The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-24


packed, each in the expectation that one
of the grand dukes would perhaps notice
her and invite her 10 dance a waltz or
a polka Such was the influence OF the
court upon st. Petersburg society that If
one of the grand dukes cast his eyes upon
girl, her parents would do all in their
power TO make the child fall madly in
love with the great parsonage, even they
knew well that no marriage could result
from 1.-THE Russian grand dukes not be-
ing allowed to marry subjects of the
Gar. The conversation which 1 once
heard in respectable family, connect
ed with the court, after the heir appar-
ent had danced twice or thrice with
girl of seventeen, and the hopes which
were expressed by her parents, surpassed
all would possibly have imagined"
In leaving the corps. Kropotkin, to the
surprise of all, selected a poor station in
Siberia, actuated by scientific motives,
that part of the world being little known.
and Kropotkin being anxious to know
more about it. In fact he did determine
the structure of Asia, which is one of
many important things he has done sci
entiffcally in his life time. In the mean
the liberal sense which had freed the
serfs, and later when the Polish insur-
rection came, he swung back TO the full
limit Of bloody autocracy. AS an officer
in Siberia, Kropotkin instituted many re-
forms, but revolving against military SER
vice over his brothers Polish exiles, he
resolved to leave the military service and
set out for st. Petersburg, where he be-
came the leading figure in the Russian
Geographical Society, and he was sent
out to Finland TO explore the glacial de-
posts. That journey changed Kropotkin's
life. The poor, the suffering, the unfor-
turate of the land woke the great pas
sion in him-the passion of freedom. He
went back to st. Petersburg, no longer
geographer, but a revolutionist He found
the student youth of the nation alive
with the new spirit. He went TO western
Europe and learned all about the Inter-
national Worldngmans Association, that
gigantic movement of which so little is
known in this country, and of which so
much is given in Kropotkin's book. With
new ideas he returned to Russia, SNUG
Cling his socialistic books and newspap-
ers in. He found Nihlism born and grow
ing He took part, was detected and ar
rested. All this covers many exciting
pages. His best chapters are of his life
in the Russian fortress, where he was
visited by the Grand Duke Nicholas Kro-
potkin's method, during his long impris-
onment, for keeping himself from collaps-
ing. is one of the most marvellous stories
ever told The manner of communication
between the prisoners in the walled cells,
the incoherent telegraphy of those who
gradually went insane all the details of
wearing terror he describes. have no
equal in fiction. They could not be i'm
agined They had to happen.
The intrcacy OF the maneuver of his
final escape makes that contamination
living act before one, not a printed thing.
Kropotkin's activity in Western Europe,
always beset by Russian spies whom he
treats humorously, has been in the role
of an extremist politically. He has pub
lished many papers of an extreme order.
He does not believe in government or in
apparently. His plan is CO.
o2eration.
Probably no autobiography was ever
written which was so purely, naturally |
modest Every line breathes gentleness. |
This aman loves mankind intensely, but |
you know that by reading between the |
lines. He doesn't say so. There is not a |
word of egotism in the book. He believed |
himself called to battle for a truth, and |
he set about it. He expects to spend part |
of his time in prison for his opinions and |
has, Iatterly in France, "for diplomatic
namely at the request Of Rus
sia He has no note of complaint only /
fne dreams and hopefulness, and other
attributes which make him of all Dame
Freedoms progeny. the strangest.
Kropotkin's Memoirs are published by
Ioughton Mifflin & Co, and may be OBJ
.ained in Wichita of the Goldsmith Book
and Stationery Company