Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-12-15
THH GEAR AND FAMILY.
morals of the Gear can be traced, not to
| Petersburg, but to one or the other OF these


Petersburg, but to one or the other OF these
places.
The Director General of Police, dresser
who is the de facto Gear Of Russia to-day,
so far as the tyranny exercised is concerned
is responsible for the safety of his SOW
ereign. and is allowed to use such means as
he chooses. He complains bitterly some
times that Alexander himself destroys the
barriers he has erected. and places himself
in positions of danger where even the ON
nipotent police are powerless to shield his
life if an attempt were made upon it.
For example. stung by the taunts of his
cowardice. when he made visit to Mos
cow, the hotbed of nihilsm, the Car in
sisted upon walking alone through
IA crowd of twenty or thirty thousand peo-
pie without the slifhtest protection but
his own sword. The walls of the
city had two nights before been mysteri-
ously decorated with posters announcing
that the end of Alexanders reign had come;
that he had been tried and found wanting;
and that the Committee had decreed his
death for refusing to give the people a con-
stitutional government. Many arrests had
been made by the police. who. with all their
numbers and acumen, had not been able to
detect the mysterious bill-posters. and there
was great excitement throughout the entire
city.
When the morning of the day on which
the Cars death was to occur arrived he
announced his intention of hearing mass at
the Church of the Annunciation within the
walls of the Kremlin and a quarter of a mile
or SO from the palace. The Czarina and the
other members of his family impiored him
to take no such risk; they begged him to
have mass sung in the chapel of the palace
instead. But he was Geif to all entreaties,
and even ordered that the palace guard
should be withdrawn. He said that if his
time to die had come he was ready. but he
would not die like a coward in seclusion.
but like a soldier, with his uniform on and
his sword in his hand, in the presence of
his people; and SO he left the palace alone.
clad in the uniform of a Field Marshal. re-
splendent with gold lace. and walked across
the parade ground to the church.
The news of his rashness spread quickly
among the people. who were naturally on
the qui vive. owing to the mysterious proc
lamation of the Nihilists. and before the
mass was over the area within the kremlin
wells was crowded with all sorts and condi-
tions of men. twenty or thirty thousand in
number. After mass was said, and he had
committed his soul to God. the Gear. with
his gloves in his hand. left the church and
entered the throng. which opened to make a
passage for him, but one so narrow that he
could touch the bodies of those who stood
on either hand. No bomb was required on
such an occasion. pistol. or even a knife.
would have done the business. but with his
head erect. and bowling to those who salut-
ed him. the Emperor walked the entire dis
lance. Inc crown WAS silent ana almost
breathless; every man present expected
something would occur. but the only break
In the Cars walk that morning was when
he reached the steps of the palace, stopped.
turned his face to his people. and spoke to
them.
He said that he had been told that he
should have trouble if he came to Moscow;
that since he had arrived he had been
warned by mysterious enemies, whose mot
i've he could not understand, that the pres
ent day was to be his last. He had there
fore done as all men should do who expect
ed danger. gone TO church to ask forgive
ness for his sins. and protection from on
high. That protection was not denied him,
His body. like his soul. was in the hands OF
| God. and man had no power to injure him
without the divine decree. He therefore
| feared nothing and believed that as Ions
| as he governed the empire with wisdom he
should be allowed to live. Then. thanking
| the people with hearty words for their 10y
| atty. he bowed and entered the palace.
There had been silence till then. but as the
| Gear disappeared the crowd broke into q
/ cheer that almost reached the sky.
| Alexander earned distinction as = soldier
| during the last war between Russia anl
| Turkey, and any one who is familiar witt
his military career need not be told that hs
| has plenty of personal courage. I saw hin
| several times: once at q station Of the rail
vay where he had driven from the palact
! TO meet the Grown Prince Of Greece. Ht
had driven pair Of horses. throuGh mi
He hiRhWuy tour miles or moro, 6& q
-" = =