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Not Bluce the time of the puzzling
Chevalier d'Eon, In the eighteenth cen
tury, has there come to public attention
such a aex riddle as has been presented
In the .case of Nlcolal de Raylan, who
masqueraded eighteen years as a man
aud was found to be a woman only
after her death In Phoenix, Ariz., last
December. A diary and a bundle of
correspondence, In the office of the Chi
cago public administrator, reveal au
amazing story.
De Raylan, it appears, was started
on her career of deception In an at
tempt to blackmail her mother, at
whom she was Incensed because the
paternity of the girl wis kept a secret
De 'Raylan adopted male attire and
tried to prove that she had been mas
queraded as a girl by her mother In
violation of the laws of Russia, which
; provide heavy punishment for such an
offense. A feature of the story 1b the
fact that De Raylan Interested the late
M. Constantlnl Petrovltch Pobledonost
eff, procurator of the holy synod, In
her case, aud prevailed on htm to start
suit against her mother.
The diary, which covers the period
between 1888 and 1802, shows that the
real family name of De Raylan was
Taletsky. The first entries depict her
as a school girl 15 years old, about to
graduate froiri a seminary at Kiev,
Russia. At this time the girl's mother
suddenly acquires wealth to the
amount of 250,000 rubles (about $125,-
000), and Nlcolal, the only name by
which De Raylan Is known to have been
called, discovers that the money has
been settled on her parent as trustee
by a member of the nobility, to be con
served In the Interests of Nlcolal. The
girl becomes curious as to the reason
for the settlement and suspects that
the unknown nobleman Is her father,
but falls to drag Information on the
point from her mother. Then comes
the inspiration that resulted In eighteen
years of pseudo-mascullulty for De
xiuyiun.
In Russia the law makes It a crime
punishable by Imprisonment for any
person' to gain entrance for a boy Into
a girls' school and also, under the mili
tary statutes, makes it a serious crime
for a mother to hide the sex of a male
child. Young De Raylan, according to
the Journal, schemed to blackmail her
own mother by aid of these laws, and
to this end took Into her confidence her
French governess, Louise Ratone. Two
years were spent In preparing for the
assumption of the male disguise, and in
1891 Louise Ratone wrote to the late
M. Pobledonostetf, procurator of the
holy synod, telling In detail the alleged
facts In the case. The churchman in
slsted on starting criminal proceeding
against the mother. At bis Instance
Nlcolal swore out a complaint against
her mother In Odessa. The woman was
arrested and preparations started for
the trial.
This, however, was too swift a pro
ceeding for Nlcolal, and, fearing detec
tion, she procured money from Zaney
Rosdorhriey, a woman living in St .Pe
tersburg with whom she had professed
to fall In love, and fled to Helslnfors.
Finland, leaving a letter for M. Po-
biedonostelT, telling him that filial de
votion prevented her apearance against
her mother. The procurator was
chagrined, but ordered the officials to
proceed with the case. The mother pro
duced evidence that Nlcolal was a girl,
xne procurator was enraged.
From Helslnfors Nlcolal soon fled to
Antwerp, Belgium, changing her name
, to Nlcolal Konstantlnevttch. At At-
werp a banker, M. Glttens, sent her to
the, Lmted States. Arrived In Chicago,
Meoiai was presented to Charles Hen,
rotln,., Belgian consul, who Introduced
her to the Russian' consul, and, after
tuning out naturalization papers, M
colal eventually became secretary to
Huron .Schlippenbach. Russian consul,
The life of De Raylan in Chicago
was disclosed after her death In Phoe-
. nix. She smoked and drank hard, used
profane language and traveled with a
rapid set of young men. . She married
her first "wife" when 20 years old.
Nine years later the "wife" obtained a
divorce, and then married Francis P,
BradchuHs, De Raylan's business part
ner. Nlcolal at once went to New. York
and married Anna Davidson, an. act
ress, who brought suit to get posses
sion of the estate after De Raylan's
death and sought to establish that De
' Raylan waa man. Letter discovered
In the strong wooden cheat In which
the dairy was found Indicate that Mrs.
Anna De Raylan knew Nlcolal 's life
secret
MYSTERY OF
CENTURY
OLD "PINOCHLE. "
Odd Character Who la Getting nich
Off. Needa of Cornell Stndenta.
AVIth the close of the school year at
Cornell University, Aaron Wells, more
widely known at "Pinochle," reaps a
golden harvest. Stnudeuts who are
hard up go ,to hlni at this time and
borrow money, sometimes on notes and
frequently "on honor" only, but they
one and all have to pay old Pinochle
fat Interest
Wells began business there ten years
ago practically without a dollar. Too
poor to pay rent, he stood on the street
offering to buy second-hand . wearing
npparel of any kind. Now he has a
pretentious clothing store and It Is as
much of a landmark as the Dutch
Kitchen or the office of the registrar of
the university. Five men are now em
ployed by the Industrious clothier, who
makes a small fortune lu this business
alone.
