The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-06-05


the railroads had been overburdened
Transporting munitions of war, or the
bureaucracy, which must receive its
sop from the sale of everything the
people needed, had been working its
game. At any rate, while Russia was
surfeiting in provisions there was a
dearth of eatables In Petrograd. Crowds
began to collect in the streets, and
such places as were intended for the
sale of food were surrounded. II
seemed that every one living In the
capital was interested in what was
going on. Then regiments Of soldiers
were marched through the thorough
fares to positions to which they had
been assigned. As they passed the
crowds they were cheered, and they
answered the salutes good naturally
But their commanders remained rigid
The troops Of the til regiment, OF
/ which Sergius Ivanovitch was a cap
tain, were ordered to attack a number
OF laborers who had revolted. TheiH
colonel, having drawn them up In line
gave the order to aim and was about
to follow 1t with the word "Firep
when Captain Ivanovitch stepped out
before the soldiers and said:
Soldiers, If you fire on these men,
who are simply demanding bread that
is denied them by the bureaucracy,
you shall first kill me-"
There were sounds of the dropping OF
the butts of rifles along the line, first a
few, then an increase, followed by
hundreds together. Then the work
men advanced and shook hands with
the soldiers, and the crisis had passed.
The events of that memorable day
followed in rapid succession, and the
next day 1t was announced that the
! long line Of Russian rulers, including
so many despots-Ivan the Terrible,
Catherine, whose immoral character
had SO stained the imperial ermine-
had for the first time been broken if
not ended.
Stephan Mikhailof, who went to
sleep at his home the night before the
revolution, did not awaken till the next
afternoon. He was aroused by shouts
and cheers without. Going to a win
dow, he saw large concourse of PEG.
pie standing in the street looking up at
his house. Raising the sash, he bent
forward and, looking down, saw that
the center of the crowds attraction
was an officer in uniform standing on
the landing Of the steps leading up to
the front door. While the crowd waved
hats and handkerchiefs the officer was
bowling his Acknowledgements.
Mikhailof, having been clothed, was
sufficiently presentable to go down
stairs to learn what all this meant.
He was met by his daughter.
"Who is the officer without?" he
asked.
''Sergius Ivanovitch."
"And why is the crowd cheering
him?"
Because, papa, while you have been
asleep there has been a revolution.
The turning point came when Sergius'
regiment was ordered to fire on some
workmen. 1t was at an aim, ready
to NOW down the rebels, when Sergius
stood between the regiment and the
workmen and told the soldiers that IL
they fred on men who were simply de-
handing bread denied them by the bu-
reaucracy they must. first kill him.
That turned the SCALE The workmen
and the soldiers fraternized, and from
that moment regiment after regiment
took the part Of the people"
Maryas last words were drowned by
prolonged cheer without. Captain
Ivanovitch turned and entered the
house. The crowd dispersed.
Ivanovitch, seeing MikhaiIof, paused.
He came to see me, papa" said
Marya, "and the crowd followed him
here"
ut appears" said Mikhailof to the
captain, that while have been sleep
ing the revolution has taken place and
you have performed no small part of
It,"
HE stepped in at the crisis" said
Maya, "and brought the soldiers to
espouse the cause Of the people"
you mean turned my regiment to
the cause of the people," said Sergius
modestly.
Mikhailof advanced to Ivanovitch
and, putting both arms about him,
kissed him, according to the Russian
custom, first on one cheek, then on the
other