The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-04-26

LIS OiNCSb DTOincT. the tTFdnu luke AOQ-
stanfine, was his natural successor to the
throne of Russia; but, by deed till then
ilkept secrets CoRstaptiue. lin Alexander's
lifetime, had renowned the crown in
favor of his younger brother, Nicholas
The accession of the latter, therefore,
excited general surprise; an unsettled
feeling niafifested itself among the peo-
| pie and the army. The time appeared
favorable for the breaking out of con
splracy which had been forming for
years. An Instruction took place at
st. Petersburg on Christmas. Day, 1926;
but the movement of the conspirators
was too hasty, aud their attempt, not
well seconded by the troops, failed
through the energyof the Gar. A hun
dred and thirty-six leaders of the insur-
rectiop were seized, tried and condemned,
and almost all of them were sentenced
to perpetual labor or to exile in Siberia.
The five principal chiefs were con
demned to be broken on the wheel, but
did not undergo that horrible punish
ment, the gibbet being substituted by
.ukase of thesEmperor. Among these
five chiefs the first and most remarkable
was Paul Postal, colonel of the infantry
regiment of Wiatka, The long and
arduous task to which, he had devoted
himself had not wholly engrossed the
mind of this brave and persevering con-
spirator Alive to the charms of the
arts, he cultivated them with success,
and, in particular, was an excellent mu-
Stefan. e1'heAyoung4 and beautiful Cath
crime W had conceived devoted
attachment to Postal. Gifted with an
| exquisite voice, She loved to sing his
melodies. The passion with which she
inspired him was us fervent as her own,
and if ever the deep eonspirator could
forget his gloomy reyeries, it was when
seated by GATHERINGS side, and dream
ing of love and happiness.
On the eve of the day when the insur-
rection was to break out, Postal, more
preoccupied than usual, scarcely an
swered Catherine, and at times seemed
not to hear her.
sWhat ais you to-day, Paul?n she
said, taking his hand ''You do not
look at me-you do not speak to me- l
never saw you SO cold, SO absent, when
you were with me.'i
Paul looked at her sadly.
"What would you do, Catherine, were
you never TO see me again?''
81 should die!'t cried Catherine,
with enthusiasm; and then added, in
voice ofterror-s' But why this question,
PaSl? Can You think of forsaking me?''
Postal was silent.
~. But it can not be- said Catherine.
8. You have sworn to love me till death. "
''Yesi While this heart beats it is
yours, Catherine, butt he added, en-
bracing her with melancholy tenderness,
"'promise me, if die, that you will live
for the sake OF your old father, and
that, even when dead, shall never
cease to occupy your. thoughts
81 promise to live as long as my grief
will allow. But of rs two, Paul, it is
not who shall have this cruel trial to
undergo H
There are presentiments that do not
deceive" said Postal, declining his head
on his breast; can inward voice warns
me that / must abandon my two hap
piest yisions-the bliss of living in the
enjoyment of your love, Catharine, and
the glory of assuring the welfare of my
cOuntrymen. --se..- .- BE-
what do you mean?'' cried the
young girl, whose fear and agitation in
creased every minute; "what mean
these mysterious words, these gloomy
predictions? Paul, you are eoncealing
"Yes, Catherine"
! = "a secret from me, cwho never had
one from you!''
"You have had all mine--but this one
does not belong to me-
T" And, if l may Judge from your
looks, your words, your thoughts of
death, and parting, it must be something
very terribler'
III Terrible, indeed!"
After-amoments silence, Postal con-
tinued-
" Hear me, Catherine, when shall
give you, this evening, my farewell kiss,
it may, perhaps, be the last you will re-
ceive from me. Bat whatever may be
my lot, whenever you are told paul is
dead, come, and you shall find a re-
membrance of me! for, l swear to you,
nv last thought shall be of you"
yPesta1's pfesentiinent did not deceive
him. He saw Catherine no more. The
day after the execution of his sentence
young girl, drowned in tears, obtain
ed from the keeper of the prison the IA
vor of being admitted into Pestal's cell.
After long search she discovered some
4 lines of music penciled on the wall.
Above them were only the two words,
"For her!n Underneath was Paul's
name. 15gatI9 It- #t
] Two years afterwards there died, IN
lunatic asylum, a poor maniac, whose
madness consisted in singing, every day
and at the same hour, the same little
I melody. The mad woman was Cathar-
ine-the hour that at which she was adj
nitted to her lovers dungeon-and the
air was the last melody of Pestal.-En-
gliShman'si M0gazi1le.
4 Bill Arp. tic Southern HImOrist.
i. A humorist of some note, known to
the public as Bill Arp--a sort of South
4 ern Josh Billings recently met his