, His agents still hang around on the
corners, but Pinochle only goes up the
hill when telephoned for. Every once
In a while swell fraternity men will
summon him up to the house and there
Is a grand clearance sale. Suits that
have only been worn for one season.
dress clothes that are a bit too small
overcoats of the most fashionable
styles, all are thrown toward the little
clothing man with the query, "What
am I bid?" Sometimes the clothes are
fairly worn out J more often the owner
Is pretty bard up, and In both eases
they are sold for a ridiculously low
price.
A suit that cost $40 will go to Pin
ochle for $2, and dress coats and over
coats bring from $5 to $10. Sometimes
the student will kick, but the best he
can get out of the Imperturbable dealer
Is: "Well, I'll match you. Five dol
lars or nothing." And even at this
game he usually wins. He makes about
500 per cent on every article he buys,
but the students need the money, so
they let It go.
But it is tn the money-lending busi
ness that Wells has acquired the great
est celebrity. Almost any fraternity
man in Ithaca with whom he has done
business iu clothes, or any well-to-do
student who can get an introduction to
him, can make a "touch" when he Is
hard up, and thousands of dollars are
loaned out every year. Money to go
home on, to bet on football, baseball
and track games and crew races, to
pay bills that are about to be sued on,
to play poker with In fact, money for
everything can be obtained from Wells.
In small sums or large, It makes little
difference. Sometimes the men leave
town without paying up; there have
been cases of loans as high as $500
standing out for years, but In the end
they are collected. Either the borrow
ers themselves pay or their parents pay
for them, as Pinochle keeps close watch
and knows the addresses of all his
clients. He Is the best pinochle player
In Ithaca.
Too Much of Good Thins.
"Didn't you get an order out of that
buyer?" demanded the head of the
firm.
"No," replied the salesman, "you see,
I didn't begin to talk business to him
until I'd given him a good big din
ner." "Maybe" the dinner wasn't good
enough."
"I think It was too good. It gave
him dyspepsia." Philadelphia Press.
But No One Lnuarhed.
At an old-fashioned revival down In
the Ozarks a woman was telling her
experience.
"I used to care a lot for the vanities
of this world," she exclaimed. "But
when I was Baved I saw that all .my
finery and Jewelry and trinkets were
dragging my soul down Into perdition,
and I took 'em all off and gave 'em to
my sister." Kansas City Times.
How Ther Do It.
First Little Girl When you grow
up are you going to advertise for a
husband?
Second Little Girl No ; I'm going to
be a widow. They don't have to.
SIMILARITY OF THE LOVING AND THAW CASES
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When the Jury acquitted Judge Wiiuuiu G. Loving of the murder of Theo
dore Estea, at Houston, Va., It was uiwn the perfunctory ground of "insan
ity," although In reality It was a vindication of the "unwritten law." In
the grounds of defense it resembled the Thaw case In New York, and It is
possible that this precedent may have some effect when the latter case comes
up for a new trial In the fall. ,
On those who think upon these two remarkable murders the fact Is Im
pressed that drink was at the bottom of both. It was drink and attendant
dissipations that placed Stanford White within reach of the fatal bullet It
was drink that animated Harry Thaw and nerved bis arm for the deed. It
was drink that led Evelyn Thaw to a condition of easy conquest Miss
Loving was more or less addicted to drinking, and when young Estea gave
ber too much liquor It started the scandal that ended In the whisky -soaked
Judge Loving shooting the victim, as in the White case, without a chance
for his life.
Judge Loving Is a free man, but the blight of murder shall remain for
ever upon his soul. The daughter will live to be tormented by the fact that
her story caused the death of a man Innocent of the sjeelflc crime alleged.
Surely, in- the record of these two tragedies ther Is a solemn lesson that
should sink deep Into 'toe minds of American young men and women. If la
the same old lesson that baa been taught In records of blood all through the
agear-that tha wagea of sin U death. Kansas Qty Journal. -
- ff
If you ever have the opportunity to
witness a balloon race, do so by all
means, says Willlanisport (Pa.) Grit
A horse or automobile race Is not In the
same class, and even the human race Is
quite tame along side of It The excite
ment is not confined to the competitors.
The spectators share it and they feel
as the balloonist does that It Is a race
against time and space,' with death as a
competitor with a possible chance of
winning. The balloon racer Is unques
tionably above other racing men. He
goes over a course In which ordinarily
no obstacles can be placed, and he usu
ally has the track to himself.
Above Is a picture of a recent balloon
race showing the balloons ready to
start There are about a dozen of them,
and each one Is tugging at the ropes
which hold It captive. One almost fan
cies the great canvas spheres are ani
mate beings and are eager to be off at
the crack of the pistol, like a trained
track horse. The spectators are stand
ing about, sizing up the racers and the
men wlw will race them. The balloons
are really the racers of the aerial track,
and the daring balloontsts are the Jock-
iys who will guide them over the course.
When all was In readiness, at a giv
en signal the balloons were slinultane-:
ously released, and shot up Into the air
with a loud swish. A mighty shout
arose from the assembled spectators.
