Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-07-08
NO.. H..

for fidelity of which l assure myself
beforehand, Is to explain to you my
reasons for what must seem to you
an extraordinary state of things. The
fate of my father, Alexander II, slain
by a bomb in the streets Of st Peters.
burg, is, Of course, familiar to you. But
1t is not easy for you to realize the ef-
feet produced by that fearful event on
my mind.
1.-The perils Of battlefield may be
faced by brave man, in the enthusi-
asm which battle calls forth. But the
perpetual secret peril which dogs one
day after day and year after year, and
never slackens for single moment
that is very different thing.
az am not ashamed to confess to
you, baron, that from the moment l
ascended the bloody throne of Russia,
my life was one long haunting agony.
Never once did have one hour of per.
feet freedom from care. And l could
do nothing. l was helpless. q martyr
bound to- the stake Of my autocracy.
They prated to me of reforms. You
are man who knows Russia as few
men know it, and you can tell me
whether the first step in the direction
Of reform would not have drawn down
on my head the vengeance of men be-
side whom the Nihilists are bungling
apprentices"
Il could only bow my acquiescenoe
in this sorroWful truth.
For years. proceeded Alexander,
I had secretly set my heart on abdi.
eating. l only waited till my son
Nicholas was of an age to face the
dangers and difficulties of his task.
But by the time that the hour of re.
lease drew near, had learned that alb
dication would earn me no respite
from the hatred with which was pur.
sued.
81 had acquired the knowledge that
there were those who had sworn that,
on the throne or of it, should not be
allowed to die natural death. To
give up my imperial state would sim.
ply be surrendering my safeguards,
without for a moment disarming the
enmity OF those who sought my life.
1t was these considerations which ulti
mately forced me to entertain the idea
of deception which lament, but to
which l owe the first peaceful days !
have spent for twelve years.
81 resolved, as you have gathered
by this time, to 60 solemnly through
the forms of death and burial, and
thus acquire the right to retire to
some unsuspected retreat, where J
might pass the remainder Of my days,
shielded from the vengeance Of my 70
lentless pursuers. In order to carry
out this design it was necessary that ]
should take five persons into my conn.
dence, my wife, my son, two physi
clans of whose personal loyalty and
friendship had had many proofs, and
an old trusted body.servant on whom
was cast the duty of arranging for my
future privacy, and attending on me In
it. He is at this moment away pro.
curing supplies of food"
These words of his majesty remind.
ed me that Boris was impatiently
awaiting my temperance. glanced
at my watch. Twelve minutes had al
ready passed.
81 must leave you now, sire,' ex.
claimed, rising hastily, or my com
rade will be seeking me. Rest assured
that shall not prove unworthy Of the
trust you have deigned to repose In
me. But l venture to advise your
majesty to discontinue your visits to
your sons apartments for the present
Should you desire to lay your com.
mands upon me at any time, shall be
found at the French embassy
With these words took respect
full but hurried leave Of the ex-tsar.
who bade me cordial farewell.
II rejoined Boris Just as he was
about to set of and give the alarm,
and was successful in putting stop to
any questions on his part by few
judicious words.
az am forbidden to tell you what !
have discovered said. with slightly
jocular air, but may tell you in con.
fidence that l think you must have
mistaken the son for the father. Next
time you intercept his majesty on q
midnight excursion, you will perhaps
be able to assign reasons of a less
mysterious character for his visits to
the very charming bachelor apartment
which have just explored
"The young prince accepted this ex-
planation readily enough, and its effect
was confirmed the next day by the 10.
sue of an order discontinuins the
guard in the gallery altogether. Az I
have told you, all trace Of the incident
quickly disappeared from the society
of St. Petersburg. And at the end Of
few weeks the unlucky page received
the honor of lieutenant's commission
in regiment which happened to form
part of the garrison Of Vladivostock
on the coast of the Pacific"
His excellency stopped. glanced st
the board, and made the move which
had been dreading for some time:
."Checkmate!'
But surely" demonstrated as the
ambassador rose from his chair and
stretched himself, you heard some
thing more of this strange business?"
His face instantly became grave.
"There Is nothing more which feel
at liberty to mention, even to you. Had
his majesty been still residing at the
winter palace, should not have told
you the story. He honored me SO far
as to avail himself Of my services in
providing himself with an asylum in
which his enemies are not likely to
reach him, and which Is, indeed, out
side the borders of the Russian en-