V V v ' t ? UiWjWwW-VaM , f D ARKEST RUSSIA nv II. GHATTAN DONNELLY. Copyright, IBM, by Street & Smith, All rights reserved. KmwMff) CHAPTER VIII. Continued. "I warn you that jour act, even If you accomplish your purpose, will d more Injury to the cause or Russian lXierly than nny decree of the auto call, however severe, could accom plish. Educate the people " "Bah! t have no patience with the ories ami theorists. This is no rcvolu 1, tlouary kindergarten. Wo are men t and women Imperiling our lives in this movement, and 1 tell you that success can only bo won by blood, ly blood!" A murmur "Ay, that's the talk! Mood! blood! blood!" showed tint the sentiments of the majority wero in favor of the one who had last spoken. "Thero is no precedent in history to prove that a people's wrongs were righted by aaBassination." began the first speaker. "You know, Oramln sU. that history" "History be damned and prece dents, too. We are here to muk"c his tory to establish a precedent if need be. No! no! Let the timid withdraw if tlioy will. I, for one. will carry through our plan. What! Act as weaklings after all these years of wnitlmr. after all these months of preparation, after all these weeks of -work in silence and in secret to over throw the tyrnnt! Never! by the Clod of the peoplo of Holy Russia, never, never, never!" Loris Oramlnsky, the man who had lart spoken, turned to those around him as ho uttered the last words of his impassioned speech. He looked every inch a man who would dare a wan whom nothing could turn aside from a purpose once fully determined upon. The strongly marked face, with its heavy, squaro jaw; the deeply 11acit eyes, sunken beneath shaggy eyeb.-ows, and the mahslvc head with its wealth of coal black hair, which -was almost as luxuriant as a wom an's those, with a giant's framo and the strength of a Hercules, would have made Oramlnsky a man of mark in any assemblage. Of all the members of the moder ates, uono had opposed the extreme views 3nd alms of Oramlnsky and his following with greater zeal and ear-nefftiiefls-'than Ivan Barosky- Tho son of an exile an exile as he believed cruelly and unjustly punished Ivan was as intenso in his enmity to the existing powers In Russia as was Ora mltisky himself. But ho was too able and farseelng, too progressive and cautious to commit himself to what lie truly, believed to be a course of action that would alienate from tho Russian revolutionists the support ami sympathy of tho friends of liberty in every country in Europe. Ommlnsky's Impassioned reply, and the favor with which it had been re ceived, convinced Ivan that further discussion would be futile. "Yon have heard our views." he , said, "and It is now for me to declare our purpose. IHiere was n pause. All looked at him with every ap pearanco of Intense Interest. "After this night," began Ivan, "we will Dover " Ho stopped suddenly. His car caught on tho outside the sound of a hurried footstep, and raising his baud for caution and silence he lis tened Intently. The footsteps grew nearer. Oramlnsky lifted his lrfvnd. and as he dhl so a singular transformation took place. All In tho room who were seated, or who were working with tho Imple menus b'oforo described, arose and cilently as so many specters stopped oftly 'back toward tho sides of the loom. Each carried something a bat tery, a bit of wire a shell, a coni cal vessel handled with great care and whoso proximity was evidently not desired by any but the man whose .luty it was to hold it In charge. Thero they stood, lined by the walls. Ilk no many automatons, silent, molloulesB. ..&yjsOQDf' Alt this had taken less ttnio than it takes to write It. Xho footsteps stopped there was a knock at tho door. A peculiar knock it was a loud tap, two short quick taps, and then a ppuso and a final knock. Evidently a signal for the expres sion of Intense anxiety changed In stantly to one of relief; tho pooplo resumed their seats, and Ivan, with a commanding gesture, which Oramta sky himself submitted to, exclaimed, A- frJjjgid! Open tho door, Aronsky." Running up tho steps that led to the door of the underground apart ment, Aronsky, removing a long oak If en bar that fastened 11, throw opon the door. "llda Baroskyl" The words wero uttered with a spontnnedus impulso by all present as llda Barosky, for It was sho who had given the