I Historic Blackguards ;!
By ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE jjj
Copyright, by the Press Publishing Co. (The New York World).
Robin Hood, Who "Robbed the Rich to Feed the Poor"
I ROM time to time the
fj press of Europe has re
Jf I corded accounts of the
ailments oi tuo nunnu
empress. The Russian
press, even now that
there Is supposed to no
censorship in Russia, is
forbidden to print any
thing concerning the im
perial family aside from
the official reports dis
tributed by the official
news bureau. From the various frag
mentary reports it has become known
that the' csarlna, who had come to
Russia with lofty Ideals and a libera
western education. Is an invalid and a
martyr, alone In the palace of the
czar, misunderstood and tormented
with melancholy and fear. .
Now a chronicler. Intimately famil
iar with the home life of the Russian
ccar, has described vividly the suffer
ings ot the woman who had hoped to
reform the Rusisan czar and the Rus
sian land, and it may be said without
exaggeration, that Alexandra Feodo
rovna la today the unhappiest of all
queens. "
Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt,
according to the biographer of the
ocarina, lived amid ideal and idyllio
surroundings throughout her child-hood.-
The small, good looking prin-
dressed as beautifully as her
dolls, was told that the flowers daily
' presented her were so beautiful and
fragrant for her sake, and that when
she was crying, the little flowers were
also shedding tears, and when she
was laughing, the little flowers were
kind hearted and obedient, and she
did all Bhe could- to refrain from cry
ing, for she recalled that every tear
drop of hers would cause so much
pain to all those who loved her.
But the tears she repressed in her
childhood days she is shedding now
within the walls of the palace, as the
queen of the long suffering Russian
people. Being ot a sensitive, impres
sionable and artistic nature, the prin
cess was deeply Interested in the best
kind of literature. She familiarized
herself with the most Important
works of the masters ot Action- in Eu
rope and she even made some at
tempts at writing poetry and dramas.
As she was frail, the physicians
feared that she was undermining her
health by devoting most of her time
to books, and she was told that her
health was more Important than all
the books In the world, and then, for
the first time she learned that she
was not free. The books were now se
lected for her by physicians and she
was permitted to read only a very
j limited number of such books. To
while her time away she took up the
, study of drawing, and soon showed
considerable talent in that direction.
Little by little she commenced io
' notice the life beyond the boundary
of her fairyland: she saw the life of
the people who were suffering and
starving, and she learned that what
was new to her was not new to her
father, to her mother, to her aunts,
to all those who lived contented In her 1
fairyland of luxury. And she began to
ask herself the question which she
was for a long time unable to answer:
"How can they all remain care free
and so shamelessly cheerful when be
yond the windows ot this palace Is
the moan of an entire suffering na
tion?" Princess Alice "became the czarina
of Russia. She came to the Russian
land at a time when the people, ex
hausted by the burden ot absolutism,
' were returning from the funeral of
Alexander III., and were hopefully
waiting for a more merciful reign on
the part of the new czar, Nicholas,
who was reputed at that time to be a
liberal. .
- The first day of the new reign was
marked by the. Khodlnks tragedy,
when thousands of people lost their
lives amid the festivities. The tragedy
made a profound Impression upon the
csarlna. It seemed to her a forebod
ing of a terrible future.
The superstitious Inclinations and
weaknesses of the czar, manifested In
his eagerness for a male heir to the
Russian throne, filled the czarina with
untold grief.
She bad to obey the orders of va
rious charlatans who were, welcome
advisers of the czar. And the in
trigues directed against bar In the
B press of Europe has re- Ni .43 I S&m:
corded accounts of the I ' I TJilA
ailments of the Russian " f - U"S!jf :5
T""l empress. The Russian f 1 f f I J?ZZZZm:fW
r V press, even now that I f yr"7 ' I -f -W
f, there Is supposed to no I a t? , wi, -
censorship in Russia, is I 1 1 f I'
forbidden to print any- I 1 7 I Lai
thing concerning the lm- "I O Jj I I
perial family aside from I rvfi I dr Cv I I
the official reports dls- l O 1 1 I I W XV I
1) n W 3 1 A T 7 1
II m -. vt. - ,v ...... .. I, j&vi
awts Z&e CZZP Sip
44
palace added to the misery of the
young empress. She noticed that the
czar was angry at her because she
was "endeavoring to Introduce in Rus
sia western reforms and that she con
sidered herself more intelligent than
the entire household in the palace."
In the meantime storms of uprest
had broken out in the land, and or
ders were given to pacify the discon
tented at all cost. The empress did
not know of the horrors that were per
petrated in Russia, and when she
learned of them she consoled Herself
in the thought that all 'the cruelties
directed against the Russian people
were not committed by order of the
czar. She believed that the czar, like
herself, was ignorant ot what was go
ing on in the land.
