Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-27

There are about 5000 students in the
University of Moscow. In various other
Institutes and colleges there are prob
ably at least 5000 more. In the high
schools and commercial schools includ-
ing the girls, there are more than those
two figures put together. I have heard
the number of students and pupils from
16 to "a estimated at $4,000 in Moscow
alone. That may be an over-estimate,
but at all events there are many thou
sands, and almost without exception
theys are working for the movement.
Within the last two years the work.
men and the peasants have become far
more important elements in the reVolu-
tion. But the students still remain a
body to be reckoned with in the civil
war as scouts and raiders-Clever,
hopeful and as eager for martyrdom as
the early Christians.
Since my return to Russia 1 have in
different cities met three of the girl
students who have chosen propaganda
among the soldiers as their special piece
Of work one was a Jewess, with the
masses of black hair and overlooking
vitality of the little Russian type. The
other two were fair-haired Russian
girls, demure and very quiet Under
all manner Of disguises they oil ain ac-
cess to the barracks or the tea houses
where soldiers resort. They go as
sweethearts from the town or as ig-
norant peasant girls who have just
come to the city to see a brother, or
they carry little baskets of provisions
tC cheer up a cousins absence from his
dear old village home.
Take Lives in Their Hands
Their object is to proclaim the revolu-
ton, and, above all, to induce the men to
join the great Soldiers union, which
binds itself by an oath never to fire
upon fellow citizens. So they pass in
and out among the troops week after
week, carrying their lives in one hand
and their regulations in the other, and
both hands open. But all assured that,
from the soldiers themselves they had
never received the smallest insult or
annoyance, beyond the customary COM
pliments and offers of marriage. No
soldier has ever betrayed their secret,
and in moments of danger a warning
passes quickly through the barracks
and they are assisted to escape.
Perhaps you have already Leard of
another girl who was not so fortunate
as these. The thing happened o few
weeks ago, and was, perhaps, mentioned
in the English papers, but have lately
seen a letter from friend of hers who
describes it accurately. The letter was
smuggled out of Jail, where the writer
has still about six months to pass be-
fore her trial comes Off The name of
the girl in question was Simonova, and
she had been arrested as a suspect"
simply because she happened to be in a
Liberal newspaper Office when the
police came to confiscate the paper.
AS no evidence could be raked up
against her after several weeks inves-
tigation, she was daily expecting her
release. Meantime she was shut in
cell with fifteen other women, similar
suspects" Above them were some Or
dinary criminals, fed on the usual
prison fare, and any little comforts
which the girls received from outside
they used to share with the criminals,
sending them up by string which was
let down from the window above. This
was called the telephone, and the
authorities winked at it, as they often
do in Russia.
One Afternoon Simonova had made up
a little packet of tea, sugar and to-
bacco, and knocked with a mop handle
on the ceiling for the string to be let
down. But the wind blew the string
away she could not catch it through
the bars, and presently it was jerked
up again. Standing by the window,
with one eldow on the sill, she waited.
The letter. from another girl prisoner,
continues:
"a few seconds later a shot rang out.
] saw a small puff of yellow smoke.
Simonovas head dropped. My heart
stood still, but 1 saw the others by the
window were moving, and 1 ran to
them. A girl who was standing near
Simonova took hold Of her and laid her
on the floor. She is killed. she said.
zone of the prisoners no was a
nurse felt her pulse but turned away
with a hopeless gesture. The eyes were
glazed. blood flowed from her head.
when 1 saw she was dead L went to
the window and cried to the soldier.
Murderer, you have killed q womanr
He took aim at me with his rifle, but I
jumped aside before he had time to
fire.
I'VE ran to the door leading into the
corridor and found a lot of wardens
standing behind it, 'Murderers' we
cried. viii you shoot us all?' One of