Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-26
ONCE A NIliILIS1.
THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER IN THE
 ASYLUM AT sTEGLITz.


 He Was Drawn to Assassinate the Cxur.
 but Refused to Do the Deed-vengeancs
 of His old Comrades--A Devoted Sweet
 heart and Wife,
 In the blind asylum at Steglitz, short distance from Berlin. there lives a man who until recently was as mysterious a parsonage as the famous Man of the Iron Mask" Certain persons high in authority made application for apart ments at the asylum which should be worthy of wealthy occupant. He ap- peared a short time after, accompanied by . beautiful woman, who was ad- dressed as his wife. The man was tall and well made, and dressed in the height of fashion, with hands that betokened gentility of birth. The woman was young and aristocratic in looks and bear ing. About the face of the man was a linen mask, with an opening opposite the mouth and nostrils, which was never re- moved in the presence of attendants. He sat in dark room, to which the servants were rarely admitted, and conversed with few. His food was given to his wifc. and the inmates of the asylum knew nothing of their name and history further than the fact that they were from Russia.
 .- THE MYSTERY SOLVED. -...
 Runors were rife, as was natural. and many ingenious stories constructed to ac- count for the strange imprisonment. But fHa ,xycfo hoe n<1 l., Lx,<~ the Man of the linen mask" proved to be the hero of 2 strange and touching tale.
 A year before the death of the late czar of Russia. although the scion of a high and mighty family, the young nobleman, like so many of his class, became inter ested in the trials and hopes of the Nihilists. Time and association made him one of their ardent sympathizers and assistants. When the murder of the Emperor was planned, unfortunately the execution of the dreadful deed fell to him. The news staggered him. His oath bound him to the Nihilists, his family ties to tho czar. Thoughts of his people and the attendant disgrace influenced him and finally deterred him; he refused to commit the crime. A year passed by. Another revolutionist had thrown the bomb which he had declined to do, and Alexander was dead. He had forgotten almost that he had been Q Nihilist; but not so those whom he had forsaken. Passing along one of the principal streets of St. Petersburg, when about to greet 8 lady upon the opposite side, something was dashed into his eyes, and in a mo ment the light of day had gone. His mouth was deformed, his cheeks burned and disfigured. It was the work of a Nihilist, before whose modern inouisition he had been found wanting; vitriol had performed the work. Mad with pain. he was taken to his home, but the injury was beyond reparation, and the doctors aid in vain.
 A woMAN's HERoIsM.
 estates upon learning of his revolution ary sympathies, but restored them in part when informed of the fate which had overtaken him. The mask was placed upon his head. for he was un- pleasant to look upon.
 But the heroism of one woman was shown-the heroism of his fiance. She was countess and the daughter of a house as famous and powerful in Russia as was his own. She was heartbroken when told of the fendish act, and the meeting between the lovers was touching in the extreme. With sorrowful heart. he offered to break the engagement and make her free again. But the brave woman refused, and declared that she would remain with him till death took her away. And they were married in the little church on the old estate, at tended by their relatives and friends. And on their wedding day they started for the blind asylum in Stegitz, where they had hopes of restoring the poor mans sight And here his wife attends him with unfailing devotion and prays for the day when the afflicted nobleman can again look upon her face.-Cor. New York Tribune.