New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-31

Modern Russians, however, are frank IN relat-
ing both the noble and the grotesque acts az
their great Gar indicative Of the struggle Oh
the slav from barbarism to the civilization Of the
nresent time. II vas in Peter the Great that
the forces Of light and darkness met and batt-ed
Now the one now the other. conquered
Those who are so fnteutly studying the Rus
zian Of the twentieth century because Of his
tremendous influence IN the worlds politics ind
peculiar significance IN the wild side OF Peters
character. Even at the present time the cues
ton is asked: Is Russia still barbara? WHAT
viii she do next? A comparison Of the savage
Peter with the Russian Of to-day shows how far
in these two hundred years the Russian mind
has softened and thus foreshadows TO a certain
degree its future development
The tales told OF Peter abound with many
madcap exploits, which more recent writer's have
proved absurd Among the stories, however,
which have not met with positive contradiction
there are many which would seem to belong
more to fiction than history. For example II Is
related that during the earliest days Of St
Petersburg the inhabitants revOlted against ly-
ing there any longer. In the first year one hun
dred thousand had died from pestlence and
flood. The streets and floors of the houses were
! so near the waters edge that fevers raVaged
the community, and the bitter cold of winter
when the temperature frequently sank 10 10
degrees below zero, froze to death many
hardy Cossack who had been compelled to
settle there Accordingly the people sought the
priests to intercede for them and secure theIr
departure from the hated town
The Gar was living here at the time IN
wooden hut, which is still preserved. but me
priests waited until Peter was out Of Town.
Then they called the attention of the multitude
to an image Of the Blessed Virgin. which was
weeping copiously-
"Our Blessed Lady weeps for the sickness and
death which affict US She bids US fee his
valley of sorrow,' said the priests.
The community had been left In charge Of
Count Galofkin, and the count, in alarm, sent
posthaste for his master There was no time
lost Peter was back before he was expected
AS soon as he saw the weeping image he tore OF
the back of lis head and discovered a ht-ow
filed with OIL which kept trickIing out through
the eyes.
That's the way your priests make fools OF
you cried the Gar and picking up the image
he took it home with him to add 20 his co-L-c-
ton of curlns. The first building, howe r.
which Peter erected in the city after the ll-t
was church.
The way Peter handled the image and dis
closed the treachery of the priests may .e
justified under the circumstances Few. how
ever would be so liberal in their religious views
as to excuse the method which Peter took sub
sequentIy to make the office Of Patriarch rIt--l-
Ious and thus rid himself of high clerical
office which was a perpetual hindrance TO E..1-
On three different occasions the Gar is said 20
have instituted a mock Patriarch with ro-A
conclaye- One time he chose SOtOf his clown,
to perform the part of the Patriarch. The jester
was eighty-fOur years old and could barely keep
on his feet even when sober. In the course OF
the performance he married to a 0uN.-l
widow of thirty The four guests were the four
worst Sufferers of the kingdom. -Four footU.I
were chosen to run" beside the bridal Carrl-.'
who fat they could barely waddle- I-a
attendants of the bridegroom and the brid---
maids were all helplessly lame. The diuer.--
members of the sacred college were first mae
drunk so that they could hardly keep awake, a0.i
in this fashion the procession started for ia'
church. The streets lined with the poFH-
lace The Gar had ordered day of festivi1y,
and according to chrOnicIers there vs.
hardly sober man in the place. The marrlJ-'
was performed by 4 priest nearly one hundred
years old, who was both deaf and blind. and