THE NIOBES OF HISTORY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3120, 28 June 1881, Page 4

THE NIOBES OF HISTORY.

Eeeent circumstances bring to mind the sad story of a Kussian lady who sought refuge in Italy one hundred years ago. This was the Princess Tarrakanoff", daughter of the Empress Elizabeth, and grand-daughter of Peter the Great. Her father was a singer, whom her mother had clandestinely married. She was a possible claimant of the throne occupied by Catlirine tho Great, bub was living a modest and retired life in St. Petersburg. The wrongs inflicted by Catherine on Poland excited the anger of Prince Radzivill, who seeing in the Princess Tarrakanoff an instrument of revenge, and having gained the consent of her guardians, bad her conveyed, with her governess, to

Rome. Catherine confiscated i nnce liadzivill'a estates, and when ho returned in poverty to Poland, offered to restore thorn if lie -would bring the Princess back to Russia, He complied so far as to consent; not to press her claims to tho throne and to withdraw his protection. Then Catherine sent Alexis Orloff, one of her favorites, to Italy, who needing a confederate, called to his aid a Neopolitan villain named Ribas. Ribas visited the Princess, pretending that he was drawn to her by sympathy with her misfortunes. Having won the confidence of the unsuspecting girl, he informed her that he came commissioned by Orloff to offer her the throne of "Russia, which she had been told by Prince Radzivill was hers by inheritance. Orloff was afterwards introduced to her, and being young, handsome, and fascinating, he Avon her heart and offered her his hand. She was an inexperienced girl of sixteen, and obeyed all his suggestions. He exprp"<>ed a desire to bo married by the vareek ritual, and having hirer! villains to assume tho office of pricsi, and witnesses, had a mock ceremony performed, after -which he hived a magnificent palace in Pisa, where she was taken to reside, pending the expected revolution that was to place her on the throne. Orloff played admirably the role of tender and affectionate husband, seeming to have no object in life but to gratify her every taste and. wish. The Russian fleet appeared opportunely in the neighboring port of Legborn, and he enticed her thither on the pretence of business, finding her a home at the house of the English Consul. Here her beauty and rank brought her great attention, and she was constantly surrounded by a brilliant circle. She asked to visit the fleet, and a day was appointed for the purpose. She was taken from shore in a boat splendidly equipped, filled with ladies of the city and her recently acquired friends. The fleet received her with music, cheers and volleys of artillery. She was hoisted up the side of the ship in a magnificent chair, but no sooner had her foot touched the deck than she was handcuffed and taken to the hold. She wept at the feet of her supposed husband, but could not move him. it was said that he had presented the poisoned cup to the late Czar at Catherine's command. She was taken to Russia, and imprisoned in a fortress on the banks of tho Neva, but whether she was murdered or drowned in an inundation that occurred a few years later, was never known. The manner in which she was taken from Italy was considered to be in violation of international comity, and remonstrances were made by Tuscany and Austria, but without result;. The Princess Tarrakanoff has since taken her place among the Niobes of history beside Lady Jane G-rey and other hapless women, become by chance the victims of royal resentment. She lias been made the heroine of several historical novels, which are now forgotten.