Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-02-01
MiscellAnenMs.
THE STORY OF CATHERINE.

Peter the Great, who was born in
Moscow, on June 10, 1872, and died il
St. Petersburgh, on Feb. s, 1926, wa,
the Emperor who in few years changed
Russia from country of half-savage
tribes into great European nation. lie
was once visiting one of his oflicers. and
saw in his house q young girl. who at.
tracted his attention by her beauty and
graceful manners. This girl was pris-
oner, named Martha, aud she was living
as sort of servant and housekceper ia
the family of the Russian officer She
had been taken prironer when the town
she lived in was captured Nobody
knows, even to this day. exactly who
she was, except that she was il poor or
phan girl, who had been brought up by
il village clergyman but it is believed
that her father was Livonion peasant.
Martha's beauty and the Brightness
of her mind pleased the Emperor 50
much that after while he made up his
mind'to marry her, in spite Of her hum.
bic origin. Peter was in the habit Of do.
ing pretty much as he pleased, whether
his mobiles liked or not, but even he
dared not make a captive peasant girl
the Empress of Russia lie therefore
married her privately, in the presence
of a few of his nearest friends, who
where charged TO keep the secret BE-
fore the marriage took place, he had
Martha baptized in the Russian Church
and changed her name to Catherine.
Now, Peter had habit Of losing his
temper, and getting so angry that he
fell into fits. As he was an absolute
monarch, and could doS whatever h,
liked, it was very dangerous for any
body to 20 near him when he was an
cry. lie could have head chopped
of us casily as he could order his break
fast. But he was very fond Of Cathe-
rine, aud she was the only person who
was not in the least afraid Of him She
soon learned how to manage him. and
even in his worst fits she could sootht
and quiet the old bear.
Peter was nearly always at war, and
in spite Of the hardslIips and dangers Of
the battle field, Catherine nearly always
marched with him at the head Of the
army. The soldiers wondered at her
bravery, and learned to like her more
than anybody else. Ii food was scarce,
the road rough, and the marches long,
they remembered that Catherine was
with them, and we're ashamed to grum-
bic. If she could stand the hardships
and face the dangers, they thought
rough soldiers ought not to complain.
Catherine was wise woman, as well
as brave one. She soon learned az
much Of the art Of war as Peter knew,
and in every time of doubt or difficulty
her advice was asked, and her opinion
counted for as much as if she had been
one of the generals. After she had thus
shown how able woman she was, and
had won the friendship Of everybody
about her by her good temper and her
pleasant ways, Peter publicly announced
his marriage and declared Catherine to
be his wife and Czarina. But still he
did not crown her.
This was in the year I'LL, and i'm.
mediately afterward Peter marched into
the Turkish country at the head of 49,
900 men. This army was not nearly
large enough to meet the Turks, but
Peter had armies in different places, and
ordered all Of them to meet him on the
march. For various reasons all these
armies failed to join him, and be found
himself in a Turkish province with a
very small number Of troops. The dan
ger was so great that be ordered Cathe'
rine and all the other woman TO go back
to place Of safcty. But Catherine
would not go. She had made up hci
mind to stay with Peter at the head Oh
the army, and was so obstinate about i
that at las. Peter gave her leave TO re-
main. Then the wives of the Generals
aud finally Of the lower officers, wanted
to stay also. She persuaded Peter to le
them do 80, aud the end was that the
women all staid with the army.
Everything went against Peter on th'
march. The weather was very dry
Swarms of locusts were in the country
eating every green thing. There wa
no food for the horses, and many o
them starved TO death. 1t was hard 70
the Russians to go forward or 10 g
backward, and the harder still to sta
where they were.
At last the soldiers in front reporto
that the Turks were coming, and PETE
soon saw a great army of 10000 fierc
Moslems in front Of his little force
which counted up only $4,000 men
Seeing the odds against him, he CAV
| the order TO retreat, and the army be
gan its backward march. AS it neare
) the river Pruth new danger shove
itself The advance guard brought wor
that great force Of savage Grim Tartal
held the other bank Of the river, con
pletely cutting off Peters retreat.
The state of things seemed hop
less. With 200, 900 Turks on one sid
.. and a strong force of Grim Tarta
i holding a river on the other, Peter
: little army was completely hemm'
I in. There was no water in the cam
and when the soldiers went to the riv
for it, the Tartars on the other sho
kept up fierce fight with them
5 great hoard Of Turkish cavalry tri
. hard to cut off the supply entirely
IN