Year: 1878

There is now occupying the Rus


sian criminal tribunals a tragedy


which throws into the shade the
/ gloomiest imaginations Of the old


Greek play-wrights. 1t is the mur


der of a mother by her son. a child


nine years DID,. The story is one ol


the most appalling in the whole an,


nails of human crime. and withal il


is heart-touching as showing the


misdirection of noble nature. For


the motive of the crime was honor,


and the son slew his mother that her


blood might wash out the stain her


infdelity had put upon her hus-


bands name. The case is a most


remarkable one. There seems TO be


no evidence of vicious disposition
on the part of the boy. On the con-
| trary, he seems to have had very
loving heart, and to have been ten
derly attached to his dead father :;
but cloud came over his young ex-
istence, when his mother, forgetting
her duty to living and the dead,
contracted an illicit alliance with a
government employee. The woman
seems to have troubled herself little
to conceal her amOurS from her son.
thinking that q child of such tender
years would not be likely to pay any
attention 20 her actions. She does
not seem to have ever suspected the
precocious sensibility of her child.


WOUNDED HONOR.


The boy, however, very soon be-
gan to suspect the true relations
existing between the stranger and
his mother. The functionary en-
tered frequently before the child's
eyes and at unusual hours into the
house that had belonged to the dead
father. The child felt himself cruel.
ly injured by the dishonor cast upon
his fathers memory, which had re-
manned enshrined in his young heart
like a sacred image. For a long
time he concealed his anger and his
shame; but one day his indignation |
mastered hicI, and he resolved to /
make an effort to win his mother
from the path of shame.


Throwing aside all fear, he re-
proved the widow for her infidelity
to her dead husband, and besought
her to return to her duty by respect
to the memory of the dead and out
of respect to her son. The mother
treated these remonstrances lightly.
and burst out laughing at the child.
Without even Geigning to hear him
TO the end. she advised him to occu-
py himself with matters more appro-
pirate to his age. Several times he
seems to have renewed his exhorta-
lions, always, however, meeting with
the same reception.


POSSESSED BY THE FIEND.


Feeling that it was useless to ap.
peal to the better nature of his
mother the child conceived the hor-
rible design Of washing out in her
blood the stain she persisted in put
ting on his name, aLd which he
knew was no longer q secret for the
Having once made up
his mind his thoughts became Who'll.
Iy absorbed in plans for carrying his
into execution. Where
ever he went he carried with him
this idea of avenging the injured hon
or of his name. In solitude he pom
dered over it, until it became in his
eyes holy duty. Besides this child
Of nine years taking upon himself
the responsibility of judge and exc
cutionet, thinking and planning be-
fore taking action, Hamlet tormen.
ted by visions and siIaGlating mad
ness is only capable of inspiring
pity. The heart is moved at the
thought Of the anguish the child
must have suffered. First he dug
,he grave. This was for his infant
lands a long and painful labor.
When he had everything prepared
le resolved to execute his terrible
purpose.


ALMOST SAVED.


One night, while his mother slept,
e armed himself with a hatchet and
ilently approached her bed. When
is eyes rested on the author of his
eing his resolution was shaken. He
azed on the face he had long loved
nd respected. The sight was too
luch for the childish heart, and, j
ursting into tears, he fell on his
nees before his mothers bed.
here the morning light found him
.retched in slumber with The dead l.
: hatchet still clasDed in his tinv