BILLY BOBSTAY AND FRIENDS.
The omnibuses had been dismissed for the day, for the afternoon was
to be used in visiting two of the principal churches, which were
within walking distance of the hotel, and on the way to the English
Quay, where the party were to embark at six o'clock for Cronstadt. The
students separated into small squads, the more studious and thoughtful
ones clinging to the guides and others who knew something about the
city, in order to obtain proper explanations of what they saw. All of
them walked through the bazaar, and most of them looked into the little
chapel near it, and studied the signals on the watch-tower above the
Town Hall. Some amused themselves by trying to read the signs; but
they could make nothing of them, though there was occasionally one
in French. All the educated Russians speak French fluently, and in
the larger stores there is generally one or more who converse in this
language. A short walk on the Nevski Prospect brought the tourists to
the Kazan Cathedral.
This church was founded in 1802, and consecrated in 1811, and cost
about three million dollars. The cross above the dome is two hundred
and thirty feet from the ground. In the semicircle formed by the
colonnade in front are statues of Kutuzoff and Barclay de Tolly, two
generals who distinguished themselves in the Moscow campaign against
Napoleon. The interior of the church contains fifty-six columns of
Finland granite, each being a single stone, thirty-five feet high,
which support the dome and roof. The screen, or partition,--in Russian,
_ikonostas_,--that separates the altar from the body of the church,
is of silver, the material for which was captured from friend and foe
by the Cossacks in the Moscow campaign, and became an offering to the
Madonna of this church. In the centre of the middle doors of the screen
is inscribed, in precious stones, the name of God. In a conspicuous
place in the partition is placed the miraculous picture of the Virgin,
found unharmed in the ashes of the convent in which it was kept, after
the burning of Kazan carried to Moscow by Ivan the Terrible, and
removed to St. Petersburg in 1821. It is loaded with gold and precious
stones to the value of seventy-five thousand dollars, enough to build
half a dozen churches in the country in America. This is the church of
the imperial family, which the emperor attends on special occasions.
After his escape from the assassin at the gate of the Summer Garden, he
came twice to give thanks; and when the Princess Dagmar was escorted
through the streets, as the betrothed of the present Grand Duke
Alexander, the procession paused in the street while the royal party
entered the church to return thanks for her safe arrival. Opposite the
_ikonostas_ is a chair for the Czar, who is the head of the church and
the only one to whom the privilege of being seated is allowed. The
walls and columns of the interior are hung with flags, banners, keys,
and other military trophies. In a glass case is the baton of Davoust,
one of Napoleon's generals. A great many keys of towns and fortresses
are exhibited, and the church has somewhat the appearance of an arsenal.
From this church the students walked to St. Isaac's, in the square
of the same name, a large, open space, flanked by some of the finest
public buildings and monuments in the city. On this spot Peter the
Great built a wooden church, in 1710, which gave place to another,
built by Catharine I. The present edifice was commenced in 1819, and
consecrated in 1858. The ground is swampy, and the piles which were
driven to support the foundation cost a million dollars--enough to
build a dozen substantial churches in any city in America. It is in the
form of the Greek cross, with four grand fronts, which are similar to
that of the Pantheon at Paris, with columns sixty feet high and seven
in diameter, of highly-polished Finland granite, of a reddish hue. The
dome is nearly like that of the Capitol at Washington, and is gilded,
so that it is a "shining mark" for a great distance. On the four
corners are smaller bell-towers, each containing several bells, though
such a thing as a chime is unknown in Russia. Externally, this church
is one of the grandest and most beautiful in the world.
The walls of the interior are covered with marble, and are adorned
with pictures of the saints, decked with gold and precious stones,
before which are the circular stands for the offerings of candles.
Near the door is an official, who is authorized to sell these candles
to worshippers. As in all the Russian churches, the _ikonostas_, or
altar-screen, is the most prominent object, which is almost covered
with the gilded plates which form the raiment of the holy persons, with
spaces cut out to exhibit the faces, hands, and feet of the painting.
Before the principal saints elaborate lamps are suspended, which are
lighted during service. In the screen are three doors, the double ones,
in the middle, being "the royal gates," so called because the emperor
passes through them at his coronation. On each side of them is a pillar
of lapis lazuli, set on iron columns, the two costing sixty thousand
dollars. The doors are of bronze, of very elaborate construction.
