Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-12-13
BETRAYED BY LOVE.

BETRAYED BY LOVE.
Kaffsky was born genius, destined in
time to soar to the dizzy heights Of pro-
fessional chair. So ct least said his profess
ors at the University Of St. Petersburg.
We students likewise held him in awe and
hedged him around with reverential ostra-
CisIn.
That same Kaffsky used to squander his
days and nights over mathematics and
chemistry and half dozen kindred sci
ences, as II life were to last for eternity.
We did not believe in man having so
many irons in the fire. and we limited our
own efforts to the accomplishment Of one
single task-the regeneration Of mankind
as preliminary step to the remodeling OF
Russian society.
We had weighed Kaffsky III the political
balanoe-the only one in vogue at Russian
universities ten years ago-and had found
him sadly wanting.
He was member of none Of the three
churches, outside Of which there is no sal
vation-that Of the sworn copspirators,
who edited forbidden political journal,
Land and Liberty, Matched plots against
the state and sometimes helped to carry
them out; that of unsworn conspirators,
from whom the former wer0 usually re-
cruited, and the bulk Of students who
sympathized with everything and every
body who embarrassed the government.
And to crown all, we had just heard Of
his impending marriage. "A nice time tn
be thinking of marrying and feathering
his nest" we remarked to each other,
"just when the pillars of the social ediflce
are giving way and we are doing our best
to pull them down, in order to build up
something better!'
When the name Of the future bride was
mentioned, those among us who knew her
were staggered bit. Anna Pavlona
Smirnova was not Venus. But If she
had much less beauty than her photograph
which is common failing Of women
not by any means so common.
Although apparently young enough to
be his daughter, Anna Pavlona was Kaff-
sky's senior by five or six years, and to
make matters still more mixed she was a
red radical at heart.
Formerly her democratic views had got
her into hot water with the authorities,
and 1t was not without considerable diff
Guilty that she had obtained her present
position as teacher in girls gymnasy
which enabled her to live In modest CON-
potency with her widowed mother.
The police, we knew, had twice or thrice
made elaborate inquiries about Kaffsky,
had noted his comings in and goings out
and had set watch upon his actions.
Platoff, when arrested week ago, CHANGED
to have Kaffsky's card in his pocket and
was subjected to long secret cross ex-
animation about his dealings with him.
CAS- we'll suspect the stone sphinxes at
the Nikolai bridge as that piece of stuck
up selfishness called Kafrsky," exclaimed
Lavrof.
"There must be some reason for the sus-
pioion," cried Brodsky. "There's always
fire where there's smoke, and as we know
there's no fire here then there cannot pos
sibly be any real smoke. It's matter Of
smoked glass spectacles.
This remark struck us all as the acme
Of oleverness. It was warmly applauded.
"Well, but who can have smoked the gov
ernment's spectacles?'' somebody asked.
"Boormant Boorman He alone has
grudge against Kaffsky," cried half a
dozen voices.
Now, none Of us had doubt that he
was the Judas Iscarlot. His hangdog ex-
preston, his slouohing gait his furtive
glance and stammering doviltry pro
claimed the nature Of the spirit that lived
and worked within him.
The present case strengthened our sus.
picion, for Boorman and Knffsky had
quarreled years before
Summer vacations were at hand. The
last of the examinations would take place
In ten days, and then we should dispense
over the length and breadth Of the empire,
many Of us never to return again.
Suddenly we were stunned and stupefed
by bolt from the blue in the shape of q
rumor that Kaffsky had been arrested.
He and Alexeieff had gone to the theatel
the night before. They had walked home
together and made an appointment for thu
morrow at the university, but at about
q. IN. Kaffsky had been spirited away ant
was now In the secret wing of the Lithu
anian fortress.
A written request was presented by some
Of the professors, who were beside them
selves with indignation, that Kaffsky
should be released ON bail, just to finish
his examinations and take his degree, fol
they knew very we'll 1t was all misunder
standing.
But to our utmost astonishment their re
quest was refused, and Kaffsky was re-
moved from the Lithuanian fortress only
to be immured In the more terrible fortress
Of Peter and Paul.
The excitement caused by the arrest wa
assuming dangerous proportions. Nobody
had cared rap for Kaffsky week before
and he was already most popular hert
now.
Perhaps 1t was hatred for the heartles
/ informer--who had also been arrested nj
doubt to save him from being lynched-
and sympathy for Anna Pavlona, who's
womanly feelings had got the better Of be-
philosophy. She had completely broker
!, down.
She had been taken to her bed, had re
fused all food, had forwarded petition aft
or petition to the minister Of the interior
and when 1t became clear that she nigh
lusb az we'll DO sowing salt on the seashor
her mind gave way The doctors sent be-
mother and herself 10 post haste to tn
Crimea.
In October few Of ~ met In ST. Pc
tersburg onoe more, but only i few. TIL
police had made tremendous haul among
the students the day the university closes
session, and many were now In their dis
tant native Villages, expelled from TIN
university, others in prison, others agaiI
ON the road to Siberia.
KafIsky, we learned, was among the lat
Tor, condemned to the mines as danger
Gus conspiratoF, In spite Of the intercessiol
Of professors. Anna Pavlona was dead
according to others, but II came to prett.
much the Same thing In the end.
I had heard Of many evil things done b.
diabolioal inforners, but this was the mos