A NIHILIST ROMANCE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2613, 5 August 1881, Page 2

A NIHILIST ROMANCE.

The eldest daughter of a highly respectable St, Petersburg family, a maiden of eighteen, was bethrothed a few months ago to a student of good birth and brilliant promise. The couple wore most tenderly attached,

and the marriage was to have taken place on the Wednesday in Easter week. On Easter Monday, when the young man made a visit to his intended bride, he told her he had an important confession to make to her, and entreated her to hear it with patience andoelf-command. She was naturally excited, fearing to hear of some prior love entanglement; but she was struck with horror when she learned that the man to whom she had given her heart belonged to the Nihilist party. The lover shocked her still more by saying that as he had now no doubt of her devotion to him, he fe.lt certain that he should find her a faithful companion in the revolutionary career which he had planned for them. The poor girl saw all her hopes of peace and domestic joy dashed to pieces in one moment. She told him that she loved him above all the world, hut if he persisted in his horrible course she could not live with him, though, if she had to live without him, she should die of grief. She was so resolute that the young man drew a dagger to terrify her. She left the room, and her sweetheart rushed from the house. The girl fell into a swoon, and was found in this condition by her mother, who could get no reply to her questions. The poor girl went to her own room, and took poison. Her act was discovered in time to send fora physician, hut it was too late to save her life', although her parents managed at last to draw from her the true cause of her suicidal act. The girl died and the Nihilist student is now in the hands of the police. .