The space behind the screen, which occupies about one eighth of the
interior of the church, is the altar, in which stands a small round
temple, with eight columns of malachite, eight feet high, the material
for which cost a hundred thousand dollars. This temple is really the
altar, the shrine of the church, in which are placed a richly-bound
volume, called the "Gospels," a gold cross used in the service, the
vessel for the sacred elements, and the silk in which they are placed
when consecrated. Behind the altar, on the window, is an immense
painting of Christ.
Services are held three times every day in most of the churches;
and when the students entered the edifice, the preparations were in
progress, and they remained to witness the worship. All who entered
crossed themselves, and many purchased candles and made offerings of
them to the saints, St. Isaac of Dalmatia being the principal one,
and women and children kissed the hands of the Virgin, and other
holy persons represented by pictures. The church gives a literal
interpretation of the commandment, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any
graven image," and no part of the person--only the raiment--of the
saints can be sculptured for purposes of worship. The service consisted
of intoned readings by the priests and deacons, the former being
within the royal doors a portion of the time, and is interspersed with
singing, generally in recitative style, by the choir, at the end of the
platform in front of the screen. The singers seem to break in upon the
priests' prayers at times, often with a short phrase or single word. No
female voices are allowed in the choir, and no organ or other musical
instrument is permitted.
During the service the worshippers in front frequently cross
themselves, the more devoted kneeling and bowing till their foreheads
touch the pavement. Only a few, however, bend thus lowly, and it is
noticeable that these are of the lower order. Well-dressed ladies and
gentlemen are not seen to do anything more than cross themselves,
though all appear to be devout and solemnly engaged in the exercises.
Outside of the doors there are always a number of beggars, who stand
with hand extended, as the people come out of the church. Besides the
chance alms-giving of the worshippers, wrung from them by importunity,
one is occasionally seen evidently roused by the service to a keener
sense of duty, who makes a systematic business of it, bestowing upon
each of the beggars a smaller or larger sum, according to his means.
After the service some of the students were permitted to enter the
altar, which is the Holy of Holies, as in King Solomon's Temple. Paul
Kendall and his wife were about to follow them, when the uniformed
official interposed, and shook his head earnestly. Paul did not
understand him, and one of the guides was called.
"No female is allowed to enter the sanctuary," the man explained.
"Woman's rights haven't been attended to here," replied Paul, as he
retired with Grace.
But there was nothing particular to be seen in the altar space, except
the consecrated articles used in the service. Lincoln was on the point
of passing between the altar itself and the royal doors, when the
church official stopped him, saying that none but the priest and the
emperor were allowed to pass in that direction.
"I wish I could understand more of it," said Lincoln, as he walked with
his friend, the doctor, towards the quay.
"The language of the Russian church is the ancient Sclavonic," replied
the surgeon, "as Latin is of the Roman Catholic; and probably not many
of the people understand it. But they are very devout."
"I have seen that about the streets. Did any one ever hear such bass
voices as some of these singers have? Why, they sounded like the
rumbling of an earthquake."
"That is one of the great peculiarities of the churches in Russia; and
these deep, heavy bass voices are considered very desirable. You will
find that the wealthier the church, and the more popular the service,
the deeper and heavier are the tones of the bass singers. Doubtless
those in St. Isaac's are among the most celebrated; but in the Kazan
Cathedral, and the Church of St. Alexander Nevski, you will hear
those of about the same volume and power. Of course it requires much
cultivation to develop such a voice; but these singers are so much in
demand that they are amply compensated for their labor."
"I suppose this religion is very much like the Roman Catholic," added
Lincoln.
"Yes, it is quite similar; but there are important differences. The
Russian church rejects purgatory, predestination, indulgences, and
dispensations. In baptism, the body must be completely submerged, and
anointed with consecrated oil. The people have not the same respect for
the clergy which you will find in Catholic countries, for though they
venerate the office, they often despise the priests, who are a peculiar
class; and the office is, in a measure, hereditary among them, though
not closed to others. The nobility do not take the priestly office. A
clergyman's sons generally follow him in the choice of a profession,
and his daughters are oftener than otherwise married to priests.
Sometimes the candidate for a position as priest gets his office by
marrying the daughter of a deceased incumbent. The consistory, which
has the giving of these places, knows the affairs of the whole diocese.
If a priest dies, leaving a marriageable daughter, the council often
provides for her and the church at the same time, by giving the vacant
place to one who will take the maiden. The priests are not very well
educated, though in this respect they are improving. An ecclesiastic
cannot marry a widow, and when his wife dies he cannot perform the
service, but may be a monk, and be eligible to the highest offices in
the church. The scriptural injunction that a bishop must be the husband
of one wife, does not mean, to the Russian, _at least_ one, as with
the Mormon, but only one, not even one at a time, as other Christians
interpret it. Any one who marries a second time cannot partake of the
communion for one year; and a third time, for four years."
