The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-22
THE EVENING STORY.
A Girl Of the Russian Revolutio.


A Girl of the Russian Revolution.
Vera Nicholevna, the daughter of
Russian noble. began her revolutionary
career by simply teaching the peasants.
Finding that she could not do that I'M
der the present system of government,
she joined those who are trying to oV-
erthrow that government.
One day Vera received an order from
the revolutionary society of which she
was member to go to a little shop IN
St. Petersburg in the rear Of pretenn-
tlous buildings by which it was nearly
hidden, get a bomb and carry it to
certain house at the other end Of the
city. She secured the bomb, made her
exit and as she did so saw a man
watching her from q window. Hurry
ing along she mingled with the crowds
in the street before the watcher could
emerge from his position. She judged
at once that the shop had been watch
ed and the man who had seen her come
out was one of the police. The bomb,
which she carried in her pocket, she
could not get rid of. Revolutionary doc
uments she might have dropped, but to
drop a bomb meant an explosion. She
did not doubt that if the man whom
she was trying to evade found her she
would be arrested and searched For
this reason she kept to the most dense
~ crowded streets, moving in tortu-
JUS GOuASGs Il 14Ad4AJs NA4A 4AAAAS5s 04AG AOOAA
ed back, and the very marrow of her
bones froze at seeing her follower but
a short distance behind on the other
side OF the street. He looked away
pretending not to have noticed her.
Then she knew that he not only wish
ed to capture her, but to discover the
place to which she would go.
At this very time the guardian spirit
that presided over the destiny of Harold
Willetts, a young Chicagoan, led him
n from the building where he
occupied apartments and stand in the
doorway looking out on the street,
swinging his cane meditatively. A
young girl who was passing surprised
him by suddenly turning and making
straight through the door into the hail.
There was suppressed excitement on
her face, which led him to follow her.
AS soon as they were both inside she
locked the door, then said something
rapidly TO him in Russian, which he did
not understand. He told her in French
that he spoke that language, and she
at once adopted it.
You are not a Russian?' she said.
What nationality are you?
American"
All foreigners consider Americans as
sympathizers with any one struggling
for liberty, and the girl at once gave
him her confidence.
Il am a revolutionist. and I am fol-
lowed In a few moments a man will
be here to arrest me- would care
nothing for that but I carry a bomb.
Help me to get rid of it"
Willetts had been noted for his def
erence and chlValrOuS treatment OF Wo-
men, but this appeal staggered him.
Here was a girl, a very pretty one who
was asking him to mix himself up in a
revolutionary matter from the conse-
quences of which even the president of
the United States could not save him if
caught red handed. Nevertheless he
had in him the blood of those who re-
sisted the tyranny of King George III,
and he rose to the emergency.
Give me the bomb,'' he said, "and go
out by the rear door"
She handed him a glass globe, ran to
the rear door and passed out just as
there was a knock at the door in front
Willetts, instead of opening it, hurried
up to his room. He knew that he had
but little time to select a hiding place
for the bomb and different receptacles
passed in review with lightning speed
A pair of riding boots stood in a closet,
and he carefully laid the explosive in
one of them. Then he started down
stairs. A man was in the hall talking
to a servant who had just admitted
him. He at once recognized Winetts
and asked what had become of the girl
who had gone back into the house with
him. Willetts,e not understanding the
Russian language, could not reply, and
the man, hurrying upstairs, searched
the house, at one time standing directly
over the bomb. Fooled, he at last went
away.
WilIetts placed the bomb in his trunk
and waited to hear from the girl After
waiting several weeks without any
communication he wrapped the bomb in
paper, tied a stone to it and dropped 1t
The next winter found the young
Chfcagoan again in St. Petersburg
and. being on intimate terms with the
American minister, he received many
invitations through that officials in
fuenee One evening at a ball given
nv one of the uncIes of the emperor.
being presented to the hostess Will
let's saw among the ladies of her suit
the girl whom he had relieved Of the
bomb and saved from Siberia the
moment she saw him the roses ieLt heI
cheeks, but with an effort she regaIned
her. cOnposure without having attract
ed attention. Later Wflletrs was leu
I'D to her and formally presented
After a dance with her he led her to a
window seat -
Vera. told him that she had neither
dared to go to him nor write to him.
She felt that she owed him more than
her life and had regretted thaf she
had not before been able to express
her gratitude. Willetts, who had been
dreaming of her ever since the episode
of her escape, begged her to permit
him to call upon her. She resoluteiy
refused, giving as a reason that she
was consecrated to a work IN whIcn
he could have no part.
Willetts never saw her again, Dut
since his return to America the daugh-
ter of a noble answering to her de-
scription has been caught in a consplr-
acv to assassinate a grand duke. But
as usual in such cases no information
of what disposal has been made OF her
''s~' - FLORA MILLIGAN.