n ran
through the crowd and along the ranks like a solemn growl. Then there
was a deep, intense silence, which was faintly broken by the Bishop of
Kischeneff reading the manifesto. He had not read far, when sobs were
heard. It was the voice of the Emperor Alexander, who prided himself on
the fact that the glory of his reign had hitherto been its peaceful
character. They say that it had been his boast and hope that he should
finish it without a war. Previously he had said to the troops: "I have
done everything in my power to avoid war and bloodshed. Nobody can say
we have not been patient, or that the war has been of our seeking. We
have practised patience to the last degree, but there comes a time when
even patience must end. When that time comes, I know that the young
Russian army of to-day will not show itself unworthy of the fame which
the old army won in days gone by."

What the "young army" thought of the fame of its elder brother, as well
as of the sobs of its present Emperor, may be gathered from the fact
that it went all but mad with enthusiasm! When the Bishop finished
reading, there went up a wild and universal shout of joy of exultation,
of triumph, of relief, as though a great weight of suspense had been
lifted from the hearts of the multitude. It spread through the army
like light, and was raised again and again, until the very vault of
heaven seemed to thunder, while the soldiers tossed their caps in the
air, or twirled them on their bayonets for several minutes.

Then the _ordre du jour_ of the Grand Duke Nicholas, commander-in-chief
of the army, was read to every battalion, squadron, and battery, and the
day's work was done. The right was legally and constitutionally granted
to some hundreds of thousands of young men to go forth and slaughter,
burn, and destroy, to their hearts' content--in other words, to "gather
laurels."

It was a sad day's work--sad for Turkey, sad for Russia, sad for Europe,
and especially sad for the women, children, and old people of the
theatre of the future war. It was a good day's work for nobody and for
nothing; but it was the legitimate outcome of work that had been going
on for years before.

In pondering over the matter since, I have often been led to ask myself
with considerable surprise, Why did this war occur--who wanted it? It
is quite plain that Europe did not, equally plain that Turkey did not,
still more plain that the Emperor Alexander did not, for