The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-07-31
MARIA sOoBOTIN.

oppressed by u ruler who is hereditary
and unlmpeachable 1t aims to estab.
lish u fundamental principle Of Justice
tho greatest good to the greatest num-
ber-and to weave humanity's sacred
birthright of liberty into the fabric of
their native land. Hero we have a
platform on which neither anarchy nor
socialism can possibly find foothold.
1t needs but glance to sense the Obj
surdity of the triple juxt position.
Women In the Vanguard.
AS in all other efforts looking to the
uplifting of race, many women are
found in the vanguard of this move
ment. Indeed the history Of the Rus
sian empire during the past 30 years
bears touching testimony to woman's in
nate spirit of self sacrifice on many of
its revolutionary pages. Among the he
roic souls who gave up their lives and
their possessions to the cause of free
dom werc some Of noble birth, whilo
there were others whose equal culture
and social standing resulted from the
Observation-Disclosures them at home
which they were able to obtain in the
universities of foreign lands.
Foremost among the noted heroines
of nihilism was Sophia Perovskaya
Nobly born and splcndidly educated
this martyr had peculiarly sad life
history. Whilo yet an infant she was
deprived of u mothers tender care and
was rcarod under tho auspices of most
cruel father, who happened to be tho
governor general of st. Petersburg.
During the reign of Nicholas her grand
father was minister of the interior,
while the morganatic husband of the
Empress Elizabeth was another male
relative. AT the age of 18 Sophia was
considered one of the prettiest girls in
Russia, had tho rank of q countess and
was invited to become maid of honor to
the empress. Her accepted lover was all
aid e-camp to the father Of the present
car.
Until Sophia had reached the age of
maturity she believed her mother to be
dead, but she finally obtained some in
formation which led her to investigate
her family history and changed tho
whole current Of her after life. She
learned that her father had most un-
justly driven her mother from hor home,
and having endured not little of his
tyranny herself she determined on re-
venge. Her bitterness at length display
cd itself toward the government of
which he was an important officer.
The Countess Perovskaya, an exile in
Switzerland, now sent woman to her
daughter, whom the latter engaged as
maid. Sophia was thus placed in COM
munication with her long absent moth
er. Soon afterward she joined nihilist
circle, i'll which her beauty and graces
OF mind and character earned for her
commanding position. But her father
quickly learned of her conduct, and she
was obliged to flee to the Swiss repub-
lie to escape his wrath. Shortly after
joining her mother, however she re-
turned i'll disguise to St. Petersburg and
became one of band of conspirators.
She was promptly arrested, but was re-
leased through her fathers influence on
promising to leave the country, for the
governor general feared the disgrace
which would follow the disclosure of
his daughters completely with the nj
hilista
Surprising Goodness.
Returning once more to the capital,
Sophia took part in the conspiracy
which resulted in the death of Alcxan.
der ii. 1t was she who displayed tho
signal for the throwing of the bomb.
Although she was again arrested, her
fathers official influence prevented her
connection with the plot from beoom-
Ing known But the brave girl refused
to let her companions suffer while she
went free, and on the day of the trial
she coolly walked into the courtroom
and declared her identity. Confessing
her guilt, she was promptly hanged
with the others who were condemned.
Second Oh the long list Of martyrs to
the cause OF liberalism in Russia we
should place Vera Zassulitch. This pa
tient heroine, whom many have been
pleased to consider insane, was moved
to commit murder in revenge of cruelty
to political prisoner named Bogolu-
boff. He and Vera belonged to the same
group of nihilists, and during visit of
the chief of police General Trepoff) to
the fortress in which he was confined
Bogoluboff refused to remove his hat.
His headgear was rudely knocked off by
the irato general, who also directed that
the prisoner be given 100 lashes on his
bare back with the knout. One of the
prison guards happening to be nihilist
for they are found almost everywhere
in the empire-the news soon reached
his companions ON the outer walls. A
committee of six was quickly formed,
which included Vera Zassulitch, and
after some discussion the death Of Ire
poff was decided upon. On drawing lots
to determine who should committee the
deed, the choice fell upon the woman.