The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-03-04
CHAPTER XVII.
The Letter From Geneva.


Wanda fell powerless upon the di.
van. Sob after sob seemed stifled
in her throat. Katia, watching
her, at last bent over and took hei
hand.
"Be brave, sister," she said
you have forgotten that letter
from Geneva; doubtless it comes
from our friends, the poor exiles.
At these words Wanda aroused
herself and broke the seals of the
envelope; but as soon as she had
read the first words of the inclos.
ure she uttered a piercing cry
clasped the paper to her heart
and tainted dead away.
The bulky envelope contained
as Raymond supposed, manu-.
script. 1t ran as follows:
my Well-Beloved Daughter: II
is your mother who writes to you
your mother whom you believed
to be dead: your mother who from
the day when she was cruelty torn
from the child that she adored has
never ceased to think of her.
81 have suffered horribly in the
past II years, but my keenest suf-
fering has been my separation
from you, my darling Wanda
Thanks to our friends, I have
often heard of you.
I'VE sent you Catherine LAWN
ska. She does not know that am
your mother, but she has been in
the habit of writing frequently tC
my friend, Michael Federoff, and
every letter was full of you. How
I have devoured those letters
which showed me that you gradu.
ally became an enemy to oppres.
sion.
"Now I can tell you my sad
story; 1 know that you will un'
derstand me, will pity me, will ex
cuse me.
"Ah, my Wanda! If you coult
but read my heart! It overflows
with tenderness and joy. How
long to press you to my bosom
and to cover your beautiful head
with mothers kisses!"
"Your mother,
ALEXANDRA KRYLOFF."
Wanda took up the manuscript
that had been inclosed within the
letter, and commenced reading it
This is what she read:
"At 16 years of age, travelling
in Italy, met Prince Kryloff. HI
was a thorough gentleman, a grea
lord, elegant in his manners and
very fascinating. He was pas
sionately in love with me. Hell
to an old name and princely for
tune, he possessed everything tina
could dazzle and charm a younl
girl. l thought that 1 loved him
and it gave me great happiness tt
promise to be his wife. The frs
year of our marriage was perfec
bliss.
Nicholas Markewitch, tn,
princes private physician, was al
old man. One day he said to tn,
prince:
"'I am growing old and m!
health is uncertain. Soon you will
have to find successor to me
There is one of your serfs who ha
a very remarkable mind; I hav,
been attending to his education
for some time past; IL you will
send him to the university for
couple of years, he will make
first-rate DOCTOR
What is his name?' asked tn
prince.
Michael Federoff.'
1.-THE prince frowned. rs he tn
son of that scoundrel Federof
who helped the Barkeloff peas
antry in their Instruction agains
liner
"'I am sorry to say he is, you
excellency,' answered Markewitch
But he surely Is not responsible
for his fathers actions
Markewitch Is right said
happening to be present at the in
terview; let him come here, an,
then you can see what you thin
of him.
1.-THE prince granted my re
quest. Michael had q fine, opel
countenance, lively and yet grave
There was great deal of powe
in his face.
1.-THE prince said that no Rus
sian university would admit
serf. proposed that he be sen
out of the country to finish hi
education, and he was accord
ingly sent to Prague. He distin
guished himself SO much there a
the school of medicine that hi
fellow students forwarded an ad
dress to the prince begging hir
to give Federoff his freedom
Michael also wrote to the prince
entreating him most humbly 70
the same favor.
when he received these tw
letters. Kryloff flew into the mos
terrible rage. and when aske
what was the matter he threw tn
two letters at me. Iooli' he ez
claimed, how far your proteg
can push his ingratitudel Bloc
will tell. The son OF a rebel
have spent three thousand rouble
on his education, and now h
wants me to give him his free
dom!'
~ tried in vain to soothe tn
| princes rage. 4 can sell one q
my jewels,' I said; the smalles
one that Dosaesa will nav for Al