Produced by David Kline, Greg Bergquist and The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: THE KREMLIN.] Edition d'Elite Historical Tales The Romance of Reality By CHARLES MORRIS _Author of "Half-Hours with the Best American Authors," "Tales from the Dramatists," etc._ IN FIFTEEN VOLUMES Volume VIII Russian J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY PHILADELPHIA AND LONDON Copyright, 1898, by J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. Copyright, 1904, by J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. Copyright, 1908, by J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. _CONTENTS._ PAGE THE ANCIENT SCYTHIANS 5 OLEG THE VARANGIAN 14 THE VENGEANCE OF QUEEN OLGA 21 VLADIMIR THE GREAT 29 THE LAWGIVER OF RUSSIA 41 THE YOKE OF THE TARTARS 49 THE VICTORY OF THE DON 55 IVAN, THE FIRST OF THE CZARS 60 THE FALL OF NOVGOROD THE GREAT 64 IVAN THE TERRIBLE 74 THE CONQUEST OF SIBERIA 80 THE MACBETH OF RUSSIA 85 THE ERA OF THE IMPOSTORS 101 THE BOOKS OF ANCESTRY 110 BOYHOOD OF PETER THE GREAT 114 CARPENTER PETER OF ZAANDAM 123 THE FALL OF THE STRELITZ 132 THE CRUSADE AGAINST BEARDS AND CLOAKS 142 MAZEPPA, THE COSSACK CHIEF 149 A WINDOW OPEN TO EUROPE 155 FROM THE HOVEL TO THE THRONE 165 BUFFOONERIES OF THE RUSSIAN COURT 174 HOW A WOMAN DETHRONED A MAN 184 A STRUGGLE FOR A THRONE 195 THE FLIGHT OF THE KALMUCKS 202 A MAGICAL TRANSFORMATION SCENE 220 KOSCIUSKO AND THE FALL OF POLAND 226 SUWARROW THE UNCONQUERABLE 231 THE RETREAT OF NAPOLEON'S GRAND ARMY 241 THE DEATH-STRUGGLE OF POLAND 248 SCHAMYL, THE HERO OF CIRCASSIA 258 THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE 267 THE FALL OF SEBASTOPOL 276 AT THE GATES OF CONSTANTINOPLE 284 THE NIHILISTS AND THEIR WORK 293 THE ADVANCE OF RUSSIA IN ASIA 300