friendly signal, stood for a second at the door, until, her eyes having lighted upon Ivan, sho swiftly descended the steps and came Into the midst ot (he expectant group. Her face was flushed with excite ment, her fine hair disheveled, and her whole appearance Indicated that sho was laboring under somo intenso mental strain. Ivan sprang to her side. "llda, my sister, what has happen ed?" llda gazed wildly for a moment and then, her voice quivering with emo tion, sho spoke in quick, disjointed sentences: "Oh, infamy! Oh,, cruel coward the lash Alexis I will be avenged terribly avenged do you hear? The cruel Nazlmoff; oh, it was cowardly " and, overcome by the recollection of the terrible ordeal through which she has passed, the girl sank Into a chair, burying her face In her hands, and shaking like an aspen leaf from the violence of the conflict ing emotions. After having recovered In somo de gree, llda told tho story of tho night The sudden Illness of Anna Dorskl had deprived the famous orchestra of its great holoist, and at the last mo ment Anna appealed to llda to take her place. In vain llda urged that she had a reason for not going to the Nazlmoff mansion, and it was only when the famous leader himself beg ged her, with his daughter, not to place him In a false position before the assembled aristocracy of tho capi tal, that shn gave a reluctant consent. When llda reached the part of her story where Bhe was brought by vio lence into the room, her audience manifested intense interest, and she proceeded amid deepest silence. But when sho told of Nazlmoff raising the whip, the indignation of all present could no longer bo restrained. "Coward!" "Wretch!" and "Wom an beater!" wero some of tho male dictions hurled at Nazlmoff, and threats, deep and earnest, of dlro ven geance for the deed, wore uttered on all sides. But It was when sho spoke of her refusal to play "God Save the Czar," and of her sending tho violin crashing Into a thousand pieces at the foot of Nazlmoff, that the excitement broke nil bounds. ' "Death to the Nazlmoff!" was one remark, and the refrain was taken up by all present. "Let me avenge our sister's wrong," Bpoko up one young and powerful man who came into the group. "Give me tho right and I shnll find a way to his heart with this " and ho drove his dagger into the table and left It -quivering in the wood. "Not so! I am her brother," said Ivan, "and I am the one to avenge her." "Well spoken," exclaimed Oramln sky. He saw that the feeling produced upon Ivan by the story of bis sister wob Intense, and ho determined to make the most of It to win Ivan as a supporter of his own. "But It must not bo. This wrong has been done to tho sister of a brother of our order none the less a brother because ho differs with us on some minor points. The vengeance for Ilda's wrongs be longs to us all, but we must bo guided by our rules," "Ay, by our rules," was tho re sponse. They knew tho rules. It was not the first time that the rules, had been Invoked for private revenge. Ivan had taken llda a little apart from tho rest, and was doing what he could to restore her to calmness. He seemed anxious to gain every particu lar, oven to tho smallest and apparent ly most unimportant detail of what had occurred. But particularly was he concerned about Alexis Nazlmoff. "What did ho look like? How did he act? What did he say?" with these and a score of other questions Ivan piled his sister, getting of course lit tle or no information beyond what llda had told him at tho beginning. In the meantime, under tho direc tion of Oramlnsky, tho assomblago began putting in operation tho "rule of tho order" to decide upon whom should fall tho task of avenging Ilda's wrong by Count Nazlmoff. "Bring tho bag, Hersy," said Ora mlnsky. In response, ono of the women pro duced a smnll bag made of chamois In which Oramlnsky, after rapidly counting tho number of persons pres ent, placed a handful of roubles exactly as many roubles as there wero thoso in tho apartment. "And now for the Red Benuty." From around her neck, fastened by a string, Hersy produced n small leathern case, which he opened. Tho movement was watched with intense Interest, and as Hersy drew from the case a coin and handed It to Oramlnsky, all presont gazed" at tho piece of money with, some such, ex pression as a Hindoo might regard an image