Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1909-06-04

in the little Negro boy and sent him
to Paris to be educated. This same
Ibraham, known In history as Abra-
ham Petrowitch. died In 1871, being
,eighty-sesen years OF age, a Russian
landed proprietor ind general In chief.
One Of his sons, Ivan Abramowitch
who died in 1901, was the founder Of
the city of Cherson. Another Abramo-
witch, who died In 1906, was the IA
ther Of Nadeshda Ossipowna, who was
the mother Of Alexander Sergejewitch
Poushkin, who has been styled Rus
sia's black Byron"
Poushkin's childhood was passed in
his parents home at Sacharowo, about
forty miles from Moscow, on the Smo-
lensk railroad. The grandmother, Ma
rle Alexjewna, was a highly gifted
woman; though unhappily married to
Ossip, the son Of Abraham Hannibal.
She and the nurse Of Alexander ex-
erted considerable influence over him,
especially the latter, who during this
period Of his life made him acquainted
with the world Of Russian folklore.
The atmosphere Of his home at that
time was considerably French. Alex
ander's father, Sergei LWowitch (born
1771, died 1S4S, and the latters broth
er, Wassilli Lwowitch, who was known
at the beginning Of the century as
poet Poushkin" and who died in
1880, were bright, witty men, especial
ly Wassilli, who was famed for his
sparkling epigrams and light lyric
pieces. We cannot in the limited space
given us do more than to mention
briefly some of the best poems and
prose works Of young Poushkin. His
poetical tales are spirited and full Of
dramatic power. Among the tragedies
written by him may be mentioned
Boris Godunov" and Eugene Onye-
GIN" his masterpiece. Among the best
Of his short stories are ."The Captains
Daughter" '.The Undertaken" ''The
Pistol Shot and "rhe Queen of
Spades"
A fine collection Of his poems have
been translated into English by Mr..
Ivan Panin. one of which, my Pedi-
gree" was written as q reply to a
Bulgarian literary critic who disliked
him and made an unpleasant allusion
to his ancestry. The poem is too
lengthy for insertion here. but we may
say that the poet silenced his critic
very effectively. Other poems Are "The
Bard" ''The Storm" Winter Even
ing, I" "The Poet and "My Monument" /"
In 1899 the one hundredth anniver-
sary Of the. birth Of Poushkin was eel
ebra<ed all over Russia. 1t was made
national holiday. The government
issued souvenir postal cards illustrat-
Ing scenes in the life Of the poet, and
the emperor ordered that an annual
appropriation OF i5.O00 rubles be made
by the government to establish a
Poushkin scholarship. In 1880 monu-
ment was erected to his memory at
Tver Barrier, Moscow, and the school
children and literary and civic societies
paid homage to his memory at this
celebration by decking It with gar.
lands Of flowers. "A great parade pre-,
ceded the exereisesTat the monument,
which was participated in by the i'm
perial troops, citizens and students
and then followed orations By learned
Russian scholars, sthe mayor Of Mos.
COW and others. X
Poushkin was killed In a duel In
1887 with Baron George Heckeron
d'Authes, the adopted son Of the Dutch
minister then resident at the court OF
st. Petersburg, who had married 1, sis.
ter Of Poushkin's wife aud who had
aroused the poets jealousy BY some at.
tentions be paid to Nine. Natalie
Poushkin, who was very beautiful
woman, si;ss VI Sss sss