Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-01-18
THE CZAR'S SWEETS.

So far as l know, no outsider had ever
been privileged to peep into the private
notebook of Strephon Demitritoff, the
"doyen" of the st. Petersburg secret po-
lice bureau, an institution dedicated to
the service of the car of all the Russias.
1t was therefore with feeling of intense
satisfaction not unmingled with awe that
l hung upon the utterances of my old
friend as he (the occasion being a coy
dinner at my house in St. Petersburg)
caressingly turned over the closely written
pages of little volume.
AS trusted agent of the car, his life
teemed with incidents much too signih-
cant to be committed to any diary, SO that
the data carefully tabulated within the
covers of the little volume he held in his
hand, while of inthralling interest to a
mystery and plot loving public, were as
nothing compared to the astounding facts
stored up in his retentive memory.
took it as a great compliment to my
countrymen that he should confide in me,
an alien. "Ah," he said, you are an
Englishman''-I was Scotch, but that is
a detail-"and are to be trusted. l should
not dare to unbosom myself to Russian. "
Now that the brave Demitritoff is no
more, having all too soon followed his
royal master to the grave, and being my
self well out of the reach of the "dOuble
eagle" l have no conjunction in re-
counting here, at the risk of the columns
being obliteratCd by the Russian press
censor, few of the experiences as related
by my friend.
A feature of his character was the grim
humor he would infuse into the reminis-
cences with which he from time to time
favored me. we'll remember the first Of
these, which, under the above heading
and with assumed names, will compro-
mise nobody.
Yes, he unused, Petrus Tritretf, quiet,
deep young man that was, now one of the
most dangerous kind mark you. Did he
belong to any nihilist society or associate
himself with the advanced socialist party?
Not he. He was too clever for that. His
grudge against the Little Father, as we
affectionately call him-and l speak now
of the father of the present czar-was a
private one. A medical student his bosom
friend and collegiate, Janos Smirtsky,
had been condemned to Siberia on a
trumped up charge, for such cases do hap
pen even in civilized Russia, of conspir-
ing against the life and well being of the
czar. 1t was only too apparent at the
trial that pressure had been brought to
bear from headquarters, and for some rca-
son TritrGff got it into his head that his
friend who was well connected, was be,
ing morcilessly prosecuted at the instance
of the palace autOcrats, if not of the en-
pcror himself.
So when Petrus heard Janos condemn
ed for life to the mines and in due time
saw him start, one of that wretched gang,
on his long journey he swore to ayengo
him.
Now, Petrus was youth of parts. He
ideas, and it would not be his fault if
ne of the residents of the winter pal
i.,e, preferably the car himself did not
realize that even on this planet vengeance
was sure.
Accordingly Petrus said not word to
any one, avoided those clubs and supposed
secret societies which sought to compass
collectively the fall of the monarchy and
duly completed his studies. Mingled with
these studies was the ever prevailing
thought of how best to effect his purpose.
At length he made up his mind. Learn
ing in quite n casual way fact not gen
orally known-that the car had a great
weakness for special kind of chocolate
bonbon-hc determined that through this
apparently harmless medium should his
friend be avenged.
A little patient inquiry elected the fact
that box of these special chocolates found
its way regularly every week TO that part
of the empire which the car happened to
honor with his presence, and also that the
makers Of the precious sweets were well
known house in st. Petersburg famed for
it's CONNECTIONS. The death of his father
at this juncture furnished him with an
excuse for earning his own livelihood, and
on the pretense that he was left pennicss
and consequently unable without capital
to benefit by his medical studies he made
it his business to get recommended by
few friends to this highly respectable
cOnfectionGr as an inexperienced but very
willing volunteer. TO such lengths will
the feeling of revenge bring man.
After careful inquiry-and you may be
quite sure the investigation by the police,
who are always interested in such changes,
were most minute-the services of Petrus
were accepted, and he set to with will
to master his new trade.
The privilege of making the cars
sweets was accorded to n man who had
been in the firms employ for many years,
and who was considered above suspicion.
1t was to this post that Petrus aimed to
be appointed. Not till then could he put
in practice the pretty little plan he had
matured for changing the course of events
Mt the winter palace
To the ordinary mind bent on destruc-
ton accessibility to the manufacture of
the royal Comtits under such circum-
stances would suggest a strong dose Of
poison concealed under the chocolate en-
amel. Not SO did Petrus view the mat
ter. The useful arsenic, the strong and
strychnine, did nos commend
themselves to the young mans fancy. Be
sides the chance of promptly administer
ed emetic saving the sufferer and destroy
ing the would be assassin's hopes, there
was lack of sensationalism in the at.
tempt by such means.
There must be no confusing the issue
with that Of a temporary indisposition
with which the public might be misled. No
the result must be something deadly, yet
electrifying; appalling, yet far removed
from the commonplace, ard in this spirit
did the genial Petrus strive to improve
the shining hour. The bomb was Trit
refs idol-nOt the ordinary article with
N a.