East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-07-31
THE WORLDS ONLY BEAUTY COLONY"

Early in August, when Miss Vera
Strellitz marries Maxim sakharoff. at
Moscow, Poland, the second step will
be taken in one of the most curiously
interesting experiments ever devised
by man. Miss Vera is the prettiest
peasant girl in Russia, and young Sa-
kharoff is the handsomest, finest mas
culine specimen to be found. Their
engagement and marriage, has been
planned for the purpose of producing
children which it is hoped will be
more splendidly beautiful than even
their father and mother.
The moving genius behind this un-
usual romance is NJ. Rachatnikoff, a
very rich Russian land owner near
Moscow. He is a scientist and a be-
lever in Darwin's theory of special Sc
lection. NJ. Rachatnikoff has conduct
ed many experiments in breeding
fowls, dogs and cattle, selecting all
ways the biggest, handsomest speci-
mems to mate. In this way he has
produced some remarkable products.
About 20 years ago NJ. Rachatnikoff
determined to apply his beliefs to
some practical tests with men and
women. He decided to try to breed
race of especially beautiful human
beings. In accordance with his
scheme he searched the neighboring
provinces for young women of eXcep-
tional beauty and induced them to
come and live on his estates. At the
same time he collected several mag
nificent specimens of physical man.
hood and settled them on his land.
At first these young people were in
clined to select their own mates but
NJ. Rachatnikoff had certain scientific
points to demonstrate, and he was an
xous to make the couples according to
his own ideas. BY series of hand
some rewards the wealthy land owner
was able to accomplish largely what
he had in mind.
NJ. Rachatnikoff succeeded in unit
ing a husband with large eyes with a
wife of especially big, lustrous eyes for
the purpose of producing offspring
with even larger, finer eyes than
either. And the girl with the most eX-
ouisitely formed lips and chin mar
ried to an Apollo who possessed these
same features in greatest perfection.
Thus among the 50 couples who have
been mated under the scientific guild
ance of their wealthy patron every
perfection of feature and physical
charm has been united with a view to
producing even greater perfection In
their children.
To add every advantage to these
couples they have been surrounded
with an atmosphere of happiness and
contentment The work given them
has purposely been light and the per-
sonal preferences of all have been con-
suited in assigning their various tasks
about the great estates. Especial care
has been given to their food and the
sanitary conditions of their homes.
To escape the production of race
of empty-headed beauties with no
gleam of intellect in their eyes. Mr..
Rachatnikoff has provided n college
professor from a st. Petersburg COL
lege to live among them as friend
and teacher While many of the men
and women are quite competent to do
clerical work NJ. Rachatnikoff has
preferred to keep them busy with out
door employment, paying them much
more than farm wages. The open air
life, the land owner believes Is a more
advantageous one for the purposes in
view.
This selected colony has already
raised some $50 children and the fame
Of their exceptional beauty has spread
throughout all Russia. And 1t is the
first wedding among these children
that is soon to be celebrated.
NJ Rachatnikoff himself arranged
the betrothal of Miss Vera Strellitz
with young Sakharoff. The bride is
10 and the groom 90: both are bru-
nettes and each one Is marvelously
fine specimen of beauty and perfect
physique. In each of these young peo-
pie the theory of special selection has
been abundantly demonstrated, for
each possesses in more marked de-