Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1882-02-09
THE NIHILIST'S STORY.

For II little after the Colonel had
ceased, no one spoke. and only the
cracking of the open fire, as it laughed
and cracked upon the wide hearth with
in, and the moan of the night-wind
roaming the lonely waste. without,
broke the silence, while we steadily
pulled at our pipes; then Thompson.
the host, arose and began to brew n
fresh jug of flip, and the West Virginian,
Destram, turned to his companion and
spoke:
ALEX, it'syour turn. Give us Rus
sian story, full to the brim with horrors.
4 bear hunt upon your illimitable
steppes, wolf chase along the VOlga,
a Cossack fight in the south or Tartar
raid upon the north: or better still, tell
us of your own Nihilistic trials
The man to whom Destram spoke
shivered, and his strong face. dark and
deeply cut. twitched little, while his
eye cleaned. He hesitated moment,
then carefully laid his pipe upon the
rough table, and half-turning. replied:
Gentlemen, if it is my turn l will
speak, and as my friend has suggested
the subject. although it is not a pleasant
one TO me. l will tell you tale of my
home, Russia, and of myself, Nihilist.
If it seem strange. then grant me that
strange things and horrible ones may
happen even in Christian Europe, and
in this nineteenth century. 1t is word
for word true"
We drew nearer the speaker. and list
ened intently. A Russian story told in
Colorado. for our cabin was far up
among the spurs of the Rockies, in the
western portion of the State, and that
story the history of Nihilist, was new
and strange treat for American ears.
"Six years ago, l was living in Darn
owsky. in the province of Rubin, in the
southern part of the greatest of Eu-
ropean empires, young man happy as
circumstances would allow. and at the
time of which speak, doubly happy and
contented in my little school; for was
n teacher, since / had Just made the
sweetest and prettiest girl in the village
my wife.
Marie CarlOff was mine, Won from
n score of suitors by love alone, for l
had little money, and was content.
"Chief among the disconsolate ones
was the son Of an ex-army officer. Louis
Lodiski. by name, handsome but I'M
principled fellow, who for years had
been infatuated with Marie. However,
when our coming wedding was an
nounced. Louis left the village. and
was spared his scowl and muttered
threats, and soon forgot him in the joy
of hone-life.
For three years was at rest. Then
came the great cloud that to-day over
hangs my native land, and its dark
shadow fell across even my humble
threshold. had been st. Petersburg
student, and when the strange mono
mania Of communism. silent and deadly,
crept through the Nation, it found in
me an easy prey. and l became Mill
list, swore the terrible oaths, and linked
myself body and soul to their unknown
and horrible purposes. l shudder now
as remember.
There was circle formed in our
town. and two months afterI had joined
it there appeared one night amongst us.
commissioned from the Grand Circle at
Moscow as our chief, Louis Lodiski.
Il bowed before him. but when saw
the fierce light Of bafled passion and
eager revenge CLEAN in his hated eyes,
brightly as when last l met him. theE