But she soon fonnd out her. error.
Then her suffering grew ever more In
tense. She looked with disgust upon
the clique surrounding her, upon their
hypocritical smiles and greetings, but
she was unable to change anything
even in the palace. It was then that
she became seriously ill.
When the empress had recovered
she divided her time between her chil
dren and her desk. She turned once
more to the reading of books and also
devoted considerable time to writing.
Nevertheless the feeling that she was
alone and misunderstood in the palace
weighed heavily upon her. She grew
ever more and more melancholy.
One day, after having worked for
some time upon the tragedy she was
writing, the empress entered the
czar's study. . She found him seated at
his desk looking over numerous docu
ments. 'He brightened up when she
entered and he kissed her hands.
"Why are you so sad?" she' asked.
"I am thinking of the future of our
children." he replied.
The empress looked at him sur
prised. "I do not understand " she began,
looking Into his troubled eyes.
"A plot has Just been unearthed,"
he said cheerfully, yet with a shade ot
confusion.
"Oh, I know about it "
"No, I mean another plot a new
one. They have Just learned of It to
day." And shaking his head he
added:
"Do you understand now?"
- And he described to her In detail
the conspiracy of the terrorists
against his life. They became more
sad than before. The shadow of dan
ger , was still hovering over their
heads.
They endeavored to calm eah oth
er, but somehow their words were un
certain.
Thank God, It is all over now,"
said the empress, heaving a deep sigh.
I had a terrible presentiment during
the last few days. Wherever I went
I could not rid myself of the terrible
thoughts that haunted me."
Really. Do you know," answered
the czar, "l also felt ill, feverish,
weak. They keep me In a constant
state of terror." 1
The empress tried to calm him
again. He smiled bitterly and hand
ed her a document bearing numerous
notes in red ink.
The empress made an effort to ap
pear calm as she read the document,
for she felt that the emperor was
watching her closely.'
tWhat wicked people! Savages!"
said the empress as Bhe looked up to
him. ,
"That Is exactly what Is troubling
me," replied the emperor with- a sad.
forced smile. "I snould not like to
leave to my son a heritage in such a
dreadful state!
"Do not speak of this, do not speak
of this!"
The empress advanced to him and
took his hand.
"With the help of God all will be
well. All will be well!" she repeated.
"And you, would you want to re
main a widow?" the czar suddenly
smiled strangely. His eyes were cold
and moist. .
Th pmnress shuddered at these
words. She released his band ana
looked at him fixedly. -
"My dear," she said in tremulous
voice, "I have wanted to speak to you
seriously for some time. This Is im
possible! Do you understand? This
life we are leading is Impossible. You
must do something to change it. You
must decide to do something!"
The empress" voice quivered and
there were tears in her eyes.
"For my sake and four yours, for
the sake of our dear children, do
something! Even if you , have to
even If you have to yield. Do It!"
"What can I do?" asked the czar.
"Tell me. Do they know what they
want? Some of the people want one
thing, others want another. Don't you
know that yourself?"
"Will you deny that there Is a sys
tem ot provocation and spying In Rus
sia," she demanded.
The empress spoke with firmness
and authority.
"There Is an Infernal machine In
your hands," she said, "and you look
nnon it as a plaything. I know that
I upon some occasions you speak with
authority, but when a matter requires
energy and determination you yield to
the first adviser who knows how to in
fluence you!" ,.
Then the empress spoke more softly.
I understand mat you orten nna 1 CiaUy did thy enjoy capturing dishon
yourself In an embarrassing position, j
But you believe everything that should j :
be repulsive to you. You yield to flat- j
tery and " j
"My dear, do not talk to me about j
these fables. You and I cannot think !
of anything that will change all this. (
The laws of nature cannot be changed. ',
Some of the people will demand wa
ter, others will demand fire. All I
could do would be to make. some con
cessions. Otherwise everything must
remain as it is. It must be so. Do
you understand?"
The czar seemed pleased with his
words. He leaned back in his arm
chair and added angrily:
"I have tried everything!"
"But I cannot go on like this," cried 1
the empress. "I cannot. I am going ;
away. I have no strength any longer, i
I am afraid to look at myself! When
I see myself in a mirror I am seized
with terror."
What can I do?
You must consult
the physicians."
The empress looked at him angrily
and shook her head.
"Perhaps things will run more ;
smoothly when you will be a widow." j
said the czar, rising from his seat and ;
running back and forth in his study.
"That is nonsense," he said sud- i
denly. and rang the bell, pausing in ,
the center of the room perplexed. j
When the servant entered the czar
shouted and stamped his feet. The 1 berland. plotted to make unlucky lit
empress had fainted. She was taken tie Lady Jane Gray - (his daughter-in-to
her room and remained for a long law) queen of England Queen Mary,
time under the care of her physicians, daughter of Henry VIII., crushed the
The czar neglected all Important af- I PlL mounted the throne herself, and
fairs of state when-the empress was i condemned to death Lady Jaehe J
ill.
