Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-22


dered I'm the town of Uglitsch where lie had
been confined for some years But though
powerful party had helped Boris TO seize
n crown that did not belong TO him. vet
there were many persons In Russia who
openly said that he was a usurper. and
VINO were engaged in series of conspir-
acies against him, with the intention to have
proclaimed as Cars the only direct descend
ants OF Rurik still left alive. the Romanoffs
The family consisted OF two brothers. Feodor
ana Nikita. The latter was considered the
handsomest man In the whole Of Russia and
extremely popular. thanks TO his amiable
sunny temper and his extreme generosity,
a quality which had always been unknown
to Boris Godounoff
The latter determined TO suppress these
dangerous competitors, and he seized Feodor
homanof, combining him in "a monastery
where he compelled him TO take holy or
ners much against his will Feodor hao
heen married. His wife was also sent 10
convent and obliged to take VOWS as a
nun She had, however. succeeded in taking
with her her only son Michael who re-
NAMED hidden in Kostroma and who was
later on TO be elected by the boyars OF
hoscoW as Car and TO found the dynasty
winch reigned over Russia until March =
There remained Nilsita Romanoff. whom Il
was not SO seasy to reduce to powerlessness
because he was a cautious man had N con.
siderable number OF followers and was more
over very careful not to appear in public
without being accompanied by guards in suffi-
cieht number to protect him against an un-
expected attack. But Godounoff managed TO
enlist on his side Nikitas mistress. who
one night when the latter was in her
house opened the door TO the Czar's SOL
diers and delivered to them TomanofY in
nus sleep. The unfortunate man was seized
pound with heavy chains, put in a sledge
and sent to a distant village on the Siberian
frontier, which is now comprised in the gov
erpment of Perm and which is called Nyrob
Ihe journey was a long one and il lasted
many weary weeks
At last when its goal was reached Ro-
manoff was taken out OF the conveyance
which had brought him there and under his
eyes deep hole was dug in the frozen
ground in which he was lowered, together
with the chains that loaded his ankles and
wrlsts. The hole was covered with wooden
planks and n guard was set to watch IT,
with orders to throw from time time a
piece of bread to the miserable victim buried
there. The Car hoped that a few weeks at
the utmost would see Nikita die. But he was
young and strong and he fingered for months
and months. forsaken by everybody, in this
horrible grave. which held him fast. At last
his guards got weary OF watching for an
end. which seemed as IL It would never
come, and they resolved not to give him
food any longer. so as to be able to return
to their home and to report to Boris God
ounof that his enemy had succumbed. For
days the inhabitants of Nyrob could hear
the wall of the dying man, imploring piece
of bread drink of water from his
gaoers
And comes the legend to which
have alluded! Tradition says that before
Nikita expired an old woman who had the
reputation of being a witch crept up to
him. after having sent the guards that
watched over him to sleep, thanks to some
magic passes which she made over their
heads, and that she asked him what she
could do for him. XIII me-" said the miser-
able wretch; kill me at once. so that at
least I shall be freed from this agony l am
enduring" II need not kill you" she re-
piled, because your hour has struck already,
and in a very few moments you shall see
the end of your agony. But In the mean
while the Almighty has allowed me to come
to you and to reveal to you the future which