The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-06-30
OF
Rules forthe Past ore Thousand Tears-A;
Interesting heVteUco

Rules forithe Past ore IhowsGna Years-An
Interesting heUteCco
Frances A. Shaw has written a brief
history of Russia, which has been pub
lished with two excellent maps by J. R.
Osgood & Co. The history gives a sue
cinct account OF the successive rulers
FROM the time when Rurik, the noted
Varangian chief, was called to Novgorod
to suppress internal dissension and pro-
tect the place from foreign invasion.
He acted his part we'll, and Novgorod
found that, like the horse in the fable,
who asked the helpofa man, it had taken
a master upon its back when it begged
for an ally. Rurik laid the foundation
of the empire, and after fifteen years OF
fighting and ruling with a strong hand,
left his infant son, Igor, to succeed him
in 879, with Oleg for regent, and the re-
gent seems to have been faithful TO his
young master. This Igor married a
beautiful peasant girl without disclosing
his rank, afterwards made her his queen,
and at his death she became regent.
She renounced paganism and was baptized
at Constantinople, the Greek emperor
and empress acting as her sponsors, and
the imposing solemnity was followed by
a grand entertainment, the table at
which Olga and her sponsors sat being OF
solid gold. But she made very little
Roadway in introducing Christianity into
Russia.
Fourteen sovereigns followed, and at
varying intervals till the throne became
vacant in 1912, when Michael Romanof,
a youth of sixteen. wal chosen czay,
His family had long been famous for its
public services and patriotism, and he
wa said to have been q descendant of
Rurik IN the female side. He was the
founder of the present reigning family,
and during his fortunate reign of thirty
two years the country began to emerge
into a condition of comparative order
and civilization. His son Alexis reigned
thirty-one years, and did more than any
9SfeAAfnBpredecessors to make Russia a
European instead of an a+ssatic nation.
His son Feodore died after a brief reign
of six years, and was succeeded by Peter,
who achieved the title of "the Great"
And in many respects he was n of the
most remarkable rulers of his age, and
under his energetic administration Rus
STA made a long stride toward internal
unity and civilization. His reign COW
cred the peEESd between 1859 and 1926,
and was followed by his queen, Catha-
rine, i Kept tthee tthrene t#e yea=s,
dying suddenly from the effects of dissi-
patton In her thirty-ninth year. Her
career was remarkable. In one of Peters
campaigns against Charles XII. a 1.-Two
nian peasant girl, seventeen years old,
came to one of his generals with tears in
her eyes for the loss of her husband in a
melee, to whom she was married only
the day before. She was graceful
in person, pleasing in manner, with re-
markable sense and sweetness of temper,
and a prisoner. Peter made her his mis-
tress and then married her, and e at.
ter acknowledged her al his wife. She
Joined the Greek church, and changed
her name from Marpha to Catharine.
Her devotion to him was boundless, and
The alone could soothe the mad frenzies
If passion to which he was subject.
She went with him everywhere, advised
him, protected him, encouraged him, and
liter the terrible defeat in the battle of
oruth, when he vas in despair, she saved
lin and his army and his empire by her
and heroism. But after his death
he was treated with contempt by the
Iobility, and deserted by friends. She
ost the virtues that had ennobled her,
nd sank into dissipation. She was pres
ntly followed by Peter IT., with whom
he male line of the Romanof family be-
anne extinct. Anna, daughter of a half
of Peter the Great, reigned from
730 to 1740 with conspicuous ability.
he wa followed by Elizabeth, the
aughter of Peter the Great and Cath
-ine, a narrow-minded sNperstitious
oman, who ruled twenty years. She
as followed by Peter H., whose head
as unfortunately crammed with Ger
IAN notions, and whose face was still
lore unfortunately pitted with small
Ok. he got tired of his queen at.
4 the manner Of English Henry the
ighth; but in this case the aversion was
lutual, and she, being the ADLER and !,
ore INSCRIPTIONS of the two. antiei-
lted his intended divorce by getting !,
m deposed and finally taken of By poi- J
n. Once fairly on the throne, abe !
led it, and for thirty-tWo years showed !
9 coarse, strOng-minIed, ambitious, !
nscrupulous woman could do. She earned {
Om Voltaire the title Of the Semiramis {
the North, 2 and others, with mere JUS Q
perhaps, have called her " the Louis
~. Of Russia She certainly raised t
g Russian court to high degree of s
lendOr, extended the hanrdar;a cf 4ho 4
lpire, increased its influence in Europe b
d marked her career with O series Of Q
axcnsable crimes. y
catharine followed by her son ;