The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-09-03

was recently entertained by a gen
tleman and his wife, living in their
handsome country place ON one OF the
most beautiful Of American lakes,
whose courtship was certainly the
most strunge I 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 sraoking on his piazza overlook
ing the water. 1t was this:
am now man of seventy, and dur
ing my long life there has been
great change In the political condition
of my native country. Were it not for
this change instead of telling you my
experience l would be deathly afraid
Of your knowing it. Indeed | should
be living. as 1t were. in oblivion. l
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.
It Is the Latin word nihil. which
means nothing. the nihilists believing
that nothing. governmental or social.
that exists should exist-al should be
destroyed Today there is a process
of building up Russia. and even the
term reyolutionist there Is at present
confined to q few.
The belief OF the circle that | be-
l0nged to was. among other things.
that all property should be held in
common. was then but twenty years
Of age and was caught by this idea
Indeed, young as / was. | became a
leader among the nihiiists. But my
principles underwent a sudden change
4 brother Of my father had emigrated
to America and had made fortune,
He died a bachelor when | was TWEEN
tyfive years old and left me his prop
erty. amounting to more than half a
million dollars.
This acquisition Of wealth win turn
the head of any communist from bis
principles. no sooner learned that
was heir to a fortune than | saw all
the social problems had studied In
different light. But one object took
possession of me-~to conceal the news
Of my fortune from my associates,
hiding myself from them that
might enjoy IT. One night | left one
of their meetings to disappear from
them forever Disguised, left at
midnight for America, and In few
months my property was turned over
TO me.
IN time the cause Of my absence
would be known should be tried
ard condemned to death turned
over my property and the collection
of my income to an agent, with in
structions to send the latter 70 an an
other name than my own, which ! as
sumed, and attempted to lose my iden
tity In travelling from place to place
! never dared stop anywhere more
than d month at time, and before
long | began to experience that tired
feeling which induces criminals who
know the police are hunting them to
give themselves up and suffer the pen
atty Of their crimes.
Especially did I suffer from being
cut of from my own countrymen.
dared not associate with d Russian
lest through him my identity and
whereabouts should be communicated
to those who were looking for me. For
ten years | lived d life In death. !
have often since wondered how the
ear, knowing ill the while that there
are many persons seeking TO Kill him,
can live without breaking down with |
nervous prostration.
AS time passed and still lived +
did not feel easier at least took fewer
precautions against being found by one
sent to Kill me. I'll fact, ! felt that |
would rather die than suffer myself to
constantly fear death.
One day was introduced to lady
from Russia. who on learning from
something inadvertently dropped to
reveal the land Of my nativity that
was d Russian took IN interest in me.
Hounded as felt sure had been for
many years. gave myself up to the /