The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-02
HEIDI ALL RUSSIA AT BAY.
Daring Deeds of StambuIoff, the Young
Premier of Bulgaria.

For what Bulgaria is today she is in
debted almost solely to the valor and in
don,itable will of young STEAMBOAT, the
prime minister. For years he has held
the whole Russian empire at bay single
handed. The other spowers of Europe
sympathize with him, but give him no
practical support Open attacks and
secret intrigue he has alike baffied. AS
sassination he has defied, though it has
often been tried against him He has
resisted Russian aggression, says the Mel
bourne Argus; he has beaten Servia in
the field and Greece in the courts; he
has made his sovereign's throne secure;
he has made Bulgaria nation and
created national public spirit, and he
has, at less than forty years of age,
placed himself worthily in the rank
among the leading statesmen of Europe.
One OF his most dramatic passages at
arms with Russia occurred during the
war with Servia when the Gar showed
his. hand" in decidedly offensive maner.
STAN buloff has told many times and
seems never weary of telling the story
of Slivnitza. In that battle the destinies
of Bulgaria and Servia were to be de-
cided. Prince Alexander had gone out
to lead the Bulgarian army in person,
leaving Siam boff in charge at home. 1t
was BRILLIANT day, with a cloudless sky
and SCARCELY a breath of air stirring.
The roar of cannon was plainly heard In
the city, owing perhaps to some peculiar
condition of the air, or perhaps to echoes
from the mountains. AT any rate it
sounded much nearer than it really was,
and STAN buloff and the others thought
fhaS xxya1,o rsriJ Iorr ,,,l
were driving Prince Alexander. ard his
army in upon the capital. In their an
xiety they applied to the Russian diplo-
matte agent for advice. That gentleman
shrugged his shoulders and said it was
no affair of his.
But" urged the Bulgarian ministers,
"the Serivans are almost lat our gates.
You could stop them with a single word
if you .would.n Yes, but that word
will not be spoken, not though they
were actually entering the city with
your prince as prisoner, as, indeed,
they soon will do. On one condition
only will stop them, and that is that
your beggar OF prince shall abdicate at
once"
"And that" thundered STEAMBOAT, she
will not do, no, mot for twenty Russias!n
With that Mr.. Stambuloff sprang into
the saddlesand dashed away to the bat
tlefeld, while the Russian agent sent
for his friends to come to his house and
help him celebrate the defeat of the
Bulgarian armies. A few hours passed
and then the Bulgarian foreign minister
got telegram from Stambuloff dated
on the battlefield telling of Prince AL
exander's magnificent victory and OF the
utter rout of the Servians. He hurried
with it to the house of the Russian agent
arriving.there in the midst of the festivi-
ties. And when he told the news the
representive of the car ground his teeth
with rage. AS the world knows Prince
Alexander lost his throne because he
neglected to heed the advice and warn
ings of his prime minister. Prince Fer
dinand is more wise. He puts himself
fully in the hands OF Stambuloff, max
ing the latter the real ruler of Bulgaria
and the chief guardian of the throne.
How daring mad vigorous the minister
is in his great..work has againsand again
was, for example, the arrest of Maj Pan
itza who was at the head of the most
dangerous and powerful plots ever organ
lied against the prince. Stambulotf
finally settled the matter by making the
arrest himself alone. At midnight he
knocked at Panitza's door. The majors
wife, with loaded pistol in her hand
admitted him Recognizing HIM and
divining his errand she raised the weap-
on to fire. He looked at her and her arm
fell and she turned away. Then STAN
brloff went up to Panitzas room. He
found him in bed a. loaded reovlver at
his side. Maj. Panitza," said the minis
ter calmly, get up, dres, yourself and
come with me-
The desperate grasped his revolver.
The minister folded his arms and looked
at him as Marius looked at the slave
who came to Stay him. Panitza laid
down the weapon, rose. dressed himself
and followed his captor to prison.