretend
ers' made no secret of their intention
to s1eze the scepter of Ivan and ex-
clude the distant relatives of the de-
ceased ruler, who laid claim to his
possessions. There was no direct heirs;
but Ivan had had a brother, named
Demetrius, a hayward, eccentric young
man, who had left Moscow many years
before, and who was believed to have
fallen in battle with the Khirgese
on the Siberian frontier.
1t was about this time, when the peo-
pie of Moscow were looking forward to
the developments of the immediate fu-
ture with anxiety and terror. that the
following startling conversation took
place in an obscure-looking dwelling
in the Jewish quarter of Moscow, be-
tween an old Jewish woman and a
young man, who bore a strong
resemblance to her. She was kneeling
before him, holding both his hands in
her own, and speaking to him in a
voice choked with sobs.
ssLamech, she said, 'syou must not
think any worse Of your mother be-
cause she made this terrible revelation
to you. You are not the son of Abra-
ham Samosine; nobler blood is flow
ing in your veins; you are the son of
the woman who is now kneeling before
you, and of the great Ivan, of Moscow
Ask me not how he won my favor
how he made me faithless to my mar
ital vows. But a woman of stouter
heart than poor me would have been
able to withstand the glowing protes-
tations of his love. There never was
a nobler looking man than he. He
would wander of nights about the
streets of Moscow in disguise. One
evening, returning home from the
synagogue, I, your mother, was insult
ed by some drunken yagabonds, when
he came to my assistance and drove
them away from me. Alas My
the first, and thenceforth he never
lost an opportunity to meet me. When
you were born he often held you with
delight in his arms. He has given me
many precious jewels to keep for you,
when you should be grown up; he said
he would lift you far above your
station in life; but he died sud-
denly
Mother cried the young man, II
have always felt in my heart nobler
aspirations than those of the young
men of our faith. Trade and barter,
their delight. are repugnant to me;
but, when hear martial music, the
blood courses quicker through my
veins"
s'And yet you hesitate to comply
with my wishes - she said, almost
scornfully. "Lamech, my son, you are
the beloved son of the great Ivan
seize, then his heritage! What
chance you have ! Demetrius is dead
his own father has often told me so,
although he has no certain knowledge
of the fact. No one knows you here
in Moscow. Since you have been
abroad your appearance has undergone
a wonderful change. No one will sus-
pect that any Jewish blood is in your
veins. When | saw you on horseback
this morning, was filled with adni-
ration. There is a born prince, I said
to myself. In this casket, Lamech,
there are jewels enough to defray all
C-ApCAOC0s ACdtfC NNOoCo" CIl1o FC1y
night, and hire Il retinue of followers.
There are enough Of them to be had
east of here. Equip them well-pro-
claim at Perm, which has always been
loyal to the cause of the great Ivan,
that you are his son Demetrius, and
you will be hailed with the greatest
enthusiasm. Then come back to Mos
COW. Spend your money layishly, and
the monks here will receive you with
open arms!'
Long, long did the ambitious moth
er plead with her hesitating son in \
similar strain.
At last he yielded to her. She spoke
to him far into the night, and it was
almost daybreak when he babe fare
we'll once more to the old city of Mos.
COW.
A month later intense excitement
was created in Perm by the announce
ment that the long lost Demetrius, the
second son, and now the heir of the
great Ivan, had reappeared, and that
he was approaching at the head of a
large retinue of followers, in order to
seize the reins of government, and to
receive the homage of his loyal city of
Perm.
The multitude Immediately declared
it's readiness to acknowledge him as
the Gar, and when few wealthy
merchants said that they wished to see
first proofs of Demetrius' legitimacy,
they were mobbed, and all further op-
position to the new ruler was crushed
out.
Demetrius made his triumphant
entry into the place in the afternoon,
and hescreated the most favorable inn