Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1889-07-11
Some Terrible Eyes.

To have been under the hostile gaze, no
word or sign added, of Richelieu, was to
secure memory which for years after gave
the possessor of it, however changed the
scene and circumstances might be, thrill
of most unpleasant personal fear. And a
yery analogous case within the memories
of our own time can be adduced. 1t is
that of man who certainly, as far as per-
sonal advantages went, was every inch
king. With herculean frame and inherited
beauty of manly features, he had that
dignity which, as was noticed by another
royal hand, seemed to spring from the sense
of unlimited power, which the same obser
yer mentions as paIticlarly characteristic
of the large full eyes. 1t is of those eyes
that we have more to add. Not only did
they imply a long experience of unlimited
sovereignty, but they spoke in tones of
terror to all those on whom they were bent
in anger. For those who were intimate
with the ways of the Russian court have
unanimously recorded how much of infu-
ence in the shape of absolute fear there
was in the eyes of the Emperor Nicholas.
He looked at culprits with his slow stare
of anger, and the unhappy wretches felt,
in very different sense from that in which
the phrase was originally used, under the
wand of the enchanter." But, large as was
the Cars eyes-the RomanOff inheri-
tapce from their beautiful statuesque
German ance5tress- there was no
brilliant or sparkling glance of ire when
they were directed toward an offender. On
the contrary those who have had most ex-
periepce of them describe them as being
dull cold, almost ish-like, in aspect.
Stolin as the gaze was, none recorded IN
history ever produced more terrorizing
effects on its objects In many cases where
there was any real ground of offense the
nerson at whom the Car in his accus-
toned silent fashion was looking frequent
ly did not wait to be interrogated, some
times was hardly suspected, but. like the
victims of Richelieu, as just mentioned,
poured forth full confession under the
gaze of the phlegmatic GOV overeign.
OF Maximilian Robespierre no one can
adequately paint the portrait after Carlyle
has lymned the seagreen, incorruptible,
nor may one try to paint those eyes which
the same pencil has sketched in few lines.
But certainly to the list of the most terri
BILE historic eyes must be added those
bilious, bloodshot, stealthy orbs which,
without any of the tiger fire of Caesar Bor-
gias. had ruthless, shifty, tiger cat gleam
essentially their own. Many have given
us some notion of the effect of that little
foppish!y dressed Pathological man OfblOod
and proscripton-few comparatively have
particularly noticed his eyes, simply be-
cause the horror of expectant fear which
his stealthy glance produced IN those to-
ward whom it was directed was so general
and widely known that the very fact made
any particular allusion unnecessary.
Of all Eastern potentates, whether an
cient or modern. competent Judges have
united in declaring that none ever made
his look more feared than did Runject
Sing. the Lion of Lahore, whom doubtless
MANY old Indians must remember. Eye
witnesses. European as well as native, de-
clared that among his wild hordes of fol-
lowers, some of them among the fercest
troopers in the world, Rupject inspired in
tense personal fear in all who came near by
his look, his eye being unspeakably
dreaded. Yet he was scanned with small
pox, one eye was destroyed by It, his face
wien. and his voice was shrlll and
soueakipg one. With all these disadvan-
tages the Lion of Lahor's glance 80 terror
lied his subjects that for result akin
to j, we must 60 to Mahmoud OF
Ghuzni. whose dreadful brow" is
historic. TIE other instance in which
nersonal disadvantages have been In in
verse ratio to the unquestlOned authority
exercised is that of q parsonage mucn less
known. and to whose good qualities justice
has not vet been perhaps done. We mean
Walker. commonly called the "F1llbuster."
He was little, spare, weakly man IN as
pect-a mere nobody physically, IN the
midst of his big, wild western rangers.
Rut as an eyewitness has said, walker
had the ewes of q lion" In this lay the
secret of the extraordinary authority which
he exercised over 80 many men OF
the widest and most daring character"
accustomed to brook no master. The in
domitable spirit enthroned in that pigmy
body was fitly typifed by those lion-llke
ewes Nor was it until Walker was reused
N anger that the peculiar force OF his look
was found. In such case all the lntense
and vivid energy OF the mans neart Diazeu
in his eyes, and then. according 70 al
account, they became terrible. before
their anger the biggest lexan rangers
cowed like frightened children. NOW, per.
hans. this is, of all cases, one OF tne mos'
noteworthy in the history OF terrible eyes
because the man possessing tnem nau no
physical advantages, no settied au'nor,ty
and prescription, no army OF slaves at n's
back. On the other hand, those over WHOM
he exercised undisputed sway were class
of men, if ever there were such III 'ne
world. who had the most rugged anu .ui
bulent independence of word, ACTON anu
nature But the old truth was again reai-
lied, and they paid involuntary homage 10
born leader OF men.