THE UNHAPPY CZARINA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9093, 20 May 1908, Page 3

THE UNHAPPY CZARINA.

The unhappy Czarina of Russia, according to information which reaches "Science Siftings," through a special source, is losing her mind; and small wonder. The last occurrence which unhinged the Czarina's tottering reason was the assassina tion of the King of Portugal and his son. The Czarina has always hoped that the Russian Terrorists would refrain from killing the Czar while she and his children were in his company. She hid been encouraged in this belief by the fact that they had in nearly every case only killed members of the Imperial. family and high Russian officials' when they were apart from their wives and children. More than a hundred high officials have been removed within the last two years, and in nearly every case the assassina took scrupulous cars not to destroy their wives and children. There have been signs lately that the Terrorists exasperated by their inability to make any headway against the Czar and his officials, have abandoned these scruples. The Czarina imagines, therefore, that she sees the hand of an assassin in every movement of the draperies of her room, that every sound she luars is the beg inning 'of the explosimi that will destroy her and her family. She has reason for her fears, in view of the long series of terrifying episodes. One of these wj3 especially nerve-wrecldng. It occurred when the Czar and Czarina were sitting down one morning in the former's study, where they are accustomed to take their breakfast. Hare the Czar frequently reads imports int documents and letters fro.n his family. On the morning in question one of the Imperial servants brought into the Czar a few confidential communications. On top of them was a large, square, thick, importantlooking envelope. It purported to come from the Governor-General of Moicow, one of the mo3t important officials in the empire, and one frorr. whom the Czar at that moment was particularly desirous of receiving a report. It bore the name of the Governor's office printed upon the front, and was duly sualed with the Governor's heavy green official seal. The Czar picked up the paper knife, and was about to open the envelope in his customary way, when the Czarina stopped him, and said: 41 Wait. It is not addressed in the mual way." The customary manner in which officials address the Czar in writing is, "His Imperial Majesty, the C-sar." This envelope was addressed to "His Majesty, the Czar of Russia," a trifling diffe-ence, but significant .whan the formal habits of Imperial officials are considered. "Oh," said the Czar, "I know the envelope and the paper well. It looks like the Governor's handwriting. I am sure it is all right." "No," cried the Czarina. "I am sure there is something wrong." The Czarina seized the envelope, and then the Czar consented to send it to the bureau charged with the examination of suspicious packages and Jo-Curs. There it was opened by a mechanical device, the opening being madj in an entirely different place from that where a person would ordinarily open,an envelope. It was at on?e seen to be a diabolical explosive i e 'ice of ingenious construction. j ic was not moro than two weeks, bafjre this tiiat an extraordinary plot to-destroy the entire Imperial! 1 family was discovered by a mere servant girl. She found a strange metallic case concealed in the curtains at the head of the b«d in the rojm of the Czarevitch. She picked it up but found sho could not carry it atvay, as it waa attached by a wire t to the wall. It was found that a regular network of bombs had been installed in the apartments of the Czar, Czarina, and their son. There were seventeen of them altogether in the palace, and any one of them would have been sufficient, to blow all the occupants of a room to pieces. They were artfully concealed behind beds, under chairs, and behind curtains at the windows. They wera just the places where ths occupant 3 of the room would be most likely to be. All the bombs were connected by electric wiring with a battery on the floor beneath. This apparatus was concealed behind the waindcotting in a dark place in the corridor. It was so arranged that by pressing a button an assassin could discharge all the seventeen bomb 3at once, and thus ensure the annihilation of the Imperial family all at once. The only reason why the plot ha not been carried out was that the bombs had only been placed in position that day. Had they not been discovered during the day they would have been, discharged during tha*. night, and probably the Czjr and his whole family would hava been blown to eternity. Evidently the bombs had bean installed by an electrician who had been admitted to the palace the day before to make soma repairs to the electric wiring, but it is supposed that one or more sarvants were among his accomplices.