In the evening the minister of
the Interior arrived at the palace with
an important report. When he was
ushered into the czar's study the
czar shouted at him nervously:
"For God's sake leave me alone!
The empress is ill! Do whatever you
like! It is all the same to me."
When the minister of the interior
offered a few words of consolation the
czar interrupted him:
"I know you! I know everything! 1
know you all!" and he waved his
hand.
The minister of the interior walked
out of the czar's study confused and
humiliated. .
And the minister of the Interior,
heard the czar shouting to himself:
"Monarchy, constitution, anarchy.
Even my nearest are against me."
The health of the empress was shat
tered and for a long time she was suf
fering from a nervous breakdown.
During that Illness various rumors
were spreading In the palace. It was
said that the czarina was planning to
leave the palace and return to her na
tive land. It was then also rumored
that she wanted the czar to abdicate
and leave Russia. But all knew that
she rebuked the czar for his lack of
will power and determination
"Heere, underneethe thys Lyttel stone,
Lies Robert, Earle of Huntingdone.
For twenty years and somethyngre more
Hee robb'd the rich to feed the poore.
No archer wast as hee soe goode.
And menne did call' hym 'Robin' Hood'
Such outlawes as hee and bys menne
Will England never see agayne."
SO RUNS an
old rhyme.
The man
about whom
it was written un
doubtedly lived
and was known
from one end of
England to the
other: But whether
half the . stories
told about him is ROBIN MOOD
true is quite another matter. It is
bard in writing of Robin Hood to sift
lact from legend. ' This story can but
tell the popular version of his career
without vouching for its entire truth.
Robin Hood is said to4 have been
born in 1160, and to have been a no
bleman's son who, through injustice,
was outlawed. He took refuge In
Sherwood forest, in Nottinghamshire,
England. There he gathered, about
him a band of unfortunate men as des
perate as himself, and prepared to
make war on the world at large.
It was a rude, violent age. . Human
life was held lightly. Laws were bar
barous. For shooting deer in the roy
al forests the penalty was torture and
i (for the second offense) death. The
barons and other rich and powerful
men could overtax and ill-use the poor
ilmost without restraint. Persons who
Buffered under such tyranny had usu
ally no redress. Often they revenged
themselves by plundering their for
mer masters and by preying on human
ity at large. Says one old historian
(Stow). -
"In this time were many robbers and
outlaws, among which Robin Hood and
Little John, renowned theeves, .contin
ued in the woods, despoyling and rob
bing the goodes of the rich. The said
1 Robin suffered no woman to be op
pressed or molested. Poore men's
I goodes he spared; abundantlie reliev
ing them with that which by theft he
I got from the houses of the rich. , Of
j all theeves Maior (an early writer) af
; Brmeth him to be the prince and the
j most gentle theefe."
' Robin and his band dwelt in the
j greenwood, patrolling the highroads
and hnlriinsr nn rirh trflvolpra Icno.
The Earl cf Leicester, a "Might-Have-Been" Who Failed
"Here lies a valiant warrior who never
drew a sword.
Here lies a wily courtier who never kept
his word.
Here lies the Earl of Leicester who gov
erned the estates:
Whom, living, Man could never love and
a just. Heaven now hates.'
T
I HIS scurrilous, mock-epitapn.
written by a political foe, sizes
. up the character of Robert Dud
ley, earl of Leicester, tar Deuer
; than do the stately lines on his tomb.
! But neither of the two tell the most
;mnArt9nt thine about him: namely,
tnat ne pl.0hably came within an ace
q helng prince consort of England.
huBband of Queen Elizabeth, and (if
the laws could have 'been juggled to
fit the case) even king.'
Leicester's only claims to success
were good looks, charm of manner
and total lack of conscience. Yet
these three qualities lifted him .high
er than almost any other man of his
day. He had the still further handi
cap of beginning his political career in
prison. The start was not favorable.
But the man's luck quickly made up
for this drawback.
His father, the duke of Northum-
young nusoanu. ana w.uiuc.
nimseit. KODert uuuiey inui""""
land's second son and Lady Jane's
brother-in-law), was also thrown into
jail, accused of a share In the con
spiracy and was sentenced to death.
But he was soon set free and given
a court position.
When Elizabeth came to the throne
in 1558. her fickle fancy was caught
by young Dudley. He was strikingly
handsome and she loved handsome
men. He was a clever flatterer and
she adored flattery. She gave Lei
cester one high ofllce after another,
heaping rank and honors upon him to
the scandal of all Europe. ' ,
There can be no doubt the queen
was deeply in love with him. It was
rumored that this capricious ' sover
eign, who, had stubbornly- refused to
marry any European prince or king,
meant to bestow her hand on Dudley.
