Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1889-06-19
A RUSSIAN ROMANCE Z.
A Touching stoge of Ninilssm, sovs and
liavcfinp. ~ t..

Touching StoyE OF Niuiltsns soSS end
l'svotion. ~ l.. .
In the blind asylum 1t stegliIa, d
short distance from Berlin, there LIVES
a man who until Ecntiy was as A5ya
terious persorego as, the famoue
Man of the Iron Maalz. " Certain
persons high in authori;% made applii
cation for apartments az the asylum
which should be worthy OF u wealthy
occupant. lie appeared o short tine
eafter, accompanied by q beautiful
woman. who was addressed as his vile.
The mau was tall and we'll made, ard
dressed ia fine height. of fashion, Hith
hands that betollened gentility of
birth. The woman was young and
aristocratic in looks and bearing
About the face of tho man was q linen
mask, with an opening Opposite the
mouth and nostrils, whith was never
removed in the presence of attendants.
He sat in dark room, to which TIE
servants We're rarely adnittsd, and
eonversnd with few. His food was
given to his wife, and the inmates OF
the asylum knew nothing Of their name
and history further than the fact tat
they were from Russia. Runors were
rife, as was natural, and many ingen-
ious sto les constructed to account for
the strange Imprisonment. But the
mystery has at last been solved, and
the MAN of the Linen Mask proved
to he the hero of a strange ard touch
ing tale.
A year before the death OF the late
Czar Of Russia, although the scion of
high and mighty family, the young
nobleman, like SO many Of his class.
became interested 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 pla1ned, un-
fortunately the execution Of tae dread
ful deed fe.l TO him. The news stag
gored him. His oath bound him to
the Nihilists. his family ties to the
Gar Thoughts OF his people and the
attendant disgrace influenced him and
finally deferred him; he refused to
commit the crime. a yea passed by.
Another reyolutionist had thrown the
bomb which he had declined TO do
and Alexander was dead. He had
forgotten almost that he had been a
Nihilist but not so these whom he
had forsaizen. Passing along one of
the principal streets OF ST. Petersburg,
when about to greet a Woman on the
opposite SIDE, something was dashed
into his eyes, and in moment the
light of day had gone. His mouth was
deSerrled, his checks burned and dis
figured. II was the work of Nj
hilist, before whose modern inquisi-
ton he had been found wanting,
| yitriol had performed the work. Mad
with rain,. ba was taken home, but the
/ injur5 wis beyond reparation, and The
doctoh's aid in vain. The Government
had coniscated his estates upon learn
ing Of his revolutionary sympathies,
biz restored them in part when in
formed Of the fate which had over
taken him. The mask was placed
| upon his head, for be vas Unpleasant
to JPpk UPON. -,
Biz the heroisln of ene woman was
Slows, fhe t,eroisln Of his iarcee.
! She. was a C6pnte@s and chs. daughter
Of & hcilse as tiimaus and nitUwerful in
Riissif as was his own. She wsg heart
brolsgh when told of tie tiendtsh act,
and the meeting between tic lovers
! was. t6teHips Il lhe &ttrehe, With
sortowft'l heart ne offGfed to break
the engagement and ffake hsr fee
again. Gut tbs bSavs 9dhia,; refused
| at1 fgsli,f&d thtb shs 5a6t.la taSbpin
willi Him till death Efog Fer away,
And thea we're ,nsi,;Frisa Il t3is Htsld
ctiut6S 81 tSs did tsliia, ATTENDED by
ihe.r relatives and friends. ka5 on
their wedding day tlisf qtatsBG FoS me
blind h@Slum ID Steslit4 whaYe they
hod hopes OF restoring tie poor man )
sight: And here his wife attends him
with iiHsailing devotlda and brays for
the day when the at9icted nobleman
can again look Upon her face. Berlin
Cor. n. Z. Tribune.