Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-10


slaus Poniatowsk. with whom she was
she MADE King of Poland, in which place
he demonstrated that one may be a most
pleasing squire of danes without possess
ing the slightest attribute of political
sense or executive ability. Gregory Or
loft, who succeeded him, maintained his
association with the empress for twelve
years. He was one of the favOr1teS VINO
ruled the empress. Naughty and firm by
nature. he was during his regime, the
veritable car. But in time he gave way
to the even laughter Potemkin and died
raving maniac. 1t is alleged tirat his
successful rival poisoned him with an
herb, somewhat like the loco weed of
our western plains. which possesses the
quality of turning the brain. and which
the Russians call ''drunkards' plant"
POtemkin, who succeeded. was really
man of high abilities and force of char
acter. Notwithstanding the contemplate
means he chose to secure his advance
ment. Moreover, he really loved his au
gust mistress and was faithful to her I'm
til death Magnificent alike in person, in
pleasures and in extravaganza, he daZ-
Zled the oriental mind of the Russians,
who admired him even as he plundered
them. There is something barbarously
romantic in his character" said the
Prince de Ligne. His death resulted from
defying his physician and eating vo-
raciously of salt meat and raw turnips,
washed down with hot wines and vodka
menu which expresses the idea of
fined eating in the Russia OF that day.
1t Is almost incredible that the woman
who thus fiagrantly violated every prin-
ciple of decency should have been in her
daily walk and converse ton dignified
without haughtiness. calm. mild and
kingly. In her court was none of the
ridiculous red tape which at the very
moment characterized the court of
France, but there was no lack of rever-
ence for the sovereign. If she took her
pleasures madly, she took her work seri-
ously- What her armies We're doing was
known to her each day and he- voice was
necessarily calling upon her generals to
press on. She carried the Russian from
tier TO the Black sea. With Frederick the
Great and Maria Theresa of Austria she
overwhelmed Poland. taking the greater
part of il for herself. At the very thresh-
old of her unexpected death she was
planning war upon almost all Europe
Constantinople and Stockholm. Paris and
Teheran were TO be hers. And she had
so instilled into the minds of her people
confidence in the destiny of Russia and
the martial valor of its armies that none
can tell what the outcome of such a plan
of conquest might have been.
Death Sudden and Mysterious.
Death came to her suddenly and mys-
teriously. Found lying in stupor i'm an
anteroom to her chamber, she died in a
few hours without regaining the power of
speech. She was succeeded by her son
Paul. whom. in violation OF Russian law
she mad kept from the throne ever since
he attained his majority-or more than
twenty years. Well had il been for Paul
had he been barred longer from that fatal
eminence, for after a tive-year reign he
! was strangied by band of conspirators
one of whom was Zuboff. the last and
perhaps the most Infamous of all the
lovers who had preyed on his imperial
! mother and her beloved Russia