of his favorlto god. The pleco of monoy was a silver rouble. It was a deep red. "Le Rouble Rougo," sometimes call ed "The Red Beauty," was celebrated .throughout Europe, It had been found by tho sjae of tho Czar Alexan der II., whan ho Bank in blood aftor tho bomb had done Us fatal work, and the red upon the coin was the life-blood of the nutocrnt of all tho Russians when ho fell n victim to tho Nihilists' vengeance. r "Now," 8niu uraminsKy, -as no sou 1 ly jingled tho bag which contnlned tho roubles, "thero aro as many piece hero as wo have brothers present .Plump! In goes tho Red Beauty, and ho who draws her wins tho prlzo ho it Bhnll bo who must tnlto rovongo on tho cowardly bruto Nazlmoff!" As ho droppod tho red rouble in with tho rest, Oramlnsky shook tho bag and ono by ono tho men ap proached and drow. Ivan took his chance with tho rest. "Keep your hands closed until I give tho signal then hold them aloft and show your coin," directed Ora mlnsky ns ho tossed tho ompty bag to Hersy, tho last coin having been drawn. "Now, thon, ono, two, thrco, show!" and qll tho hands went up. "Ivan draws tho prlzo!" was tho 'oh; mexiw.'- a&ce&Zm exclamation as It was seen that Ivan displayed tho Red Beauty. "Glad I am that it is so!" exclalmod Ivan. "I will wipo out Nazimoff's in sult in a way that will show to all the world how a Russian can avenge a sister's injury. And now, friends," ho went on, as he mado a motion to llda to prepare to accompany him, "what Is jour last answer tho final reply to tho leaders-of our section? Will you defer action longer, or will you take Issue with us and act alone?" Oramlnsky advanced. "Say to " ho spoko no further. Hnlf a dozen hands went up at onco with the signal for silence. Footsteps were again heard at a distance In tho frosty night. WIUi a movement Ivan and Oramln sky both raised their hands. The peoplo in two rows ranged themselves along the walls. Tho footsteps grew nearer, louder, approached tho door and Btopped. Thon came a strong slnglo knock but no faint knocks followed. Evi dently, whoever came to tho door did not possess tho signal. Now it was that Ivan Barosky showed liis powers dominating oven the strong will of Oramlnsky himself. With a whispered word to llda, he pointed back to a dark corner behind the statrs In which was a scarcely vislblo door. "Tho secret passage to tho banks of the Neva," ho whisper ed "use It if necessary." llda disap peared. Then, turning to Oramlnsky, lyan said in an undertone: "I am best to deal with this is it so?" Oramlnsky nodded quickly. Then pressing Ivnn's hand, with tho word "Caution," ho t6ok his place by tho wall and stood as Impassive and as silent as the others. Ivan alone now occupied tho center of tho room. Again the knock louder this time two or three times louder. "Open the door!" Raising his left hand, Ivan made a simultaneous motion like that of a swimmer with both arms. Ivan stood alone! All the others disappeared as silent ly bb so many shadows. Tho room was empty! (To bo continued.) His Name Was George. "Funny thing happened this trip," said the sleeping ear conductor. "Just as the porter was yelliug 'First call for breakfabt on tho dining car!' a very fat, elderly, sober-faced, respect able old lady came Jolting down the aisle, looking at tho curtains that werd still up in front of most of tho berths, and at last stopping before me, she poked her umbrella at upper ten. "Kitty!" sho called, "where aro you? Is that you up there?' "Thero wasn't any answer, and tho old lady got rlrht mad. She beat a regular tatoo on the brass curtain rod and fairly yelled: "'Kitty, Kitty! Got up right away! Why don't you answer me? it's time for you to get up, Kitty! Breakfast is ready. Kitty, Kitty, get up!' "Then tho curtains of uppor teu were pulled apart. A largo red face, with long, block whiskers on tho low er half of it, was poked -out, and a deep, husky voice said: '"My name Is George!'" Philadel phia Press. Bertlllon System Going Out. The Bertlllon system of measuring criminals Is going out of date. Tbe lndon police have found It unsatis factory and experimented with a new syfltom. It has proved successful, and is going to bo adopted generally Id England. Tho Berlin pollco have Inaugurated n card collection of impressions of the fingers for recognition purposes a system which they call "Daktylo-scopy." mMBmMBk 1BJT9H L rf 91 $Wl"""rttW!Wl DECLARATION of Lot tho Children Road Immortal iVwiu - wyMwwyv - WM When, In tho course of human ovents, It becomes necessary for ono peoplo to dissolvo tho political bauds which havo connected them with an other, and to nssumo, otnong tiro powers of tho earth, tho soparato and equal station to which tho laws of naturo and ot nnturo'B God cntitlo them, a decent rqspect to th,o opinions of mankind requires that they Bhould declnro tho causes -which Impel them to tho separation. Wo hold thoso truths to bo solf-ovldont, that all men aro created equal; that they ar endowed by tholr Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among thos. aro life, liberty nnd tho pursuit of happiness. That, to securo tnoso rights, governments aro instituted among men, dorlvlng their just pow ers from tho consent of tho governed; that, whenever nny form of govern ment becomes destructive or theso ends, it is tho right of tho peoplo to alter or to abolish it, and to lnstltuto n now government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powora In such form, as to them shall Becm most likely to effect their safety nnd happiness. Prudence, Indeed, will dic tate that governments long established should not bo changed for light nnd transient cnusosj and, accordingly, nil oxperienco hath shown that mnnklnd aro moro disposed to suffer, while evils aro aufterablo, than to right them selves by abolishing tho forms to which thoy aro accustomed. But, when a long trnln of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces n doslgn to reduce them under absoluto despotism, it in their right, It Is tholr duty, to throw off such government, and to provide noV gunrdB for their future security. Such has been tho patient Bufforanco of theso colonics, nnd such Is now tho necessity which constrains thom to alter their former systems ot government. Tho history of tho present King of Groat Britain is a history of rapontod injurios nnd usurpations, all having, in direct object, tho establishment of an absoluto tyranny over theso states. To provo this, lot facts bo submlttod to a candid world: Ho has refused his assent to laws tho most wholesome and ncccssnry for tho public good. Ho has forbidden his governor to pass laws of Immediate and pressing Importance, unless suspended in tholr .oporatlon till his assent Bhould bo obtained; tmd, when so suspondod, ho has utterly neglected to attend to them. Ho hao refused topass other laws for tho accommodation of la'rgo dis tricts of people, unlesB thoso peoplo would relinquish tho right ot representa tion in tho legislature; a right inestlmnblo to them, and formidable to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfort able, and distant from tho depository of tholr public records, for tho solo pur pose of fatiguing them Into compliance with his measures. Ho has dissolved representative houses repeatedly for opposing, with manly firmness, hla invasions on tho rights of tho people. Ho has refused for a long Ubio aftor such dissolutions to cause others to bo elected ; whoroby tho legislative powers, lncnpablo of arnlljilntkn, havo re turned to the peoplo, at, largo for thplr exqrcjBo; tho atatofcmatnlng, in th mean time, exposed to all tho dangers ot Invasion from without, and couvul sions within. He has endeavored to prevent tho population of these states; for that purpose obstructing tho laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to oncourago their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands. Hq has obstructed tho administration of justice by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers. Ho has made Judges dependent on his will alono for tho tenure of their, offices, and tho amount and payment of their salaries. Ho has erected a multitude of now offices, nnd sent hither swarms ot of fleers to harass our peoplo and cat out tholr substance. He has kept among us, In times of peace, standing nrmles, without tha consent of our legislature. ' He has affected to render tho mllltnry independent of, and superior to, tho civil power. ' Ho has combined, with others (that is, with the lords and commons of Drltalu) to subject' us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unac knowledged by our laws; giving hla assent to their acts ot pretended legis