Show FEARS PROMISE OF GIFT IS THREAT death revives grim tragedy of wedding eve harbin china an old man died recently in a small village of eastern siberia whose name evokes among russians memories of a tragedy the poignancy of which la Is unsurpassed in the annals of that wild and gloomy land st petersburg was the scene and the time the late SOS the principal actor wa was a younger office one of the most brilliant regiments of the czars azars guard ile he was accomplished and highly connected and a general favorite but the life led by him and a majority of his comrades proved too fast for the resources of a diminished and badly managed estate the young officer turned to the money lenders who preyed upon men of his kind hind one was found who was willing to advance money against his hia promissory notes and who never failed to respond until the total debt bad reached many thousands of rubles finally the chance of a wealthy marriage gave promise of release tor for the young man from his financial troubles he informed the money lender of his big good luck and obtained more money the money lender told the young officer that he planned a fine wedding present for the occasion of his marriage misinterpreting the mans meaning and taking it to be a thre threat a t that the notes would be presented for payment or protest the young officer foresaw himself ruined and resolved upon desperate measures the money lender was found dead in his own house bouse a few days later end and the crime was traced to the borrower the pollee police discovered among the Loll old ann anna a package neat eat ly tied with ribbon conta containing inin i all of the others notes an inscription showed that this was to have been the wedding gift evidence of the young off officers leers guilt was wag clear and he be was exiled to siberia old residents of siberia tell many stories of his remorse stricken life which has just ended in penury and misery |