Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-08-24
SKOBELEFF.
A Pen-Picture of the Russian General


Paris Correspondence London Pall-Mall Gazette
1t is hard to realize that Gen Skobe-
leis's charmed life has ended in no
tel. He was-a thing hitherto unknown
in Russia popular idol. The ideas
he formed of Slav emancipation did
not fit into the political conception of
Peter the Great and Catherine III. In
Russia he was a through Muscovite,
and could and did give strong reasons
FOR being 80. But he thodght that all
the Slavs who did not innabit the Step
pes and fiat forests, and whose collect
i've life has not received the impress of
Czarism, should not now be forced into
the mold. Their historical evolution
was different from that of the Musco-
vite Slavs. What Skobeleff dreamed
of was a federation, informal, elastic,
and yet strong, resting upon brOtherly
love and affinities of race. This was
counted heretical in the imperial pa
lace. While the Crar, to prevent fatty
degeneration and to keep his mind
from being stultefied with terror, was
devoting himself to the trapeze and
music, SkObeletf was becoming the
hope Of the Slav race. His reverence
for the inn erial character was absolute.
Any penalty the Gar chose to infitct
on him he would have accepted with
out complaint; but he would not have
borne the oppression of Count Tolstoy.
In kicking against it he might have
reckoned on the sympathy of all Rus
sia.
AS Gen. Skobeleff is no more, and
has left no child behind him, [ may
speak of the delicate position in which
he found himself at the court of his
new sovereign. He thought well of
the Gar, or rather some of his moral
qualities, and when drawn into speak
ing of him and analyzing his character
said he was honest and well intentioned.
The General did his best not to think
about the intellect, or rather want of
intellect, OF his sovereign. He strug-
gled hard TO forget his ingrained Ger
manism, which did not come out when
he waa young, but is asserting itself
now. SkObeletf was very trans parent.
One could see the conflict in his mind
between fixed purpose to venerate and
impression that did not stimulate the
organ of veneratiOn. Toe occasion on
which he spoke to me most freely
about the Gar and Czarina was when
be was last here. Then he drifted into
talking about them in curious way.
A confidential letter which he had writ
ten to me on divers subjects on which
[ had desired information had not been
received. The General, when he next
saw me, after writing it, made allusions
which | did not understand to its con-
tents. He then, perceiving there was
maaLerl te1ldat, asked me if [ had had
the letter. When | told him that | had
not he got excited, said that he was
watched by spies, and half the letters
he should himself have received mis-
carried. By whom, he wondered,
could the spies be engaged, since his
friends were in power in Russia, and
by what mechanism could they frus-
trate the postoffice heres | asked him
whether he had himself posted or seen
posted the letter thai | should have
had. No; he gave it to- the concierge
with strict instructions to take it the
district postoffice imm ediately, and saw
the man leave the house with it. 1t
did not occur to him that lynx-eyed
individual had taken up a position in
the lodge. This man came out when
ever a visitor asked for the General, to
scrutinize him. But by whom could he
be engaged, Skobeleff asked himself.
The Russian police, which was hell
ish institution, had branch in Paris.
However, as the Palavists were upper
most at st. Petersburg, it was improb-
able that orders had been thence trans
mitted for the General to be dogged.
"Are you sure," l asked, "that your
allies are not afraid you may one day
become their enemy, and are acting