The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-09-16
HE STOLE A KINGDOM.
"5o5RIkoFF THE THIEF" Firms
CALL THE DEAD DICTATOR.
Was Trying to "Russify" Their Coun-
try When Assassinated-Death Pre-
vented Report That Would Have
Brought Down the Cars Wrath.

In Finland they called him "Bobri-
koff the Thief" and now they have
shot the great dictator who, with con
summate cunning, stole Finland for
the Car of Russia inch by inch.
And there is good reason in the
Firms minds for the shooting of Bob
rlkoff. The dictator had more SIMS
ter designs on Finland's freedom than
any he had yet practiced, says writ
er in the London Express.
By the order of the car he was to
report before the close of the present
month whether Finland were tractable
or not The Firms knew what Bobri-
koff would report, and they knew that
his report would be followed by an
active military occupation of their
land.
SO they have saved Bobrikoff the
trouble Of making his report, and
have given their own answer to the
question in the shape of revolver
shots.
Strange indeed is the story of this
theft of nation and its dramatic out
come, and | learned it in this way
some few months ago.
1t was one of those days of brilliant
sunshine bathing unsullied snow that
make HelSingfors so beautiful in win
ter time
From the window of the room in
which l sat | could see the white
painted houses of the Finnish capital
rising from the white snow, while
from the shore, for 20 miles, the froz-
en- sea lay beneath carpet of snow
that might have been woven with
countless diamonds, so brightly did
it CLEAN.
Overhead the benign sky, unlocked
by a single cloud was blue as the
summer heaven of Venice, Helsing
fors, indeed looked for all the world
like some pretty, frosted, cheerful
Christmas card.
Upon the floor two children laughed
as they sprawled about, and between
myself and my companion, Finnish
woman of gentle birth, little table
bore a samoyar. brewing tea and
singing of good will and peace.
But there was neither good will nor
peace in the face of the woman on the
other side of the table. Yes" she
said, 1--WE Firms call him Bobrikoff the
thief, for little by little he has tilched
from us our country and all our
rights.
God knows my heart is not evil |
when | say that till Bobrikoff came
to Finland I did not believe in hell |
Here she looked up at the sky. and
it is untrue to say that blue eyes can
hold no passion. Hers were steely,
and in them one could see passion |
that bitterness had frozen.
Some day." she went on, "Bobriloff |
will pass even the limit Of our pa
Lience, and then there will arise a
man who"
She did not finish the sentence, but |
understood, and murmured quite
So"
And now they have shot Bobrilloff.
IF you will come out with me-" my
continued, after a little
pause, II will show you why we suf-
,er."
So we went out and crossed a snowy
square and came up to a great white
AS we passed up the steps
4 Russian policeman stared at us and
hen yawned.
A man unlocked the heavy doors for
where even the echoes seemed quite
startled at the unaccustomed sound
# footsteps.
We came to big dim room, round
which were ranged in a semi-circle
scores of little gold-legged, gold
packed chairs.
This" said my companion, is the
Iall Of Nobles," and in this silence
Ind this emptiness you can read the
tragedy of our land Year by year
hose little chairs stand waiting for
,ur mobiles to sit on them and give us
avs and justice. But they will new
n sit there again for Bobrikoff has
dissolved our constitution.
HE rules instead as an autocrat
md by martial law"
"And what manner of man is this
| asked.
Il cannot tell you what he looks
Ike" she said. because the only time
lie passed me turned away my head
We always turn away our heads when
lie goes by. 1t is all that we can do
81 believe, however. that in his priv
tie life he is kindly man. am told
is quite touching to see the love
I,1AA.x L. L