The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-04-07
Helping a
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While at st. Petersburg the Amer
lean minister secured an Invitation for
me to a state dinner at which the en-
peror and empress were present l
didn't care to go to another one. Any
enjoyment in court society in Russia
In these days is like smoking while sit
ting on q barrel of gunpowder.
Opposite me sat an important gov
ernment functionary. a man about for
ty years old, and his dinner companion
was girl Of twenty. was struck
with her appearance the moment l
placed my eyes upon her, and yet
could not explain why. All can say
is that she was noticeable. conclud-
cd that she would not have been there
had she not been noble.
She chatted affably all through the
dinner with her companion till the end,
when ! noticed that she suddenly be-
came agltated She was eating nuts
and ralsins Mt the time and bent low
over the plate containing them. using a
| nut pick as though she were nearslght-
ed. When she raised her eyes they
met mine. and thought saw In them
n mute appeal.
| Naturally the girl absorbed oil my in
terest Indeed. when we all rose at the
| departure Of the emperor and empress,
instead of craning my neck to get
| glimpse Of them | kept my eyes fixed
upon her When we seated ourselves
something under the table and put a
hand under It. apparently, at least, to
feel what It was. She had no sooner
done this than I saw her again look at
me with that same mysterious some
thing In her eyes. Whatever 1t was
It was more like an appeal for help
than anything else. returned 1t with
a questioning glance. as If to say,
"What do you want me to do?" But
there is a limit to what one can say
simply by an expression. and she seem
ed to be able to help me no further.
Meanwhile was racking my brain
for solution. ] am believer In
transference of thought. and ! am sure
the girl assisted my mental effort by
exerting her will power to guide me-.
put my hand under the table. The
girl turned ashy pale. ! felt about In
front of me till my fingers came in
contact with some little pointed artl-
Gle sticking into the bottom of the
table. ] withdrew 1t and found 1t to
be nut pick. II was stuck through n
bit Of paper folded In the form Of a
rectangle. This knew without TAX
ing my find out into the light working
with one hand while with the other
held the stem OF my wineglass.
| Now, It did not occur to me just then
that was In imminent danger OF be-
ing whlsked off to Siberia before day
light the next morning. knew. how
ever. that the girl was playing some
desperate game. and all my faculties
were exerted in her behalf. 1t did not
require deep penetration to surmise
that she wished TO get rid of the rec
tangular folded paper or something In
II. the nut pick must be unimportant
and only means to an end. ] con-
trived with one hand TO open the paper.
thought could feel a powder In It,
and. withdrawing my hand FAR enough
to look at 1t. saw that the thumb and
finger were covered with something
white. II there was any more of the
contents 1t must have been scattered
Oh the floor.
Fora time thought my work done,
but presently 1t occurred to me that
enough Of the powder or whatever II
was would cling to the paper to iden-
tify the former substance, A happy
thought occurred to me. Taking a
cigarette from my pocket and match
\ struck the match. had crumplcd
the paper and instead of lighting my
neighbor. and then. pretending to no.
tice that the match was nearly burned
! touched 1t to the paper and lit the
I cigarette from the latter.
The moment the paper began to burn
q winter on the opposite side of the
table hurried around TO where was
I knew surely that he was coming to
me for a purpose. but he was too late
\ When he reached me the paper had be
N COult usHeS.
Nj l cannot to this day forget the look
\ OF the girl opposite II was the quln
\ tessence of relief and gratitude.
On leaving the palace was taken IN
I charge by Cossacks. driven to police
] quarters and searched They found
only In my vest pocket nut pick
which have at the presentday. had
my passport with me. and my captors
knew that had been invited to the
dinner at the request of the American
minister. This, considering that they
had no evidence of political or Other
crime against me. gained me my lib
erty, but was ordered to leave Rus
sla at once. Having seen all | wanted
of society living on dynamite. | de
parted by the first train
The episode remained unexplained
till more than Il year afterward. wher
: had returned TO America. One day
received call from Russian HI
told me that he was member of an
American branch OF Russian secre
political society whose OBJECT was TO ait
I II.