Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-12-16

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death should be punished. For years
my efforts We're unavailing. l pursued
every line of investigation that occur
red to me. and in them all | had the
sanction and assistance Of the car. AT
last. during sojourn at Graslev in an
other name. | met this woman whom
you have heard me call Therese. Do
YOU know who she is? She is Nine.
Dendoff. widow of that Dendoff who
was the slave Of your wicked father
and yourself"
Neslerov was too crestfallen already
to show further effect Of her words.
He made no answer.
For twenty years this woman has
lived with the truth locked in her bos-
ON because she feared her husband.
| The governor general is here and will
hear this case at once, and from that
moment when he hears the truth you
are in his hands. Therese. who is that
man?"
She pointed at Vladimir as She spoke.
"That-is-the Duke of Graslov." said
/ the woman firmly.
Tell your story"
ut was twenty years ago, your ex-
cellency." said Therese. speaking di-
rectly TO the governor general. that
the little Prince Alexis was lost. He
was missing from the palace at Graslov
one evening. and the poor princess was
beside herself with grief and anxiety.
4 search was made, and my husband,
who was in the service of the duke. re-
turned from the Kama and reported
! that the child had been seen wandering
on its banks. and he brought back a
portion of its garments. which he said
he found close to the water. 1t was
believed that the child was drowned,
and the princess grieved for her dead
boy. The poor princess did not sur
yiye the shock long, and when she died
there was trouble between the two
| branches of the NeSlerovs. Her fam
fly claimed that the duke had misused
her and caused her death. 1t was nev-
| er settled. and the two families have
| since been enemies.
1T was not less than two years after
when. one night, while he was intoxi-
Gated. my husband said something that
aroused MY suspicion-that he knew
what had become of the young prince.
l taxed him with it. and he was maud
| lin enough to contide in me. He had
been poor. but since the loss of the
young prince he had not worked. but
had plenty of money. This also caused
me to suspect. He told me. in his
| drunken fashion, that the Duke OF
| Graslov did not wish the son Of the
princess to inherit the title or estate.
AS the father of the boy had died he
was the heir. but the duke preferred
his younger son. Nicholas.
The two. the duke and Prince Mich
olas. paid my husband to take the
child and drown it. He was wicked
man. my husband. and he agreed. He
did take the child to the Kama and
was about to take from it the telltale
clothes when it cried Justify. and a
powerful man sprang from the bushes
and took the child. There was fight
in which my husband was badly whip
ped. But he did not dare report to the
| duke that he had failed, and so he car
ried out the plans and reported the
finding of the clothing at the river.
This was the clothing he had taken off
preparing to throw the child in the
river. To me this revelation was a
great shock. but my husband threaten
| ed my life if ever breathed word OF
| II to single person. | knew he would
| keep his threat. and so | dared say
nothing. for the house of Graslov was
rich and powerful, and l feared to
| speak even to the police.
"Thus l lived year after year with
the shadow Of my husbands crime up
on my heart, until thought | would
90 mad. Moved by an impulse | could
not control. l determined to learn If
| the child was alive. l found ii in the
house of the blacksmith Paulpoff at
Perm. Having learned that the little
Alexis was well and happy felt cas-
| ier, but resolved that when my oppor-
tunity came l would reveal the truth.
| The old duke died and Nicholas be-
came his heir and finally became gov
| ernor of Tomsk. \ short time ago my
| husband died. and | was free to tell.
There came to Graslov one day beau
tiful girl, giving a name that was not
| familiar. but she was the picture OF
| that lovely princess who had died. ana
l watched her. knew she was search
ing for the truth. and told her what
l knew. We went to st. Petersburg,
where she told the car and he gave
her authority under his seal. We went
back to Perm, but the PaClpoffs were
on their way to Siberia. The princess
resolved to follow. and this meeting
is the result"
"How did you know the boy in Paul
poff's house was the young prince"
asked the governor general
"I saw his mothers picture which
had been around his neck. recog-
nized his face. his voice, his manner.
and Paulpoff told me how he came into
his possession"
This is strange" said the governor
general, turning to the old man stern
". How was it that you kept tE'
young prince and did not disclose the
fact that he was alive?
ut was the prayer of his poor moth
err" said Papa Paulpoff. IL, too. have
my story. On that day was wander
ing by the river and had been fishing.
heard the cry Of child. | ran to-
ward the sound and saw the man tax.
ing off it's clothing. He cursed 1t ana
struck 1t and said that its voice would
soon be stilled. l knew he meant to
murder the child, and so l attacked
him. I was powerful man then,
though not nearly so powerful as Vladi-
mir-as the prince-is now. We fought
and l severely whipped him. then
took the child home with me and re-
solved to restore him to his parents. for
supposed he had been taken for re-
yenge by enemies. When saw the
beautiful face Of the princess, / knew
1t must be the boys mother, and SO l
began to think who among the mobiles
who lived near the Kama had such
woman. l had heard of the beauty of
the Princess Neslerov, and so | went
to find her. leaving the child at the
forge. saw her at GraslOv and asked
Cl,n Nr.ln