The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-03-11

1AiS ANuas!dl naFal station here some
tlme 6 fitted out the steamer Yeneset
with a special equipment for laying
mines. and the work has been going on
with Uninterrupted regularity for three
weeks. Finally, when the last mine
had been laid and the electric COM
municatlon was completed, the captain
OF the Yenisei made a duplicate set of
charts, showing the location Of every
mine.
Last Tuesday this second chart was
given to Lieutenant Petroskovich, with
instructions to deliver it personally in
to the hands of Admiral AlexiefY.
Lieutenant P~etroskovich saluted.
Went on deck, ordered the launch to
take him ashore, and went direct to the
admirals headquarters. Here he was
informed that Admiral Alexieff and
staff were IN a tour of inspection of
the Notifications on Golden FILL and
would not be back Until dinner time,
Perceiving at once that this happy fact
would prolong his shore leave until into
the evening, Lieutenant Petroskovich
made his way TO the Cafe Alexis, where
he found a charming company Of fellow
officers and several Russian and French
women of the gay world. In the course
Of time the young lieutenant had become
rather mellow, and remarked to his COM
panions that he was damned glad to get
through with a nasty three weeks job
laying those m1neS.'
As all the men present were Russians,
and all the women either Russian or
French, the subject struck no one as i'm
proper for discussion. The women were
eager to hear about preparations to keep
out the enemy and the men to argue and
criticise. Petroskovich found himself the
center Of attention. After another glass
or two he tapped the breast of his MILL
tary coat and said: !
IEsttTf r u,ou /, ~ Jo /, III - Il ~ t-,1- .aa,,1l
bring my fleet into this harbor with per-
feet safety. Here in my pocket is a chart
OF every mine we've laid"
a sarcastic brother officer remarked
that any Japanese admiral could perform
that feat. r.
LET them try It," said Lieutenant Pc
troskovich. with an oath. "We'l blow up
every blessed Jap that ever tries to run
the mine fields"
Several of the ladies patted the lieu
tenants shoulder, and one of them-Mile.
Nlolctte Deschamps, the prettiest of them
all-came around and took the vacant
chair at his side. The other officers. dis
gruntled, departed by twos and three,
while Petroskovich devoted himself TO
earnestly drinking the health OF Mile.
Violette.
Presently they were the only ones left
of the party. Noting this, the lieutenant
looked at his watch and rose from the
table, saying that he had an appointment
at headquarters to deliver his charts to
Admiral Alexieff in person.
oh" said Mlle. Deschamps, they are
all gone! You conversation has been
quite too engaging. lieutenant. I must
beg you TO escort ME to my door"
The lieutenant was only too happy. He
found Mile. Violette's abode a dear little
box of q place. Would he go %in--tust for
a moment? The lieutenant was charmed.
The door was opened by a Chinese domes-
tic. who rubbed MS hands and bowed very
low to the Russian officer-and then care
fully closed the door.
An hour later two Japanese naval Of
ficers disguised as Chinese house serv-
ants carried down from Mile. Violette's
apartments the limp body Of Lieutenant
Petroskovich, called an open vehicle and
ordered the driver to drive the young Of
flcer about in the frosty air till he woke
up and gave his address.
When Lieutenant Petrcskovich recov-
cred from the effects of the drug admin
istered by Mile. Violette that pretty and
loyal employe of the mikado's govern
ment, with the latest char Of the harbor
of Port Arthur indicating the position of
every mine safe in her bosom, was on
her way to Chefoo.
/ am led to believe that this Is only one
of many such incidents. and 1t seems al
most uncomfortable that the Russians
nave not become suspicious of these wom-
en-. That they continue to be on the most
confidential terms with them is one of
the chief reasons for believing that when
the Japs strike the blow will be a COM
plete surprise to their somnolent enemy.
I have already limited at similar asso-
Citations which keep the Japanese accu-
rately informed OF the daily movements
and many OF the acts OF Car Nicholas.
That agents of the mikado's secret serv-
ice Should lave been able to gain the CO.
operation of Mile. Mathilde T!chinske, the
imperial favorite and mother Of sons who
may not wear the Romanoff crown, is the
highest tribute to their persistence and
sagacity.
1t has been said that Tichinska, the
beautiful premiere of the st. Petersburg
imperial ballet, voluntarily broke Off all
relations with Nlchola when he succeed
ed to the throne and welded Princess Alix
of Hesse. But all Russian offcialdon
knows that this Is not true. For a time
the palace he gave her knew him no more,
but after the birth Of his second daugh-
ter, when the procurator Of the holy synod
began to worry him with suggestions
to divorce Alix and put in her place an
empress who would give hin an heir to
the throne, he grew discontinued and re-
turned to the woman lie really loved-who
had borne him sons.
TlchiIsAa.. however, was not the same.
The Nicholas who had called her his wife
in the days when he had no expectation
Of becoming cZar, and whose dearest wish
was to remain at her side, free from all
cares. OF government, now could be to her
almost nothing. Nicholas, too. was not
! the same.
But Nicholas, preoccupied with affairs
of state and filled wiki regrets for the
happy days when they lived only for each
! other, naturally would be the last TO
dream of any lack Of fidelity on her part.
He remembered how he went on his knees
to Gear Alexander, after the death Of his
elder brother, and begged that the sue
cession might pass to the youngest son.
Rather thar lose one day of loving COM
panionslIip with Tichinska he would eff
face himself from the records of his coun-
try's ruling family. He remembered how
his father had shown him that, first of
all, he must be obedient to the call Of
God and of Russia-all else must be sac
riflced. This was the penalty Of being a
1aomanoff, and there was no escape.
1t appears that the japanese were sub
tie enough to divine the opportunity which
this state of affairs presented, and suf-
flciently patient and sagacious to make
use Of 1t. We cannot know exactly how
the remarkable feat was ACCOMPLISHED.