The Press., 1890-11-13

member many daysof great misery and mental struggle and hesitation; then I remember that at last I took 8 resolution which brought me something almost like relief. I remember long seq voyage across stormy wfntry ocean; q long. railway journey across France and Ger many and through the forests and over the snows of Russia. remember great strange city. where the people spoke an incomprehensible language and whero it was night nearly all the twenty four hours. remember big, bustling hotel, where the people spoke French and where the gas was kept perpetually burning. remember walking the streets of that great dark city day after day for it may have been 8 fortnight, it may have been month. I remember that as walked those streets I peered anx-- iously into the face of every woman whom I passed, hoping, hoping, hoping that somewhere among them l might meet her. But remember that all my hope was embittered by the thought that no hope could have been more unreason- able, none more forlorn.s2 Yet kept on walking the streets, and chung to my hope, in defiance of reason, as drown ing man clings to 8 straw.
 At last remember that one day as stood in the portico of the hotel saw 8 man go prancing by on horseback. He was dressed in a very magnificent uni form, and behind him rode two other men, also in uniform, but less magnificent, manifestly his aides or attendants. I remember that an Englishman who was standing at my side turned to me and asked, Do you know who that is?'
 '.No, said I. nsWho is hep
 s'That is Gen. Ogaref."
 ssGen. Ogaref? The name sounds fa- miliar, but can't recall the connec- tion in which have heard it."
 sWhy, he is celebrated for having sent greater number of Politicals to the gallows or to Siberia than any other of the czar's servitors."
 ''Ah, yes," said; cit is in that connec- tion that have heard his name."
 Then it came back to me, causing my heart to leap and burn, that it was Gen. Ogaref who had condemned Dr. Eczardy to his Siberian exile.
 That same day, perhaps an hour later, was walking upon one of the islands of the Neva.
 z Presently came upon great surging, excited crowd.
 "What is the trouble? Why the man at my elbow.
 'They say that Gen. Ogaref has been shot. He was riding out accompanied by couple of aides, when, just above there, where the crowd is densest, a young woman sprang toward him from the footpath and fired a bullet straight through his heart. Nihilist, of course. .
 "Ahl The young woman-who was she?'
 "I have not heard her name. do not know if the police have learned it."
 'But she has been arrested, Isupposef'
 "Why, no. That's just the point. It appears that, having shot the general, before she could be apprehended s she emptied two chambers of her revolver into her own breast and fell down dead.
 The police were by this time forcing an alleyway through the crowd. By and by two policemen marched through the a1leyway carrying a stretcher. Upon that stretcher, ghastly in his magni6- cent uniform, lay Gen. Ogaref, dead.
 Two more policemen followed, bear ing second stretcher.
 'It is she, it is she, the assassinv' Intr. mured the crowd, and there was Fan eager pressing forward to catch sight of her.
 Upon this second stretcher, white and beautiful and still, lay Sophia Paulovna Eczardy, dead.
 For many weeks tossed upon pallet in the English hospital beside myself in 8 fever. Then returned to reason, and gradually to health. But wished that had died. The romance of my life was over; the tragedy of my life had fecr played out.
 THE END.