The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-18
TIE NEWBERRY HERALD AND NEWS JUNE Is. 1897

a. . a
who was then representing South
Carolina in congress. Her life in
Washington was short, rs the next
year the colonel was sent to Russia
by President Buchanan. With his
young and brilliant wifo 10 soou be.
camo tho tavorito of tho cHar and
empress, whilo all st. Petersburg was
their willing subjects. In 1883 thcir
first aud only child was born in thn
ears own palace of RomanoN,
which hc had kindly placed at their
disposal. Tho empress was so much
attached to tho yo"ng mothor that
sho claimed The right Of goLmothcr
for tho bahr, and gave her the strange
but rNprr~N;Yo unmr Of D0uychku,
which mrarH H. the Russian language
"liItl" darliuT."
In the sun" year that lincon was
elected president Colonel rickrns
WAS elected governor Of South Caro-
Ina. lie resigned his diplomatic
position and returned home. Ills
departure east Y gloom over the on
tire court nra the little child was
loaded with costly presents. Tho
cznr, with his own hand, hung around
her neck II iiuc miniature rf himSclf,
"ncns"d in gold. 10 the day of his
death ho never forgot her, but the
return of each birthday brought with
1t Il valuablc present from tho ear.
Now tho scene chanScs Lincoln
was inaugurntcd president, ana Col
onol Plckcns governor Of South Car
olina. You all know too we'll what
followed, tho secession Of most
OF tho southern states, the or
ganizntion Of the confederacv at
Montgomery, Ala, the loyying OF
troops and the preparation for tho
terrible war that followed.
Bcaurcgard WAS in command at Char
lesion and it was deemed bcst to re-
duce Fort Sumter, in Charleston
hnrbor, so he sent Telegram to tho
governor, at Columbia. to visit the
h st.. &C city at oncc TO "witncss tho
lncct lion Of hostilites." The wife
and bab" went with the governor,
who after carefully Inspecting all the
batteries, declared that all was ready.
General Beaurcgard thcn took tho
chlld III his arms, placed torch in
hor hand and showed her where to
touch the fuse, and thus was fired
the first gun by little Douschka, the
godchild of the empress Of Russia
Bnt this was not tho last of her
sangulnary experiences during the
terrible war that she started.
a fow years later occurred another
remarkable event in her young life,
which was moro sad and hcnrtrcud-
ing than it was rcmarkuhlc. 1t was
Il sad wedding scene. Her half
sister, a daughter OF her father by q
former marriage: vas to be married..
They stood ut the sacred altar little
| Douschka stood with the attendants
near tho bride with both hands full
of flowers. A moment more and
these two throbbing hearts would be
joined for life, and two lives happily
united in one. But alas! just as the
solemn words foil from the minister's
| lps---"now L pronounce you,--" all
wore startled--a shrick, Il groan. Il
frantic scream and all was changed.
a cruel ball from a federal gunboat,
which was aiding to hrsicyo the
doomed city, crashed through the
roof of tho sacred place and struck
tho fair young bride full in tho chest
and dashed out her young life Just
at this joyous period. Hor warm
life blood was scattered over all tho
attendants, and tho groom and lttlo
Douschka wore nearly drcnchod in
tho warm blood. This was surely
one Of tho saddcst scenes in all tho
dark years of carnage that made the
south a dcsolation and filled tho
land with mourners.
1T is well known that Governor
Pickcns died about the timo tho was'
closed, but little Douschka grow up
to lovely womanhool as tho adopted
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