Bradford County telegraph. (Starke, Fla.) 1888-current, 1910-11-11
Courtship
By SARA TREAT BINGHAM
Copyright, isia by American Press
Association.

mOel DeGut1lui or American take6,
whose courtship was certainly the
most strange ever heard of. They
were both Russians by birth and both
Of the higher class. The husband told
me the story one evening while we
were smoking on his piazza overlook.
ing the water. II was this;
I am now a man Of seventy, and dur
ing my long life there has been a
great change In the political condition
Of my native country. Were It not FOR
this change instead OF telling you my
experience I would be deathly afraid
Of your knowing It Indeed, l should
be living, as 1t were, In oblivion. I
was one Of the original nihilists- The
word Is no longer used In speaking Of
Russians who oppose the government,
for there Is nothing 1t stands for.
Il Is the Latin word nihil, which
means nothing, the nihllIsts believing
that nothing, governmental or social,
that exists should exist-all should be
destroyed. Today there Is a process
Of building up Russia, and even the
term revolutionist there is at present
confined to a few.
The belief Of the circle that I be-
longed to was, among other things.
that all property should be held In
common. I was then but twenty years
Of age and was caught by this idea.
Indeed, young as 1 was, 1 became a
leader among the nihilists. But my
principles underwent a sudden change.
A brother Of my father had emiTated
to America and had made a fortune.
He died bachelor when l was TWEEN
ty-flve years old and left me his prop
erty, amounting to more than half q
million dollars.
This acquisition Of wealth will turn
the head Of any communist from his
principles. I no sooner learned that l
was heir to a fortune than 1 saw all
the social problems 1 had studied In a
different light. But one object took
possession Of me-to conceal the news
Of my fortune from my associates.
hiding myself from them that I
might enjoy II. One night I left one
Of their meetings to disappear from
them forever. Disguised, 1 left at
midnight for America, and In a few
months my property was turned over
to me.
In time the cause Of my absence
would be known. should be tried
and condemned TO death. / turned
over my property and the collection
Of my income 30 an agent, with IN.
strue1ops 10 send the latter to an an.
other name than my own, which a.
stunned, and attempted to lose my iden
tity In travelling from place to place
I never dared stop anywhere more
than q month at q time, and before
long I began b experience that tired
feeling which induces criminals who
know the police are hunting them tc
give themselves up and suffer the pen
atty their crimes.
Especially did I suffer from belnr
cut OF from my own countrymen.
dared not associate with Russian
lest through him my identity and
whereabouts should be communicated
to those who were looking for me. Fol
ten years 1 lived d life In death.
have often since wondered how the
car, knowing all the while that there
are many persons seeking to kin him
can live without breaking down with
nervous prostration.
As time passed and still lived II
did not feel easier at least took fewe
precautions against being found by ont
sent to kill me. In fact I felt that
would rather die than suffer myself b
constantly fear death.
], One day was introduced to a Lad,
from Russia, who on learning from
something l inadvertently dropped t
reveal the land of my nativity that
was a Russian took an interest In me
Hounded as I felt sure had been 70
many years, I gave myself up to tn
companionship Of this woman, VIII
seemed to have been sent to me in m,
Punishment to comfort me. Indeed,
was falling into that condition we cal
love when one moonlight evening at
house where we were entertained Sh
suggested that we walk In the garden
When out OF sight Of the house sh
suddenly faced me, drew n dagger and
with the words Forgive me-" attempt
ed to plunge 1t into my heart. wa
too quick for her. springing backward
Then said to her:
Try again. Another time I win NO
oppose you. I have lived 30 long 4
this dread that welcome death"
threw open my coat and presente
my breast to her.
For q moment she stood frresolutI
then handed her dagger to me.
81 cannot do It." she said But II
don't I VIII be killed. Do the wor
. yourself; It win be a mercy 10 me-"
What had prevented me from follow
ing the work had taken up0a mysel
was q fortune; what prevented tn
woman from obeying the command
ahs had received and taking Upoa hel
self ths blight Of an ove.hanging dat
was love. From this time The arrU'
u ths littie god. instead of the sasa'
s.nis. knifA was between N. IA a
nse waited n. prsveat2ag tAe lat1'
; frcm separating ~ Fer ten ysazs q
wnn ana wife NO hid ouEsalvua @ d