The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-26
BEHIND THE THRONE
NJ. POBEDONOSTSEFF, THE MAN WHO
REALLY RULES THE RUsSIAS.
His Established Policy Unihes the
Nation, but a Quarter OF
the WOrld-A Great Man.
PHILADELPHIA Record.

mansion, there occurs what may be
picturesquely described as an arboreal
freak. Far back in revolutionary times
| the original Huguenot owner planted a
larch tree near his house, and on either
| side a spruce and a Norway fir. Thirty
years ago his grandson set out a vista
| ria vine at the roots Of the larch.
Timidly and blindly it CROPPED with its
delicate creepers, took hold and courage
, in the same breath, and then, as is its
wont, wound round and round the tree
in close snaky folds. At a height Of ten
feet, where the trunk b~ranched, its oc-
topus-like arms slipped of, some stormy
| day, and falling against the great
branches of the spruce and fir. clutched
and enveloDed them.
And having thus secured a fresh hold
on younger material. the vine set to
work to squeeze it's old support to death,
just as the boa s~trangles it's prey. The
larch died slowly, leaves and highest
twigs first. then larger branches, then
trunk itself, until the folds of the wis
TARA came so closely against Zach other
as to form a tight spiral cage for the
old tree.
To-day what remains of the larch is
a mere shell with rotten contents. Some
day the whole relic will d~isintegrate
into dust. But meanwhile the wistaria
decks itself each spring with it's pale,
violet-hued, odorous clusters, and hides
the crunbling dead husk of it's whilom
supporter with a fantastic veil of fairy
like fragrance and beauty.
The smile is perfect. The larch is
Russian liberty. The spruce is autocra-
cy-the Gar. The fir is o-rthodoxy-the
Greek Church. The methodical, inevita-
BILE. soulless, adroit, bewitching wistaria
is the ober-procuror of the most holy
synod. Constantine Po~bedonostsen.
Constantine Pobedonostseff was born
In 1927, the son of a university profess
sor. His youth and early manhood
were spent in the dry, dwarfing air of
logic and casuistry, the acme of his
boyish sports a tireless search for the
bond w premises and conclusion.
Later he received a fiimsy education in
law and universal science at the law
school on the of the Fontanka.
On graduation he obtained a position in
the department of the Senate in Mos
cow-a branch of the service since abol-
iShed. But his favorite science was not
neglected, and he obtained permission
to deliver lectures at the university on
civil law. These lectures were later en-
bodied in "A Course Of Civil Law"
which he published, and which went
through three editions in the next three
years. The translation of Mr.. Glad
stones Bulgarian Horrors and the
Question of the East" of 1.-The Imita-
ton of Christ" by Thomas a Kempis,
and of Thierset's Christian Principles
Of Family Life" completed his literary
services.
A TURNING POINT.
Through the good Offices of the Grand
Duchess Helena Parloyna. NJ. Pobe-
donostseff was appointed tutor to the
late heir apparent, Nicholas Alexandra
witch, and to his brother the present
Gar. This was the turning point in
his life. His tide was at its flood.
Alexander formed a strong Partially
for the man who had such a cut-and-
dried system of religion and polity-a
ready answer for every question. The
Crown Prince died in 1865. and the
Grand Duke was declared heir to the
throne. In 1866 he invited his in
structor to remain two years longer
about his person, had him later appoint
ed member of the Imperial CouuciI,
and in 1880 nominated him to the posi-
ton which he has ever since retained.
Let me for a moment withdraw my
readers attention from the capital Of
mysterious Russia to the shallow banks
of the slow Nerbudda, in the Ner-
singhpur district Of India. To Birman,
a convenient spot on its sand dunes,
have 1ocked in the middle of a De-
cember 2O0,0 600 Observation-Disclosures, beg
gars. traders. lepers and all manner of
deformed folk, with dreadful sores and
pitiable m~alformations.
Every now and then a howl arises
from the thickest of the throng. 1t is
a Jogi-absolutely naked, smeared with
ashes from head to foot. filthy to a de-
gree which beggars description. His
thick, matted hair hangs down his back.
In his hand is a stick. A bell is fast
ened to it's end, which he strikes to
attract attention. Again and again the
wild howl issues from his lips. 1t is
the name of a god TO whom his life is
dedicated. His self-imposed duty Is 10
utter this name so many thousand times
a day. The women crouch around him
and touch their lips reverently to his
feet. Any trader will gladly give him
all the food he can eat.
But while his life lasts the .Jogi will
live shelterless under the burning sun
and through bitter, freezing nights; un-
clothed, hungry, despising comforts,
stunning his kind, intent only on for
ever bowling the name of SILVA. He
lies on spike beds, he swings head down
ward over slow fires; he stands all night
in the river. Neither fool nor idiot, this
man Of iron will live on in complete
self-abnegation, his one purpose to
glorify his god by calling his name.
Nj. Pobendonostseff is the spiritual
Jogi of Russia. Personally thin. dry,
bloodless, ~emotionless. a~scetic, plain,
prosaic and undressing as Dominic
Sampson" he dresses with a clerical
sameness. His conversation is full of
emphatic commonplace and dry unc-
ton. His habits are scrupulously me-
thodical. His books. pamphlets, docu-
ments and letters are all arranged in
apple-pie order. He has a ready-formed
opinion on all topics-reliable SO far as
Russia is concerned: otherwise random.
His feature are pinched. his glance Is
cheerless, his n jerky. He has
none of the ease OF the man of the
world. The one deep channel of his
shallow nature-his one idea. orthodox
autocracy.
WITHOUT SENSE OF HUMoR.
He never makes or takes a joke. He
never has been known to laugh. He
eschews luxury. ever In the guise Of art.
He "a ahstemious In hia habits simplo