Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-06-21

ing is regarded as great asset By
the cars government, the heads Of
the state play it as trump card
Russian women are sent as spies thn
world over, to learn secrets Of statg
from men whose heads they tura
These beautiful secret service EN-
plOyes receive large salaries in add
ton to generous gifts for special work.
The Russian government has employ
ed women spies for well nigh a hun
dred years; it is even said that as
long ago as the time Of Ivan the Ter
rible princesses were sent 10 distant
lands to learn the true sentiment Of
foreign courts toward him.
Members of the present feminine
secret service corps are found i'm
every civilized country in the world
The Russian is a natural hnguist and
learns to speak tluently all languages
In every instance these spies are
women Of fine judgment Of cool. cal
culating minds, although apparently
they are only gentle, negative crea-
lures of bOundless charm and helpless
ness, Their insidious temperaments
are brought to bear upon diplomats,
statesmen and officials of many lands.
and despite the fact that Russia
methods are we'll known, it usually
happens that the victim suspects moth
ing until he finds he has been be-
trayed.
Naturally the lives of these women
are filled with adventure. Many Of
them have had very narrow escapes.
but they are fearless and daring. They
are prepared TO pl9S any part-.O
wear mems clothes, to dress in rags
or satin, to go ilCo all sorts of queer
and dangerous quarters, to take long,
hazardous journeys.
One of the most famous of these
women is Nine. Seski Hunegan, who
has been in the service of the Russian
government many years. Upon the
death of her husband, who was an Off
Ger in the Russian army, she was
left in very straitened circumstances.
Her case was brought to the atten-
ton Of the government, and as her
loyalty and strong, steadfast charac-
ter were well known. the officials de-
termined to make use of her as
spy. She gladly took advantage of
the opportunity and departed at once
for Paris to commence her work
Thence she was sent to the Riviera,
and later, about eight years ago. to
America. She lived in Washington
two years and was friend of the
Countess Cassini. Soon afterward she
toured the world, travelling as an
American. In Japan she was received
as such, and thus was able to send
valuable information to her govern
ment. She is now living in London
under an assumed name and passes
as an American.
Baroness Makowa, although of no
BILE birth, has lived for years as
dancing girl on the Russian border.
Her mission is to watch Turks, Greeks
and Bulgarian, and her simple, light
hearted manner averts all suspicion.
She has won the heart Of many a for
dancer. Prince George of Greece was
greatly attracted to her, much to
the chagrin of Princess George-and
he never suspected that she was no.
blewoman, and spy at that.
Probably one of the most fascinat-
ing women ever sent forth by the Rus
sian government upon secret missions
is ZenaiGa 2etrovitch. She would
have made an admirable character
study for Turgeniff.
She was born in a little town about
20 miles from Moscow. Her father
was a scholarly, poetic school teach
er, who loved to dream among his
books. He married the daughter of a
country nobleman, young woman OF
great beauty, who later deserted him
and their infant daughter in favor Of
a grand duke.
The dreamy, poetic father brought
up his little girl quietly. But she had
inherited her hayward mothers beau
ty, as we'll as her nature. She never
learned to understand her father. At
the age of seventeen, when she could
endure ner tame, uneventfuI life no
longer. she ran away to find her moth
er. She found instead handsome Of
ficer who married her and took her.to
ST Petersburg to live,
There she met grand dukes, and,
like her mother, she also deserted her