"The priests take good care of their wives, I suppose, since their
office depends upon them."
"Yes, such is the fact," added the doctor, as they went on board of the
steamer.
The students were on the quay promptly at the hour appointed, and the
steamer departed for Cronstadt. Although the sights in St. Petersburg
had been unusually interesting, the boys could not entirely forget
the subject of the delegates who were to go down the Volga, and some
electioneering was done. De Forrest had been at work upon what he
called the compromise ticket. He had even made some advances to Scott,
but had not found a favorable opportunity to discuss the subject with
him. On board of the steamer he made the occasion.
"I want to talk with you, Scott," said he.
"Right; say on," replied the joker.
"I suppose you feel some interest in the question of going that
journey."
"You are a wizard! Who told you I did?"
"No one; I suppose every fellow wants to go. I do, for one."
"And I, for another; and there will be a great many fellows
disappointed."
"The ship's company are to vote for two, you know," added the first
purser, feeling his way to the question.
"That's so; if you want to say anything about it, speak right out; you
needn't beat about the bush any more."
"I think the other one ought to have been elected, instead of being
appointed by the captain."
"Perhaps Captain Cantwell will select you," suggested Scott.
"Of course he will not; and if he did, I could not accept the privilege
from him," said De Forrest, stiffly.
"On your dignity--eh?" laughed Scott.
"I was opposed to him in the election, and I have no doubt he dislikes
me as much as I do him. I neither ask nor will take any favors from
him. But there is a chance for me to go by the election."
"There is a chance for any of us."
"It has been suggested that you and I may be voted for on the same
ticket. What do you say to that?"
"If any of the fellows want to vote for me, tell them to fire away; I
can stand it as long as they can. If they want to vote for you, I have
no doubt they will do it."
"But won't you do something to help the ticket along?"
"No, sir!" replied Scott, decidedly. "I won't nominate myself or any
other fellow. Let the crowd do that."
"They will do it, of course; but every fellow has some influence, you
know. It will be a fair thing to take one from the cabin, and one from
the steerage."
"Yes; but whom from the cabin, and whom from the steerage?"
"You and me. I don't see why we haven't just as good a right to it as
any one."
"I made up my mind that I should go for Commodore Lincoln for one,"
added Scott, to bring the matter to a head, for he did not like to see
any student working for himself.
"I think the fellows did enough for him when they made him commodore,"
growled De Forrest, disgusted at the want of appreciation on the part
of the joker.
"Perhaps the commodore will go for me, if I do for him," laughed Scott.
"Then you won't go in for the arrangement which the fellows are talking
about?"
"Who were talking about it?" asked Scott, who had his doubts whether
any one had spoken to De Forrest on the subject.
"Sheridan, for one. If you won't do anything for this ticket, I will
say no more about it."
"Don't say any more, then," replied Scott; and De Forrest left him,
angry and disgusted.
"What's up now, Scott?" asked Sheridan, stepping up to the joker at
this point.
"The first purser's dander," answered Scott. "I hear that you proposed
my name with his for the journey."
"I did mention it, certainly; but he had told me in the beginning that
he would not vote for you; he would jump overboard first. I suggested
the names, then, by way of jest, and he snapped at the idea as a
codfish at a clam."
"I see," laughed Scott. "I couldn't give him any comfort, and declined
to vote for the ticket. I won't vote for any fellow that goes around
electioneering for himself."
"My sentiment exactly," replied Sheridan. "But we ought to agree on
some fellows to vote for."
"I go for Lincoln, for one."
"I'm with you!" exclaimed the lieutenant. "I am sure that he has not
asked anybody to vote for him. Now, we want another real good fellow,
from the steerage. Who shall it be?"
"I don't know; we have so many good fellows it is hard to fix upon any
one. I will look them over and let you know."
"But do you know whom Cantwell will select?" asked Sheridan.
"I don't. I'm not in the way of seeing much of him since he went into
the captain's cabin. He don't go on shore at all now, and I suppose he
has been studying rigging, and making knots and splices, all day with
Peaks."
"Perhaps he will select himself," suggested Sheridan.
"If he does I will never vote for him again for anything. But he won't
do it."
"I don't see that we can agree on anything till we know whom he
chooses. He may pick out the very one we decide to vote for."
"I go in for a caucus of all hands."
