Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-10-22
A Futile
Attempt
To Keep a Boy and q Girl
From Wedlock
BY PETER seHoNsKY

army. leaving him alone with son.
Boris, year old.
Naturally the count was imbittered
against women. The very sight of one
of the opposite sex threw him into
state bordering on insanity. He at
last became so affected on encounter
ing a woman that his physician recon-
mended that he go where he would not
meet them.
So Count Ivan sold out his estate
near St Petersburg and went into 81
IBERIA. where he bought large tract OF
land, In the center OF which he built
himself a house He encircled his land
with a high wall. in which there was
but one opening. at which be stationed
a guard with instructions not to per
NIT any woman or female child to en-
ter the inclosure His servants were
all men. and II any article was needed
that a man could not make 1t was OBJ
tanned from without
Besides keeping away from women
himself. the count decided TO keep his
son away from them When Boris be-
gan TO talk his father gave orders that
he should not be told that there were
such persons as women in the world.
The boy was to grow up thinking that
the only human beings were men. Per
haps there was n trace of insanity In
this, but be that as It may. so great
was the care taken to keep all sexual
knowledge away from Boris that be
was fifteen years old before such
knowledge came to him.
The revelation reached him In this
way: A lady Of Moscow, Catherine
Barchikoff. had the same experience
with her husband that Count Ivane-
vich had with his wife Barchikoff
having deserted her for her maid. The
sight OF a man did not have the same
effect upon her that the sight Of a
woman Invariably had on Count
Ivanovieh, but she determined TO bring
up her baby daughter. Nathalie in
ignorance OF the male sex. keeping
her SO IL possible TIL she should have
passed the age at which young girls
usually marry.
Now, Nine. Barchikof knew as well
as did Count Tvanovich that It would
be impossible to bring up a girl never
So she began to make inquiries as to
where she should find an uninhabited
region in which to live. Very nat
urally, she arrived at the same coneiu-
sions as Count Tvanovich. Siberia was
but thinly settled. and ii was the
nearest region to st. Petersburg fitted
for the purpose, was not far from
railroad terminal and therefore avail
able for receiving supplies. Thus, it
happened that Count Ivanovieh took
a son and Nine, BarchikoT daugh-
ter to the same neighborhood in 81.
IBERIA. the one TO keep his boy away
from women. the other to keep her girl
away from men.
Siberia Is a very large country. out
not large enough 10 keep apart man
and woman. provided there be but
one man ard one woman within its
limits. even though they be at points
farthest apart Boris Ivanovich and
Nathalie Barchlkoff were the only
youth and maiden in the region in
which they dwelt. and they were not
very far apart. Ergo, II the above
reasoning is correct il follows that
despite the watchfulness Of their re-
spective parents they would sooner or
later form a union.
Boris grew up u manly young fell
low and before be was thirteen years
old began to ehafe at being confined
within an Enclosure. When he asked
permission TO go outside the walls his
father said to him:
Are you not permitted to roam over
a vast territory? Have you not rivers
in which to FISH? Have you not forests
In which TO hunt? Be content. my boy.
Within our domain you are safe: with
out it you viii be subject to a great
danger"
What dangerY
Without our walls Is an animal
something like a man. Ii is made in
the image of a man. but has the eve
OF serpent. Ut charms men as the
snake charms birds. If you once meet
one Of these creatures you are liable
TO be devoured'
Far from being impressed with such
warning. Boris. who was fond of
hunting. thought continuously about
this creature fashioned something like
a man. yet able to charm men TO de-
stroy them. Gradually a desire grew
upon him to see one Of these creatures.
II he felt spell coming over him he
would shoot the vampire. Ii was not
long before he was trying to bride the
guard at the gate TO let him out But
the guard WAS incorruptihie So when
Boris was In his sixteenth year he
rode away one morning with an az
and his gun and. reaching the wall cut
down a tree that leaned toward 1t and,
when the tree fell against the top Of
the wall. climbed up and dropped
down on the ground outside the in
closure.
The boy. keeping his gun ready TO