The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-06-06

For three years ~ 49,
this horrible edu- MS$2NNQgItVtlyA AMD
cation lasted. He NAN The TERRIBLE
was taught to enjoy robbery. plunder.
torture and killing. He was made to
win his teachers applause by gallop-
ing at full speed through Moscow's
crowded streets and trampling help
less women and children to death un-
der his horses iron-shod hoofs. The
boy was Ivan ~ OF Russia, known az
Ivan the Terrible"
Russia was least civilized of all
European lands. Its early history was
one Of needless bloodshed and merci.
less conquest. The rulers were called
grand dukes, until Ivan the Terrible
title Of "czar" because that was the
Russian form of Caesar" title ap-
piled to Rome's emperors. C'Kaiser"
is another form of the same word.)
Ivan mounted the throne In 1888, at
his fathers death. He was but four
years old at the time and was for the
next ten years wholly in the power Of
brutal mobiles who ruled the court.
Then when he was fourteen a political
clique made up Of his relatives came
into power and proceeded to teach
him to be more a flend than human
being. When Ivan was seventeen he
had vision. or trance, In which he
believed an angel warned him to lead
better life. He obeyed-more
through fear and superstition than
from religious zeal.
For the next 13 years Ivan was q
model ruler. He did much for his peo-
pie, was gentle and wise. and gave
promise Of an ideal career. Tho
noblest influence in all his life was his
lovely wife, Anastasia. He loved her
and was guided by her advice. In 1860
came the change that made him an
object Of dread.
In that year Anastasia died. Ivan
fell dangerously i'll through grief.
whole nature had changed. 1t is prob
able sorrow and illness had affected
his brain. In any case he rose from
his sick bed more like wild beast
than n man. He was filled with fear
OF fancied conspiracies. To crush these
imaginary plots he slew numbers OF
noblemen, along with their entire fam
lilies. He devised tortures too repul-
sive to be named. Among the mildest
of these was the turning loose Of wild
dogs and bears among throngs Of inno-
cent people.
The city Of Novgorod incurred his
displeasure. He marched against IL
with an army and massacred $4,000 Of
its inhabitants. He had the prisoners
herded in an Enclosure and slew them
with his own hand as long as he could
strike a blow. Then he ordered his
fierce troops to continue the slaughter
on them.
A thousandth part Of such cruelty
as his would have set any nation, In
late days, into a flame Of revolt. But
the sixteenth century Russians looked
on their czar as god, and bore meek
ly whatever outrages his maniac brain
might choose to infiict upon them.
Ivan had seven wives in rapid sue
cession, and sent to Queen Elizabeth's
court for an eighth. But the English
girl he chose-daughter Of the earl Of
Huntington-begged so piteously to be
saved from the fate Of wedding the
imperial monster that the match was
broken off.
Fiend as he was, Ivan the Terrible
did great things for Russia. He opened
its ports to the commerce of the world,
established the first printing Office
there, conquered and annexed Siberia
snd-except in his fits Of Madness
encouraged civilization and progress
among his savage people. He was a
shrewd statesman. crafty warrior, d
man not devoid Of genius.
AS the years went on 1van's insane
fear of conspiracy and assassination
grew stronger. Falsely suspecting his
eldest and ablest son Of plotting with
his foes, he struck the young man
dead with a blow Of his iron staff
Remorse for this murder fastened
lvan's own death. Surrounded by
Quachs and ''magicians"-a prey TO
superstitious terrors-now repenting
his cruelties, now feverishly planning
fresh atrocities-the tyrant wore out