lation. For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us; For protecting them, by a mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on tho Inhabitants of theso states; For cutting eft our trado with all parts of tho world; For Imposing taxes on us without our consent; For depriving us, In many cases, of tho benefits of trinl by Jury; For transporting us beyond seas to bp tried for protended offenses; For" abolishing' tho froo 'system of English laws In a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging Its boundaries, so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for Introducing tho samo absoluto rulo into thcBo colonies; For taking away our charters, abolis'hlng our most vnluablo laws, and altering, fundamentally, tho forms of our government; For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us In all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated government hero by declaring us out of his protection, and waging war against us. , Ho has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and de stroyed the lives of our people. He Is, at this time, transporting largo armies of foreign mercenaries tc complete tho works of death, desolation and tyranny, already began, wnt circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in tho most barborous ages, and totally unworthy tho head of a civilized nation. Ho has constrained our fellow citizens, taken captive on tho high seas, to bear arms against their country, to becomo tho executioner of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands. Ho has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, nnd has endeavored to bring on tho inhabitants of our frontiers tho merciless Indian savagaes, whoso known rulo of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions. In every stf.go of these oppressions, wo have petitioned for redress, in tho most humblo terms; our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury. A Prince, whoso character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to bo tho ruler of a free f people, N,or have we been wanting" In attentions to our British brethren. Wo havo warned them, from time to time, of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable Jurisdiction over us. Wo havo reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement hero. Wo havo appealed to their native Justice and magnanimity, and we havo conjured them, by tho ties of our common kindred, to disavow these usurpations, which would In evitably Interrupt our connectlcns and correspondence. They, too, havo been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, ac quiesce In the necessity which denounces our separation, and hold them, as wo hold tho rest of mankind, enemies In war, in peace, friends. We, therefore,, tho representatives 'of the United States of America, In General Congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of tho world for tho rectitude of our Intentions, do, in the name, and by tho authority of the good'-peoplo of theso colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that thoso United Colonies are, and of right ought to bo, Free apd Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and tho state of Great Britain la, nnd aught to be, totally dissolved; and that, as Free and Independent States, thoy have full power to levy rar, concludo peace, contract alliances, establish com merce, and to do all other acts and things which Independent States may' of right do. And, for this support of this declaration, with a firm rcllancn on tho protection of DIvIre Providence, wo mutually pledge to eich other oui .Ives, our tortuufts, and ir sacrd honor. INDEPENDENCE and Remember tho Document - wv WANTED TO BE TEMPTED. Bibulous Individual Wore White Rib bon With a Purpose. Mrs. "Robert J, Burdctte, cnndldnto for tho presidency of tho Gencrnl Fed eration of Women's ClUbB, was talk ing one dny about the white ribbon that Is the sign of total abstinence. "There are Bomo persons." said Mrs. Burdettc, "who don't wear tho white ribbon with sincerity. Thcywcnr it, perhnpB, nlnnit as hypocritically as It wbb won) by an employe of r certain brewer. "This employe, after years ot dissi pation t appeared one day nt the brew sry with the whllo ribbon ou his breast. Nothing was said to him, and ho wore tho ribbon for several months. Then, ono day, tho head of '.ho firm, happening to notice the man b bndgo, approached lilni. "'Why, Frank,' 'It is strange to boo you, a browcr, wearing tho whlto (11)1)011.' " 'it does look strange, sir,' tho mnn admitted. "'Well,' said tho brewer, 'why do you do It?' ' , " 'It Is llko this,' said tho workman. 