"So do I; that is the fairest way," replied Sheridan, as the steamer
stopped at the side of the ship, and the students, without waiting for
planks and steps, leaped to her deck.
After supper all hands were called, and Captain Cantwell was requested
to appoint the student for the journey to the interior. The ship's crew
were all silent, curious and anxious to know who the favored one was to
be. The captain mounted the rostrum with the principal, and took off
his cap.
"I appoint Thomas Scott," said he.
The announcement was greeted with the most emphatic applause on the
part of the seamen, in which a few of the officers joined.
"Of course Scott knew he was to be appointed before," sneered De
Forrest.
"He did not know it," replied Sheridan; "and if he did, I don't know
that it alters anything."
"Scott made him captain, and this is his reward."
"You made Cantwell captain," retorted Sheridan. "Scott worked for him,
and I am glad to see that he remembers his friends."
"I supposed the captain would appoint himself."
"You judged him by yourself. I can tell you one thing, De Forrest:
these fellows that work for themselves don't accomplish much."
"The ballot for the other two will be taken in half an hour," said the
principal, who had been studying the effect of the captain's choice
upon the students.
"I congratulate you, Scott," said Sheridan. "You are sure of going, for
one."
"Thank you. I am sure, and I hope I shall have good fellows to go with
me," replied Scott.
"How about the caucus?"
"I have talked with some of the fellows forward, and they prefer to
have every fellow vote as he likes."
"All right. I am satisfied."
Scott went to the captain, and thanked him heartily for the favor he
had bestowed upon him.
"I am glad to serve you," replied Cantwell, "We are not even yet. I owe
my position to you, and I am grateful for your interest."
"Not at all; you may thank De Forrest more than me for your election,
for if those fellows in the cabin had not got up a conspiracy against
you, we could not have carried you in."
"I am trying hard to make myself worthy of the place; and I want to
add, that what you said to me that Sunday did me a great deal of good.
I shall try to make my shipmates like me," added the captain, as he
went aft.
"He's a good fellow, after all," said Scott to himself.
Certainly he had improved wonderfully since his election, for he was
gentlemanly and kind to all, and used no offensive condescension to
his inferiors, as all were to him now except the commodore. He had
found his weak points with the help of Scott, and was doing his best to
correct them.
In half an hour the balloting was commenced, and was conducted in the
same manner as that for the officers had been. The two persons to be
selected were voted for separately. No one had a majority; and a great
many had a single vote, leading to the suspicion that a considerable
number had voted for themselves. Among the latter was De Forrest, who
had done more electioneering on his own account than any other student
in the ship. Lincoln had the largest number, and it lacked only a few
votes of the required majority. The balloting was repeated, and this
time Lincoln was elected by a very handsome majority. De Forrest had
one vote again. The indications of the first two ballotings were a
guide for the next one. A little fellow, who had been nicknamed Billy
Bobstay, had thirty-one votes, which was next to the commodore's vote.
His real name was Bradshaw, and he was an orphan. He had lived in
Brockway with his uncle, who did not use him well, and the boy had
attempted to run away to sea, but had been returned to his guardian,
who was a poor man, and perhaps would have been glad to get rid of him,
though he gave him an unmerciful flogging. He compelled the boy to
work beyond his strength, thus exciting the sympathy of the neighbors.
Mr. Lowington was at home at this time, and heard about the case. He
examined the matter himself, and having satisfied himself that the
little fellow was abused, he offered to take him on board of the ship,
feed, clothe, and educate him. The uncle did not object, since he was
thus wholly relieved of the support of the boy, whose labor, hard as it
was for the youth, was not worth much to him, and Billy went on board
of the Young America, delighted both with the idea of going to sea, and
of getting away from his cruel and exacting uncle.
Though Billy had a great deal of spirit and energy, he was very kind
and obliging to all his shipmates, and soon became a great favorite
among them. As his education had been neglected, he could not compete
with his fellow-students yet, though he was making rapid progress in
his studies. His story was well known in the ship, and it excited the
sympathy of all the good-hearted boys on board, and these included many
of the wild and rude ones. If any one wanted to "pick" upon Billy,
he had a dozen champions always at hand to take his part. He was very
active and daring, and seemed to have been born for a sailor. His
station in making and furling sail was on the main royal, for though
he was nearly sixteen, he was one of the "lightest weights" on board.
Though he never had any money, except the small sums given him by the
principal, who was not a strong advocate of pocket-money for boys,
he shared the luxuries of the steerage as fairly as though he had
purchased his portion. Perhaps it was a freak on the part of a few of
the boys to vote for him, which had become contagious. At any rate, on
the next ballot, Billy Bobstay had a clean majority of all the votes,
and the result was hailed with lusty cheers by the crew.
