Olga Constantinovna of Russia

Without concerted action, without interchange of suggestion, this impulse seemed to seize all the old world monarchs at once.

Suddenly, cablegrams flashed to the government at Washington, announcing that Queen Victoria and Emperor William, the Tsar Nicholas, Alfonso of Spain with his mother Maria Christina, the old Emperor Francis Joseph and the Empress Elizabeth of Austria, King Oscar and Queen Sophia of Sweden and Norway, King Humbert and Queen Margarita of Italy, King George and Queen Olga of Greece, Abul Hamid of Turkey, Hsien Yen, Emperor of China, Mutohito, the Japanese Mikado with his beautiful princess Haruto, the President of France, the President of Switzerland, the First Syndic of the little Republic Vandora perched on the crest of the Pyrenees, and the heads of all the Central and South American republics were coming to Washington to take part in the deliberations which, it was felt, were to settle the fate of Earth and Mars.

One day after this announcement had been received and the additional news had come that nearly all the visiting monarchs had set out, attended by brilliant suites and convoyed by fleets of warships for their destination, some coming across the Atlantic to the port of New York, others across the Pacific to San Francisco, Mr. Edison said to me, This will be a fine spectacle.

Would you like to watch it? Certainly, I replied.

Magnificent equipages flashed in the morning sunlight.

The flags of every nation on the earth fluttered in the breeze.

Queen Victoria, with the Prince of Wales escorting her and riding in an open carriage, was greeted with roars of cheers.

The Emperor William, following in another carriage with Empress Victoria at his side, condescended to bow and smile in response to the greetings of a free people.

Madame Perrin succeeded in 1896 in organizing a federation of Greek women, which has belonged to the International Council of Women since 1908.

The presidency of the federation was accepted by Queen Olga.

The federation has five sections.

One, the national section.

And thus ignobly he who had slain men by thousands and conquered an empire came to his death.

End of chapter 2 Chapter 3 of Historical Tales, Volume 8, Russian, by Charles Morris This LibriVox recording is in the public domain Chapter 3 The Vengeance of Queen Olga The death of Oleg brought Igor his ward, then nearly forty years of age, to the throne of Rurik his father.

And the same old story of bloodshed and barbarity went on.

In those days a king was king in name only.

The Drevlians, driven to extremity, came with arms instead of gold, attacked the king and his few followers, and killed the whole of them upon the spot.

And thus in blood ended the career of this white-haired tribute-seeker.

The fallen prince left behind him a widow named Olga, and a son named Svyatoslav, who was still a child, as Igor had been at the death of his father.

So Olga became regent of the kingdom, and Sveneld was made leader of the army.

And thus ignobly he who had slain men by thousands and conquered an empire came to his death.

End of chapter 2 Chapter 3 of Historical Tales, Volume 8, Russian, by Charles Morris This LibriVox recording is in the public domain Chapter 3 The Vengeance of Queen Olga The death of Oleg brought Igor, his ward, then nearly forty years of age, to the throne of Rurik his father.

And the same old story of bloodshed and barbarity went on.

In those days a king was king in name only.

The Drevlians, driven to extremity, came with arms instead of gold, attacked the king and his few followers, and killed the whole of them upon the spot.

And thus in blood ended the career of this white-haired tribute-seeker.

The fallen prince left behind him a widow named Olga, and a son named Svyatoslav, who was still a child, as Igor had been at the death of his father.

So Olga became regent of the kingdom, and Sveneld was made leader of the army.