But there was a hitch in this plan.
He was already married. When- he
was a mere youth he wedded Amy
Robsart, daughter of a rich old knight.
For years Amy had been , kept away
from court in an obscure Berkshire
country house, Cumnor hall. There
Dudley, once in a great while, visited
hr. But for the most part she lived
wretchedly lonely life. Now that
est money lenders and cruel landlords.
Robin's favorite method with such pris- '
oners was to conduct them to his se
cret glade and there regale them with
a feast. (The food consisted largely
of stolen deer and dainties filched
from-noblemen's larders.) After the
meal , he would suggest that they pay
for their entertainment by giving him
all their money and jewels. At other
times he would go, disguised, to some .
town, make friends with a local rich
man and under some pretext lure him
to the forest.. .
That Robin did not steal from the
poor was not an especially noble trait.
The poor had nothing worth stealing.
Moreover, by helping the peasants
with a little money now and then be
made them his friends and gave them
an interest in warning him against his
pursuers. '
Robin and his men were splendid
archers. Their skill with bow and
arrow reached the king's ears. His 1
majesty is said to have been so much
pleased . Vith the band's archery that -he
pardoned them all. ; But Robin .
could not long remain out of trouble.
He. fell foul of the law once more, and
the sheriff of Nottingham was sent
to crush him. In the woodland battle
that followed the sheriff's men were
beaten off. Soon afterward Robin fell
dangerously ill. There was no surgeon
nearby. So his men carried him to a
convent, where his cousin was a lay
sister. She had great repute In medi
cine and Robin thought she might save,
him. She dared not refuse shelter to
the sick man for fear of his followers
wrath. But she dared not cure him,
lest the king should hear that the
convent had harbored and aided an
outlaw. So, according to the story, she .
opened a vein in his arm and left him .
to bleed to death.
When the dying man learned of her
treachery he set his bugle to his lips '
and blew a feeble blast. Little John,
his lieutenant, beard it, and rushed to
the sick room. Robin, so runs the old
ballad, forbade Little John to take ven
geance on the convent. . Then, setting
arrow to bow for the last time, be
sent the shaft whizzing out through an ;
open window and begged to be buried
at the spot where his arrow should
strike earth. v
A likeable, rollicking, ' sentimental '
outlaw. His life story (even stripped
of all legend and folklore) seems to .
entitle him to a goodly place among
Historic Blackguards. ,
he was an aspirant for Elizabeth's '
hand, it became necessary for the
neglectful husband td get rid of his
wife. Accordingly, Amy was found
one day lying dead In Cumnor hall,
her neck broken.
It was soon after this tragedy that
the queen raised 'Dudley to the rank
of "Earl of Leicester." She also sug
gested him as a suitable husband for
the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots.
(This was thought to be a blind to
hide her own love for him. Leicester
afterward , proposed that Mary, who .
was then a prisoner of Elizabeth's, be
put out of the way by poison.) Eliza
beth gave Leicester the magnificent -castle
of Kenilworth and other rich es
tates in Warwickshire., At this castle,
in 1375 he entertained the queen for
some days with a series of gaudy spec
tacles and revels that cost him $300,. ,
000, which sum his various court of
ficers doubtless permitted him to gala
back from the people. . , v
.At this time his coming marriage to
the queen .was a matter of common
talk. Just what wrecked the plan no
one knows. In any case, something
occurred to destroy Leicester's hopes
and to "turn him, in a moment, from
possible prince consort to a mere
"might have been."
He revenged himself by marrying
the countess of Essex, whose husband :
he was suspected Of poisoning. Eliza
beth could never bear to have hex
courtiers look at any other woman ex-
cept herself. . She flew Into a mad rags
at news of Leicester's marriage and
swore he should die In the Tower of
London. But she soon forgave him '
and even afforded him new chances
for official incompetency. .
In 1588, in his fifty-seventh year,
Leicester died. It was at the time,
rumored that he met death by drink- '
ing a cup of poison he had. prepared
for his wife. This may have been a
bit of malicious court gossip; or, li
true, it may have implied that he still '
believed he could win Elizabeth'!
hand.
, A Butcher Shop Idyl.
She was pretty and she loked soul
fUl., '
"How much is porterhouse?" sh
timidly inquired.
"Umpty cents a pound," said thi
butcher, a large, coarse man. .
"Oh, I cannot afford that. I'm dls
couraged at these, high prices." Sh
began to weep.
"Take heart," murmured a benevo
lent looking old gentleman.:
' "I guess I will. ; That comes cheap
er. Please wrap me up halt a pound.
1
r
