Omaha daily bee., 1889-02-18
He Was Nihilist, But His Courage
Failed Him.
THE LOVE o. A NOBLE WOMAN.
How southefner Won Rich Wife
ON "a Bct-A Lady Artists Good
Fortune-+Lclia Vandcrbilt's
Courtship.
liiIlrs Rnmnnnna.

| pliCatiOn for apartments at the asylum which
| should be worthy Of wealthy occupant. He
| appeared a short time after accompanied by
| a beautiful woman, who was addressed 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 bearing. About the face of the man
was linen mask, with an opening op
| postc the mouth and nostrils, which was
| never removed in the presence of attendants.
| He sat in dark room, to which the servants
! were rarely admitted, and convcrsed with
| few. His food was given to his wife, and
| the inmates of the asylum know nothing of
| their name and history further than the fact
| that they were from Russia. Rumors were
| rife, as was natural, and many ingenious
| stories constructed to account for the strange
| Imprisonment. But the mystery has at last
| been solved, and the Man of the Linen
| Mask" proved to be the hero of n strange
| and touching tale.
| A year before the death of the late car of
Russia, although the scion of high and
| mighty family, the young nobleman, like 50
| many of his class, became interested in the
| trials and hopes of the nihists. Time and
| association made him one of their ardent
| sympathizcrs and assistants. When the
| murder of the emperor was planned unfor
| tunately the execution of the dreadful deed
| fell to him. The news staggered him. His
| oath bound him to the nhilists, his family
| ties to the car. Thoughts of his people and
Jnc attendant disgrace lnUuenCtu MN ana
finally deferred him; he refused to commit
| the crime. "A year passed by. Another revo-
lutlonlst had thrown the bomb which he had
declined to throw, and Alexander was dead.
He had forgotten almost that he had been Il
nihliSt, but not So those whom he mad for.
saken Passing along one of the principal
streets of St Petersburg, when about to greet
Il lady on the opposite side, something was
dashed into his eyes, and in Il mCmcnt the
light of day was gone. His mouth was de-
SiI
It was the work of a nihilist before whose
modern inquisition he had been found want
ing; vitlIol had performed the work. Mad
with pain he was taken to his home, but the
injury was beyond reparation and the doc
tors aid in vain. The government had con-
tisCated his estates upon learning of his revolu-
tionary sympathies, but restored them in pan
when informed of the fate which had over
taken him. The mask was placed upon his
head, for he was unpleasant to look upon.
But the heroism Of one woman was shown,
the heroism Of his 'fancee. She was a
countess and the daughter of a home as
famous and powerful In Russia was his
own. She was heart-broke when told of
the ficndish 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
fused, and declared she would remain
with him until death took her away
And they were ma1a'ied in the little church
on the old estate. attended by their relatives
ana friends And on their wedding day they
started for the blind asylum in Steglit2,
where they had homes ,of restoring the Door
mans sight. And here his wife attends him
with unfailing devotion, aud prays for the
day when the afflicted nobleman can again
look upon her face. 81 ~
The wedding Of Moses Breakstein, of
Townsville, Pa, to Miss Mollie Breaksteln,
distant relative, who lives in Rochester, was
to have taken place there recently, but it
was indefinitely postponed beca use Moses
is in jail. Isaac Rosenthal, of New York,
sold him goods to the amount of $1,000 few
weeks ago, and alleges that the prisoner OBJ
tanned them by pretending that he was
worth $4,000, when he was lnsolvent
Breakstein disappeared, and Mr.. Rosenthal
has been looking for him. Several of the
Breakstein wedding invitations We're sent to
New York, and one OF them by accident was
seen by Rosenthal. This gave him clue,
and with an officer he went to Rochester and
Breaksten was arrested at the house of his
intended
About two years ago Mr. ID. l.. Barker, a
wealthy stock raiser, whose home is near
Kansas City, Mo-, in mysterious way
opened correspondence with Mrs. Lou Har
rison, of Atlanta, Ga. They had never seen
each other. The correspondence grew more
affectionate as time rolled on. Last week
Mr.. Barker decided TO visit Miss Harrison,
ana II ne SHOULD uuu ucT UIIb WOlllau ne eS-
pected, and if she was pleased with him,
they would marry and would Immediately
leave for their home in Missouri. Each was
more than pleased with the other and the
wedding took place. The BRIDES relatives
and few invited friends witnessed the cere-
mony.
Mr.. Barker, by reference. has proven that
he is highly respected citizen at home and
abroad.
Miss Kate Coyne, Il young artist of Gin
cinuat, has become possessed of fortune of
$4,000 in a romantic way. About three
years ago an old gentleman named William
+. Jordan of Topeka, Kan. had Miss Coyne
make crayOn picture of his dead son. He
took a great fancy to the girl and after
wards sent her several valuable presents.
About six months ago he died, and the
young lady has received word that he left
her $4,000 in his will.
Mary Bard, colored woman aged fifty
nine, living in Ehiugham county, Georgia,
was sold from her mother when she was but
five years old She was sold into Georgia,
where she has grown to be an old woman
She recently discovered that her mother
lived near Stark, Fla, and has just returned
from visit to the mother from whom she
had not heard in tfty-four years
suit filed in the Davidson county court at
Nashville, Tenn, by Joseph H. Acklen, for
merly member of congress from Louisiana,
for fourth interest in a 100000 estate re-
calls a romantic story. Isaac Franklin was
once the the richest man III the south own
ing four big plantations and more negroes
than any other STAKEHOLDER except General
Wade Hamptons father At his prlncely
home he kept VISITORS register One day
party Of Nashville plcknickers visited the
place and registered. A,decelia Hayes, the
then belle of all the south. and herself
wealthy, iotted down alongside her name
her intention to- i'set her cap''
for Franklin. The old man saw the in
scrlption, hunted up Miss Hayes, and mar
ried her He soon diGd, leaving her young
widow worth SioOo0,Q9O, Some time later
Joseph Acklen, Of Huntsville, Ala, Jest
ingly told some of his friends that if they
would raise Il purse OF 81 900 for expenses
he would catch the rich widow. Aclslen was
bright and handsome The purse was raised.
AS good as his word JAolilen soon won Mrs.
Franklin. They built q country home called
"3elmont," which was surrounded by
seventy-tive acres of ornamented grounds
with cOnservatories, music hall, billiard hall,
pagoda, and geological gardens, and
entertained royalty. Acklen died
during the war, leaving four
children, of whom the plaintiff in
the present suit is one. Mrs. Acklen again
married, the groom being DR.. w. B. Cheat
ham, OF Nashville, Fifteen hundred invita-
tons were issued and many guests from
Europe attended the nuptials. After the war
Mrs. Aclklen sued the government for 81 ,00O,-
900 for damages TO the cotton crop, getting