ROMANTIC STORY OF A RUSSIAN.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5235, 13 December 1883, Page 2

ROMANTIC STORY OF A RUSSIAN.

A strange case has come to light in Wash- * ington, in which, it is said, a nobleman is involved. Many people (states an American paper) have noticed in the early morn, walking close up to the kerb in line of the street sweepers, a man passed the middle age. The man would walk along muttering, and, with a stick pronged at one end, would push the dirt aside, frequently stooping to' pick up something, which he put in hia pocket. When daylight arrived he would walk to the northern part of, the- city,'" going above the boundary in a north- . east direction. He had his abode in a little ~ hut about a mile from the Soldiers' Home. , He was known to the neighbors as " Old Tom," his real name being unknown. No one seemed to know anything about him, for he was there before they came. *He was . quiet, rarely speaking, and never seemed to smile. About a month ago he disappeared; and his neighbors missing, him began to inquire about him. Subsequently a number of them broke into his house; and found that' > he had entirely disappeared and left no trace of his whereabouts. A small, satchel of 1 Russia leather was found in a closet, and upon its being opened, a package of , letters was disclosed. The.. letters^ were from Russia, and bore the address, " Vosta Szouwolf, city post office, Washington, D.C.," while in one corner was a request to please hold until called for. The contents of the letters were in Russian, but one in English spoke of "Old Tom" as .the Count Pauroff, and informed him- that his father- - had long since regretted what he had done, and implored his return home. The letter went on to say that the death of the late Emperor had ended his sentence of banishment, and he was at liberty to return. The letters are held by a Mr Woodson, so that in . case they are called for they can be found.