New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-21

own championship of the Home Rule cause.
the Nationalists were encouraged to revolt
against their able chief Much of the inordinate
bitterness displayed against him by his follow
ers, such Timothy Healy and others, was I'M
doubtedly due to the remembrance of the con-
tempt with which he had invariably treated
them. That there was ever any feeling of per-
sonal sympathy between Parnell and the rank
and file of his party save in political affairs. is
doubtful.
While cannot conceive of there being any
truth in the popular superstition in Ireland &C
cordng to which the squire of Avondale is still
in the land of the living, it must be confessed
that there is certain amount of plausibility in
the weird tale, since it would not have been
out of keeping with the character of Parnel to
vanish by means of a simulated death after he
discovered that his disappearance would ad-
vance the cause of his beloved country, and
when he realized that he could longer rely
on the loyalty or discipline of his followers,
that every service which he had rendered had
met with the basest ingratitude, and last, but
not least after he found that by marrying Mrs.
O'Shea he had not made but marred the posi-
ton of the ambitious and wonderfully brilliant
woman to whom he had been devotedly at
tached and who played so great part in his
political career.
OTHER SIMILAR SUPERSTITIONS
Parnell is by means the only man officially
reported as dead concerning whom popular
belief prevails that he still lives. Throughout
Russia similar superstition exists concerning
General Skobeleff whose sudden death at Mos
COW has always remained shrOuded in mystery.
The idol not alone of the army but likewise of
the masses of the Russian people the pOpu-
larity of this heroic figure who still lives in the
hearts of his countrymen as the White Gen
eral" at one moment gave serious concern to
the Government at St Petersburg, when the
General, having without authority pledged
Russa's cooperation in certain anti-German
enterprises of France, showed a disposition to
use his influence with the people to force the
Gar into an immediate against Germany.
It is these circumstances, coupled with the fact
hat his alleged death took place al the moment
when Russia found herself on the verge of
war with Germany for which she in
sense prepared, that have given rise to the wide
spread belief that his demise fictitious. that
ne merely vanished from the scene, prompted
by motives of patriotism and expediency, and
that he remains to this day in the land of the
living So firmly is this conviction rooted in
the minds of the people that only two years ago
the entire population of a large town in the
interior of the Empire after adjoining the chief
thOr9ughfares win cummings ana rluIlphai
arches focked to the railroad station with
bands Of music and silver salvers bearing bread
and salt. all for the purpose of welcoming the
White General" who according to rumor.
originated no one knew how, was to arrive by
the midday express train.
The late King John Cf SaxOny is generally be-
leved to have survived his official obsequies for
a number of years confined in mountain mon
astery lunatic afflicted with homicidal
mania. Archduke John of Austria although de
scribed dead, is widely believed to be still
living that swindlers experience no difficulty in
passing themselves off this scion of the i'm
peral house of Hapsburg, who. as in the case of
Parnell and Skobeleff, is popularity believed to
have had political and personal motives for dis