National Republican., 1877-10-04


onythinq ncrsy and dpproprinte-to Ms depart |
menf. Please address all ssoh Communications
10 hs Republican Office care Edifress Of Ne Cor
ner.
oCroBER.
There sound. russilus In the standing corn:
Thcre hangs brightcheckcd apple on the boush;
And later fingers now tho tardy morn,
And evening shadows gather sooner now.
One crimson branch flames mid tho maple wood;
One red leaf hides amid the woodbines, sroep;
And clearraked fields lie bare. where lately stood
The tawny grain amid the summer scene.
Blue gentinns show mid meadow grasses scrc,
And nom tho stubble shrill the criokets sing
reT,tescui DER tho falling year,
All sounds seem sadly chornsing.
THE MOTHER OF PETER TIE GREAT.
Her name was Natalie Narischkin, and
though Of humble origin she was lovely an
gifted woman. Her husband, Alexander. wis
q prince Of unusual intelligence for that day
and generation. He energetically encouraged
agriculture, established silk and linen manu-
factories, reorganized, the army, compiled
law code, which Is In use to this day, and did
all In his power to ifnpoyo the social aud
moral status Of his people. AT length he
| became
| and resolved to marry a second time to please
himself To this end he Travelled about the
country IN various DISCUSSES. seek ing always to
penetrate into the inner circle Of such homes
| as were blessed with daughters Sometimes
he went about dressed as nm apothecary, in
search Of healing plants, and anon as q pcddler
or travelling professor. In this way he became
more thoroughly acquainted with his domin-
ions and its inhabitants, and with their de-
sircs, duties and trials, than would have been
possible otherwise, and thereby, too, hangs
| this romance.
| One day, as he was strolling through tho
suburbs Of Moscow, he met one Matwcrf, with
whom he had often conversed concerning the
| ignorance of the Russian pcasantry, and the
best way Of rcmedyinR II. So Mntwcrf invited
tho Gar homo to sup with him. and intro.
duced him as merchant from Kasan. The
busy. bustling housewife received her guest
with true Russian hospitality, but the Car
scarcely saw her short, dumpy figure, 30 filled
with curiosity WAS he to know who was the
tall, slender girl behind her but It was only
NATALIE,
o charity orphan, whom the Matwerfs had
sheltered through pity. aud who had become
the light Of the little home.
She was dressed In the simple costume Of
the oldcn time. Her soft hair wns crowned by
n black velvet cap, and around her neck hung
| n triple row Of pearls, from which depended an
image of the holy St. Nicholas; II short over
skirt, n gay-colored undcrskirt, blue stockings
| and low shoes.
Supper WAS served by the ladies' and
though the kind hostess urged the supposed
merchant to do honor TO her honey cakes and
mead, he ate hut little. 80 absorbed was he in
listening to the praises Madame Mstwerf Law
isheh on her adopted child.
"She reads and writes well enough to be
the first secretary TO the Car (thc holy st.
Nicholas protect him y and yet no girl. far or
near eau spin better or faster than she From
carly to late she helps me, and then in the
evening she reads to Matwcri. because the
lamp-light pains his eyes. She is, indeed the
1 blessing of nur uld ngcn
The Cars eyes rested with pleasure on the
blushing face OF the lovely girl. aud with re-
luctilnce he took his leave, only to repeat the
| visit soon and often.
Finally he declared his love, and won her
promise 10 become his wife. Then an Impc.
rial proclamation was issued ordering all the
fair young maidens in the Empire to assemble
in the Krcnin on certain da", that, accord
ing to an ancient custom, the CZ!lr might
CHOOSE A WIPE
from among the daughters of the land.
Natalie prepared unwillinRly TO obey the
imperial summons, for her heart thr,tbbed
painfully at the possibility OF heins the
chosen one, in which case she must per force
prove unfaithrul to her plighted lover Trcm
blingly she followed Matwcrf into tho salon
where several hundred other girls awaited
the coming of the Gar. The noise of the
multitude, the strange position and the unac
customcd splendor confused her so much that
she could not lift her eyes from the floor
Then came the clang Of trumpets, announc.
ing the Cars approach. The great door
swung open, and Alexis, in the cold-embroid
cred dress of state, diadem on his head and O
ieweled scimetar by his side, entered the
/. salon.
Chatting and laughing gaily, he passed from
group to group of blooming girls, many o
whom would have given half theirl lives to be
4 come the chosen one. At last he reached
n1t fpf inNtl han
! met the Car, whom she recognized with hor.
ror as the merchant from kas1n! Her heart
, seemed turned to stone in that instant and
she fell unconscious at his feet. But when
Z she opened her eyes again 1t was to find horsel
\ in the arms of Alexis, and to hear her namt
! called as that of his beloved bride.
Crowds of servants now brought fruits frou
4 Damascus, figs and comfturcs from Turkey
corlials from Italy, and rich gifts to distribute
! among the disappointed girls, hut TO Natalie
Narishkin was given the wedding robe.
}, The Emperor Of all the RuSSias never re
: eretted having taken to his heart the unknown
!, orphan girl. Her tender devotion and brgh
!: intelligence soothed and Chcered the hours h
a spent away frum the affairs of state; she sym
pathizcd with and aided him in all his effort
y to elevate the tone of his people and Ia ever,
4 way she strove to implsnt In the hearts Of tn
!; women Of his realm the same virtuO aud wis
;, dom which characterized her own.
, | The new minister had come to tea, aud litt
four-ysar. Old Tot was taken behind the doc
Is and duly udmonished to be on her hest be
: havior. She folded her tiny hands AM
|, closed her eyes all through the blessing,
- and sat Us silent as a perfect seraph for ful
ten minutes afterwards, when, imagining her
o self neglected, but remembering the adm0ni
Il tion. she again folded her hands and closed he
eyes, saying, "Oh God. pass the butter" b.
4 ing ignominiously banished, her subsequen
conduct reminded one of the cheruhim n
luded to in Revelations, who continually d
= cry"
An hone5.. Teuton lost his wife, aud With
seven days married again During the fin
- week of the honeymoon his new spouse askc
him to take her out riding, when he wake
exceeding wroth that she should have no inor
respect than that for his deceased wife. an
Ia calculated. "Donder un blixen you dmk
y ride out init anoder woman 80 soon after tn
d death of mine trOuY'
- HOUSEHOLD HINTS.
Utilize the rose leaves A perfect treasur
of odor may he prepared with the leaves tina
arc about to fall from full-hlown roses by pack
- ing tasu In jar sprnklns very little sal
between each lsyer, with Just q dust of nut
L., i,,lt Ia, iarr rnx