guided entirely by personal favorites and friends.

While all Europe is uneasy about him, the Sultan is keeping very quiet,
not letting any one have the smallest idea what he means to say or do when
these reforms are offered to him.

* * * * *

The Czar of Russia is quite ill, and every one feels sorry that he should
be sick now, when his advice and assistance are so badly needed to settle
the worrying Turkish question, which has so troubled Europe.

The young Czar Nicholas, who was crowned with so much pomp and glory at
Moscow last August, seems unable to carry on the government of Russia.

Many people say he is too weak to govern, and that there are going to be
troubles and revolts in Russia.

The truth of the matter seems to be, that the young Czar is a gentle,
kind-hearted man, who will not govern Russia in the stern, cruel way that
his forefathers have done, and who is therefore thought to be weak and
incapable.

While he is making a part of his people love him for his goodness, by far
the larger half, who have, under the old rule, been able to make money
and gain great power, are furious against him.

Poor young Nicholas is not only hated by the people who were most friendly
to his father, but by the Nihilists, who look upon him as their natural
enemy, and, between the two parties, it is said that the Czar goes about