"I can't go," said Billy, when his shipmates began to congratulate him.
"Why not?" asked one.
"I haven't any money," replied Billy, frankly and innocently. "Besides,
I don't want to take this chance when so many of the others wish to go."
"You shall have the money, my dear Billy," said Scott. "But who pays
the bills for this little excursion?"
No one knew; nothing had been said on this subject; and a messenger
was sent to the principal to ascertain his purpose in this important
particular.
"The expenses of all will be paid to Moscow; beyond that the party will
pay their own expenses," replied Mr. Lowington. "If, however, when they
return, I think it proper to reimburse them, I shall do so. Of course
any one may decline the privilege extended to him. It is not forced
upon him."
"Of course I can't go, then," said Billy Bobstay, decidedly. "I haven't
a dollar, nor a ruble, nor a copeck."
"Don't you decline yet, Bubby," interposed Scott.
"Yes, I shall. It wouldn't be fair for me not to do so."
"Don't you do it. We'll raise the money for you," persisted Scott.
"But I don't want to take any other fellow's chance. I am much obliged
to those that voted for me, but I can't go."
"Steady, now, my darling baby," continued Scott. "I want you to go, so
as to help me, for I have a big job on my hands."
"I tell you I can't go. It's no use to think of it."
"Then you won't help me?" added Scott, in sad tones.
"I shall be glad to help you. What can I do?"
"You can do a big thing for me--the greatest kindness that one good
fellow ever did for another. You are generally very obliging, William
Bobstay."
"What can I do for you?" asked Billy, much troubled at the thought of
disobliging any one.
"You can help me spend my money," pleaded Scott. "I have always been
willing to help any fellow in this way, even when he didn't have half
as much in his trousers pocket as I have."
"O, nonsense, Tom Scott. You are making game of me!" laughed Billy.
"Making game of you, my beloved infant! I should like to see the
fellow that would do it! I would make him up into Bologna sausages,
and then make him eat them. You are going, my child, and I'm going to
take care of you. Not another word; if you do it will choke you;" and
Scott ran off to execute a little scheme of his own, no less than to
take up a collection for the favorite.
"What's the matter?" asked Captain Cantwell, as Scott rushed by him.
The joker explained the situation, and said he was going to get up a
subscription.
"Don't do it, Scott. I shall not go on shore this month, and you shall
take my allowance for Billy. He shall go, and I will pay all his
expenses."
"That's handsome, captain," replied Scott, heartily; "but the fellows
that like Billy can give him a small sum each."
"They will all want their money on shore; I shall not. Wait a moment
till I go below for my rubles;" and the captain hastened down into the
cabin.
"Billy Bobstay, I will give you twenty rubles for your chance," said De
Forrest to the little favorite.
"I can't sell it."
"Yes, you can; just go to the principal, and tell him you would like
to have me go in your place. Don't say a word about the rubles, and he
will let you do it."
"I can't; the students elected me to go, and it wouldn't be right for
me to sell my chance," replied Billy, very respectfully, but firmly.
"Nonsense! Say quick, and run to the principal. I'll go with you."
"I can't do it."
"Do what?" asked Scott, coming up at this instant.
"It doesn't concern you. I didn't speak to you," said the purser,
sourly. "I order you to go forward."
Scott touched his cap, and obeyed; but De Forrest dared not say
anything more to Billy about the bribe, except to tell him not to
mention what he had offered.
"Here, my darling Billy!" exclaimed Scott, as the little fellow went
forward. "Here is a hundred rubles to pay your bills on the journey. It
is the free gift of Captain Cantwell, who insists upon paying all your
expenses, and declares that you must go. You see, my darling, he has so
much money he can't possibly get rid of it without your aid, and you
must do him the favor you refused me."
Scott repeated the story of the captain's generous gift so that all the
students on deck could hear it.
"Three cheers for Captain Cantwell!" roared one of the big fellows; and
they were given with a will.
The principal wanted to know what it meant, and Scott told him. He
smiled, and approved the act; and Billy Bobstay was actually crying,
he was so overcome by the kindness of his friends. Then Scott hugged
him, and made him laugh; and with the tears dropping down his cheeks,
he went to Cantwell and thanked him for his liberal gift. With but
few exceptions, the ship's company were pleased with the result. The
growing popularity of the captain troubled De Forrest, Beckwith, and a
few others, and they were thinking how they could safely turn the tide
against him.