Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1915-09-23
A Russian S Effort
to Lose Himself
By EUNICE BLAKE

Peter Trolenco was member Of one
Of those circles that sprang up III Rus
sia some forty years ago when nihil-
Ism was first heard of. They took their
name from their underlying principle
that nothing in government which ex'
listed should continue. The Latin word
for nothing" Is nihil.
There was great secrecy In those cir
cles, the members Of one circle being
completely ignorant Of those In anoth-
cr. Petsr uffdefst0St that dffefe1t
circles worked In harmony through
their chiefs but beyond this he had no
Information whatever. And yet St.
Petersburg (now Petrograd,. where he
lived, was full Of nihilists.
Peter was young, and there was
something captivating in all this mys-
tery. But one night there came to him
q terrible awakening. Lots were
drawn to decide which one Of the cir
Gle should assassinate the chief Of po-
lice. and Peter drew the fatal paper.
on which had been sketched dagger.
all the rest being blanks.
All the romance attending the secret
meetings, the DISCUSSES. the many in
genious plans Of the propaganda Of nj
hilism. shrlveled before this terrible
deed which Peter was required to COM
init and from which there was no es.
cape. BE might flee to the ends of the
earth, but would never know when
some one, possibly his best friend.
would strike him.
10 add to his horror. he loved
young girl, to whom he was expecting
to be married. Nina Dimitrieff was at
the time preparing her trousseau. Pc
ter feared that his misfortune. which.
In any event, would break their be-
trothal, would kill her.
he spent a long while in making up
his mind what to do and finally decid-
Cd upon fight He would leave Rus
sia disguised and go to land where
he would be lost to the world. But
what action should he take In refer
ence to his betrothed? After weigh
Ing the matter, dreading the shock he
would cause her by telling her what
had happened. he decided to disappear
fom her as mysteriously as from 9th
ers. He would conf1de only in bis
mother.
A few days after he had drawn the
dagger he began q journey to the bor-
der. Disguised as beggar, he. Travelled
BY night and begged by day In the
towns through which he passed. What
money he took with him, added to what
be received from charity, enabled him
to reach Genoa and take passage for
America.
For FIVE years the fugitive kept
changing his residence, avoiding the
large. cities so far as possible, think
ing to lose himself more effectively IN
the country. But whenever he came
near Russian he moved on. He dared
not write to his mother for fear his
letters would be intercepted. but be-
fore leaving Russia he had laid plan
for communicating with her at long In
tervals. Finally he received word from
her that a friend Of his in the circle to
which he belonged had informed her.
at the risk Of his life. that an emissary
had been sent to assassinate him.
One day Peter appeared in a small
town In Missouri to receive a commu-
nication expected from his mother.
What was his astonishment to see
walking on the main street Nina Dimi-
trieff. The sight staggered him. Could
1t be possible that the girl be loved had
been sent out to kill him? He Danish
ed the thought and ran toward her.
Seeing him, she gave him a meaning
glance and passed on.