The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-01
REFRIGERATORS.


with deep attention.
"'Ah, well baron, / remember you
of DID, he remarked, with faint smile
when l had finished. you always had
the reputation for worming out more
secrets than any other man in Europe,
and / ought TO have foreseen that il
would be necessary to take you into
my confidence. IL is fortunate that you
have come alone, and that your rigid
honor Is not less celebrated than your
dexterity.'
81 bowed deeply at these compii.
ments. His majesty continued
"'The only return / can make TO you
for a fidelity of which / assure myself
beforehand is to explain to you my
reasons for what must seem TO you
en- extraordinary state of things. The
fate of my father, Alexander H., slain
by n bomb in the streets of ST. Peters
burg, is of course familiar to you. But
il is not easy for you TO realize the
effect produced by that fearful event
on my mind. The perils of battle
field may be faced by a brave man, in
spired by the enthusiasm which battle
calls forth. But the perpetual secret
peril which dogs one day after day and
year after year. and never siackens for
a single moment-that is a very diff
ferent thing. / am not ashamed to con-
fess to you, baron, that from the moment
1 ascended the bloody throne of Rus
sia my life was one long, haunting
agony. 7sSever once did have one hour
of perfect freedom from care. And
could do nothing. ! was ne1pless--a
martyr bound TO the stake of my au-
tocracy. They prated TO me of re-
forms. You are man who knows Rus
sia as few men know il, and you can
tell me whether the first step in the di-
rection of reform would not have drawn
down on my head the vengeance of men
beside whom the nihilists are bungling
apprentices
81 could only bow my acquiescence In
this sorrowful truth.
For years. proceeded Alexander, Il
had secretly set my heart on abdicating.
] only waited till my son Nicholas was of
an age to face the dangers and difficult
ties of the task of governing Russia.
But by the time that the hour of release
drew near l had learned that abdica-
ton would earn me no respite from the
hatred with which / was pursued. 1
had acquired the knowledge that there
were those who had sworn that on the
throne or off it, should not be allowed
10 die natural death. To give up my
Imperial state would simply be surren-
deling my safeguards against the en-
nifty of those who sought my life. 1T
was these considerations which ulti-
mately forced me to entertain the idea
of deception which lament, but to
which l owe the first peaceful days
have spent for twelve years.
~ resolved, as yon have gathered by
this time, to go solemnly through the
forms OF death and burial, and thus
acquire the right to retire to some un.
suspected retreat, where might pass
the remainder of my days, shielded froiu
the vengeance of my relentless pur-
suers. In order to carry out this de-
sign it was necessary that l should take
five persons into my confidence, my
wife, my son, two physicians of whose
personal loyalty and friendship had
had many proofs, and an old trusted
body servant on whom was cast the duty
of arranging for my future privacy, and
attending on me in it. He is at this mo-
ment away procuring supplies of food
"'The deception was carried out with
a success which was doubtless due 10
the very boldness of the design. This
world, stupefed in its narrow routine,
is never willing to believe in the exist
ence of anything unfamiliar to its every
day experience. Your young friend, the
page, of whom you have spoken, was
more ready to credit that he had seen
spirit than that Alexander III. could
still be in the flesh. Your ingenuity
will, / feel sure, easily discover some
means of allaying any suspicious he
may have formed since
"These words OF his majesty's re.
minded me that Boris was impatiently
awaiting my reappearance. glanced
at my watch. Twelve minutes had al.
ready passed.
~ must leave you now, SIRE ex-
claimed. rising hastily, or my com
rade will be seeking for me. Rest as
SuIcu IIlbJ Il Sndll flob IilONt uhNbiNiN
of the trust you have dcigned to repose
in me. but / venture to advise your
majesty 10 discontinue your visits 20
your sons apartments for the present.
Should You desire TO lay your com
mands upon me Mt any time, | shall he
found at the French embassy
with these words took respect
full but hurried leave of the ex-czar, who
babe me cordial farewell.
81 rejoined Boris just ns he was about
&c set of and give the alarm, and was
successful In putting n stop 10 any ques-
tions on his part by few judiciors
words.
az am forbidden TO tell YOU what
have discovered. but / may tell you ia
confidence that you must have mis-
taken the son for the father
"The young prince accepted this ex
planation readily enough, and it's CT
feet was confirmed the next day by the
issue OF on order disseminating the