St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-10-21
NOman'S Rule in Russia.

"Who is now the leading spirit of the
Cza1's Government ] asked hiel
official. IA woman, as usual" he an
swered. "Like other monarchica
countries, we have always had some
woman at the top or at the bottom Of
our Government.
During the thousand and twenty
years OF Russia's existence there have
been eighty rulers, all told. OF whom
only five were women. But if we study
Russian history, we shall find that near
ly every Russian ruler has been ruled
by woman. Among Russian SOY
crcgns there are seven canonized as
Saint several are Great" one is
*'Apostolic," one Monomachos, one
"Longarmed,' one Blessed" one
Soothsayer,' one Ozark" one Elm
poster one "Brave," one ''Proud,"
one TERRIBLE" one "Not-to be- For
gotten" one "Moneysack and one
laboratory" but among the host of
crowned heads that have ruled Russia
for the past thousand years there was
apparently but one "Wise' head. and
that woman's. The great Princess
Olga of the tenth century. the first
Christian sovereign of Russia, is known
in history as 1.-THE WISE
When the great Prince Vladimir, be-
ing yet pagan, consulted the repre-
sentatives of his people as to what
religion should he adopted, they an
swered 1.-The Greek religion, for
were it not the best, your Grandmother
Olga, the wisest of women, would not
have adopted it, and the worthy
grandchild followed the example of his
grandmother The philosophers of to-
day, however, would call her rather
the Smart or ''the Cunning"
After Olga for seven centuries no
In 1925, when Peter the Great died, his
charming and witty wife, "the Rus
sian Asphasia," was proclaimed auto
cratrix under the name of Cathe-
rine. In course Of time there were
three other Expresses, Ann, the niece
of Peter the Great and murderess of
the boy Gar, Peter IL; Elizabeth, the
daughter of Peter the Great and muir
deress of the baby Gar, Ivan VI: and
Catherine H., the wife and murderess
of Car Peter I'LL The poets sang of
Catherine II. as "the Northern Semi
ramis,' and by her great vices and bril-
liant deeds she fully deserved that APP
pellation. AS for Ann and Elizabeth.
the classical name of Messaina would
be perfectly applicable to both
Nine. Pobedonostzeff, the leading
spirit of the Russian Government of to-
day, is the wife of the Chief Procureur
OF The Holy Synod and the most conf
dental counsellor of the Gar. She is
young, beautiful and ambitious. She
married Mr.. Pobedonostzetf but a few
years ago. Her husband a very old
gentleman, is in love with her. 1t is
said of him that the knightly motto,
"God and my Lady" he changed into
"God and My Wife," and upholds it
as devoutly as knight of old. He
rises early, prays to God, adores his
wlfe, and then goes to see the Gear, or
the Ministers, or the Holy Synod, and
everywhere he tries his best to carry
out the commands of his charming god
dess. Meanwhile she herself is not idle.
She receives hosts of fair visitors of high
rank, who. while offering their homage,
seize the chance of commencing their
brothers or cousins. Some
times this or that Minister of State does
himself the honor Of paying his respects
to her. Occasionally she visits her
the Czaritza, to cheer her soul
IN her golden cage. And the Gar him
self is there always at hand. Thus it
has come about that, while the Car
keeps away from the capital Of his en- Z
Dire,t Nine. lPobedonostzeff has some
now found herself to be the center of
,he Russian political world. Instead Of
The Cars policy, or the Chancellor
n the Minister'S policy, we hearsof the. 4
Madame's policy. With the modesty
If an ascending star, she does not reveal
Ter projects, but it is very doubtful
whether any liberal reforms will find D
avor with her.7-st. Petersburg Cor. p
y. Y. San. u Az. ava aEA