B or a few moments the racers seemed
to be about neck and neck in the race,
and then the racer floating the red
and white colors forged a bit ahead. A
shout of frenzied delight arose from
Its partisans. Evidently the applause
reached the ears of the man guiding
It for the balloon shot ahead another
I
In
fifty feet as a result of some manipu
lation. For some minutes the balloons
appeared to hold the positions attained
at the start, and then the red and '
green noticeably gained on the red and
white. The two by this time were far
ahead of the others, and It was evi
dent to all that one of the two balloons
In the lead would win the race, and the
betting became wildly enthusiastic.
Farther and farther up Into space they
arose. Now they would appear to be
going Inland, and again as they entered
a higher current of air they would ap
pear to 'be going seaward at a fright
ful pace, and one would hear a groan
of dismay from the spectators. Soon
the two became mere specks In the sky,
and It was no longer possible to learn
which was In the lead. The anxious
spectators learned the result of the race
by telegraph two hours later, the red
and white having traveled the greatest
distance by far In the specified time.
There was not a hitch or accident In
the race. In spite of the danger wblch
Is certainly always present with such
sport, balloon racing Is rapidly growing
In popularity.
WOMEN AND THEIR HUSBANDS' MONEY.
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JULIET V. BTHAL'88.
Women are alwuys telling a tale pf woe about
the tragedy of not having any money they can
call their own and being obliged to ask for It
from husbands who treat them like beggars.
After reviewing the matter dispassionately, I con
fess to a sneaking sympathy with the men. Where
does tlie money come from for the Incessant de
mands of life Just now I um dcsimrntely turn
ing over In my mind various schemes by which
living expenses may be lightened. Truth compels
me to state that I have not hit upon any. I
know that I have eonvevert tn mv ronrWa tha
f' f!TFvx ,(lea tllnt 1 nm ecommlcnl an(l thrifty. Far from
Vs' ','.H I' AV 1 nm one '.tll08e plg-hended Idealists who
vV'",'fV if nre aIways working themselves to death and hav
ing nothing to show for It Plenty of people with
less to live on dross better and make more show
tn the world.
Whenever I hear a woman boast of being a
good monoger I always take It with a gruln of
salt Good management comes In ninlulv when
there Isn't anything to manage on. It consists In being quite cheerful and
smiling In a last-year's gown and a made-over hnt. The best management In
the world Is In making life worth living to yourself and to your fumlly. A
woman can never do this by assuming a downtrodden air about sending "her
husband's money."
Many a woman thinks her husband stingy when he Is only reasonable,
and many a man gives In to his wife's pleading for money to furnish tho
house or send the children away to school when all his better Judgment tells
him the money should be laid by for a rainy day. I know women who are
mean In money matters and men who have lived narrow, pitiful lives because
their wives were of the skinflint disposition. Lack of money can come as
near dwarfing a life as any other thing, except a narrow mind and a narrow
creed. But we need not be hopelessly bound In shallows, even though we be
women, custom shackled and seemingly at tho mercy of some selfish, close
fisted man.
Let me soy again, though I paraphrase Wagner, that liberty Is a state
of mind. I know women who have private Incomes to apply as they like,
who travel aud see and hear all that- Is to be seen and heard, and who are
not happier or brighter or much better Informed than the writer of these
lines, who has never In her life been free from poverty, who has seldom been
out of her native State, who has never seen the ocean or the capital of the
United States, but who Is nevertheless a denizen of the world a child of the
universe, "whose lanterns are the moon and Mars." Juliet V. Strauss In
Chicago Journal.
Could Not Fool Her.
- Suspicion, once planted In the human
breast, Is quick and flourishing of
growth. The countryman, proverbial
bait for the wicked. Is more often taken
In by the Innocent things than by con
fidence men and thieves.. Of such a
type was the old fanner's wife whose
story Is told In the Minneapolis Jour
nal. The ways of the city were a mys
tery to the good lady, and she resolved
to be armed for every emergency.
The farmer and his wife were set
ting off for an event In their lives,
visit to St. Paul. They had been cau
tioned repeatedly by their friends to
beware of sharpers. They replied that
they would keep tbelr eyes open, and
started with a nervous determination
u look out for confidence tricks. .
On the way the old farmer got off
nt a Junction to buy some lunch, and
the train went on without him. It
was a terrible mlshpp. The last he
-aw of his wife she was craning out
f the car window, shouting something
reproachful at htm, wblch b would
not hear on account of the noise of the
train.
It happened that an express came
along a few minutes later. The fanner
boarded It and got to St Paul nearly
nn hour earlier than his wife.
He was waiting for her at the sta
tion when she arrived. He ran up" to
her and seized her valise.
"Well, Sarah," he said. "I'm glad to
see ye again. I didn't know but wo
was separated forever."
"No, ye don't, Mr. Sharper !" she
cried. "I left my husband at tho Junc
tion. Don't be coming any of ycr con
fidence games on me, or I'll call a
policeman."
Ikeptleml.
Tom They say Miss Prunes apeaka
eight different languages.
Dick I'll bet $4 she says the same
thing In every one of them. Detroit
Free Press,
Apologies are like family skeletons:
Tbey should not be taken out befor
company.