Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-16
QUEER IMPRISONMENT OF
A RUSSIAN NOBLEMAN

frequent-at first under the pretext of bust
ness, and subsequently, for the avowed pur-
pose of paying his attentions to the mer-
chants daughter. Ivan Ostrelsky. a man
OF plebeian birth. who had accumulated his
great riches by his own industry and COM
mercial efficiency, was considerably fiat
tered by the attentions which the great
nobleman paid to his daughter and favored
Baron Lfupianoff's suit. He encouraged the
baron to visit his house, frequently invited
him to dinner, and gave him numerous OPP
portunities of being alone with his daugh-
ter.
Miss Ostrelsky, however, did not share
her fathers partially for the aristocrat
who made no progress whatever with his
suit, but, on the contrary, became more and
more undesirable in the eyes of the heiresS
of plebeian birth. Olga Ostrelsky, it must
be remembered had been brought up in
great seclusion in her country home, and
was absolutely unacquainted with the
weaknesses and vices of the ladies' of high
society In the Russian capital Baron Ldu-
pianoff. however, whose experience of wom-
en- had hitherto been confined to the gay
danes OF the capital, wooed the innocent
country girl In the same dashing style by
which he had effected the conquest of so
many feminine hearts In st. Petersburg.
His audacious advances. however. only
frightened the country girl, and his con-
versation, full of witticisms and yelled al
lusions which would have suited the taste
of st. Petersburg ladies'. only shocked Miss
Ostrelsky, whose English goyerness, Miss
King, encouraged her in her dislike of the
amorous baron. At the expiration Of the
first fortnight Baron Liupianoff made for
NAL offer of marriage to Miss Ostrelsky.
which was Immediately and emphatically
rejected by the young lady.
The baron however, who believed that
he had to deal merely with the whtms OF
capricious young creature, continued his
visits and his courtship and ignored, or
affected to ignore, Miss Ostrelsky's aver
sion to his personality. At the end OF the
third week he renewed his offer, which was
again rejected. A third fourth and fifth
offer were all likewise rejected, and on
each occasion Miss Ostrelsky declared her
dislike of her persistent sutton in emphatic
language.
On the last occasion she cried, II dislike
you more than l can express In words. If
you were the only man In the world
wouI-- not marry you. Your attentions are
distasteful to me and your persistence,
after / have made my wishes known, Is
discourteous and brutal shall never per-
nit you to see me again.
Ivan Ostresky, who at first openly and
afterward secretly favored the suit of the
great noblenan yeered round and sided
with his daughter after her determination
became apparent to him. After her first
ana second rejection of the baron's suit
the merchant had shared the aristocrats
belief that these refusals were due to a
maidenly caprice, and Mr.. Ostrelsky had
encouraged the young man to continue his
visits and to persist In his courtship. But
after the final scene with the baron Miss
Ostrelsky told her father that she would
never see her admfrer again. and that his
visits to the house must be forbidden.
Ivan Ostrelsky reasoned with his daugh-