'I wenr tho ribbon because it makes men llko to tempt mo, nnd, when I'm tempted, I succumb, Blr.' " HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIEND. Sailor Nobly Surrendered Life Belt to His Captain. Somo tlmo ngo two fishing boats, or trawlers, camo Into collision oft Start point, on tho coast of Devonshire, Eng innd. Thoy foundered, and tho crow of ono of tho vessels was swept nway whllo In the net of .lowering tho life boat. Whllo they wore" all struggling In tho 'water the skipper was heard to exclaim: "Whatever will my poor wife and children do It I am drowned!" In a mnmont ono of tho crew, who had mannged to seize a lifebelt, took It off his own body and pushed It toward his captain. - "Here, skipper," ho Bald, "take this. I havo no wifo or child; no ono will suffer If I am lost." "It will keep us both up," answered (ho skipper, putting his arm around tho buoy, nnd bidding tho bravo fel low do the samo; "or if It does not we will Blmro the samo fate." Both theso men wero saved, as hap pily another trawler camo by while they wero still able to keep above water; but nono tho less hnd John Klngford been nobly ready to lay down his llfo for his friend. One Solution of It. They had been eagnged pnly fifteen years, but It seemed a long time to her, and she was growing restless. . "Darling," Bhe said. In gentlest ac cents, "our betrothal has been vory 3wcot, has 'it not?" "It lias, it has, indeed, my own." "But it has been very long, don't you think?" "Yes; 'It has been pretty mlddlln' long," ho rejoined. "I wns thinking, dearest," she con tinued, playing with his watch and :astlng down her eyes, "that our, be .rotlial 1b nearly old enough to go out ind w6rk for a living. Couldn't we aavo it loarn a trade, or get It a clerk ship, or put It out at Interest, or do wmothlng with It bo that wo might realize something, on It? It haB been hanging about Jiomo,B6 long, burning gas and coal, and otw It is nearly grown. It seems like a shame to have It doing nothing so long." "What wou.d you suggest?" "Wo might get married." "That's so. I nover, thought that." Now York Telegraph. of The Charm of Life. 1,0 vo In tho secret spring of llfo Vrom which nil blessings tlow; It in tho thought that teaches us ' Tho Joy of life to know. It la tfio Klft tho angels loft That by It wo might climb Ncnr to our Heavenly Father's heart. In blissful realms sublime. It lifts tho soul up fnr above . The sordid thoughts of llfo, And teaches us to llvo above l,lfo's useless enro nnd strife.. It fills tho heart with sunshine bright And brings such sweet content, AVo know It lstha greatest gift Ood'B angels ever sent. Without it. man Is but a brulo;" It Is tho spnrk divine Thut lights the human soul thut It With wondrous light may shine. Truo love endures. .Immortal s, And happiness will bring: Wo even hear Qod'H volco of lovo In little birds thnt sing. -Mnrtha Shopard Llpplncott, in Sunset Magazine, Might Survive. During tho trying dayB of the civil war a young Germun, who had been trained In ono ot tho famous "Cade-bleu-scliulen" (cadet or military schools) of his Fatherlaud, who had sought home and fortune In a newer land, offered his services to President Lincoln. i6 latter, sorely In need of such men, gave the young foreign er a commission as captain and some good advice. Ab tno Interview was . about ended, Herr von A. said: "Arid you must remember, Mr. President, my name Is one of tho oldest and most aristocratic In Germany." The president looked at him a mo ment, then said: "Well, If you arc careful, It won't harm you any." Her First Experience. " ATsmnll boy, aged 5, had a stepmoth er who was youug nnd nervous. She had never had experience with chil dren, and the small boy's slightest ail ment tortured her into a panic. Croup threatened one day, amMho doctor was sent for in wild haste. As the doctor entered tho -room, the child raised his head from his pillow and croaked hoarsely, In apology for tho hasty summons: "You must excuse her, doctor, this 1b tho first tlmo she's ever been a mother." JJpplncott'8 Magazine. h