Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-29
nous Russian General Escaped From Austria

possible with those that remained He
slept mostly In the open air, since the
danger: once he was given shake
down in a loft, and once he paid a few
heller for a bed at a country inn.
Eventually kornilof was reduced to
almost his last pieces OF money. and
he felt that he must husband these in
case of a very pressing need. A day
came when he got nothing to eat but
some wild Strawberries picked by the
a bit of bread chased him away from
her door with an oath. calling him
Nerdammten Osztrak," The next morn
ing he got some bread. but again a day
passed with no food but wild berries
and water from a brook.
Things were getting worse and worse.
but Kornilor knew he was near the end
of his journey. and would he safe in
another three or four days If only he
could hold out. He had now been walk
ing for nearly twenty days
One of his narrowest escapes happened
in the little town of Klausenhurg. a
quiet place ordinarily, but now the cen
ter of great military activity He was
walking through the town. as it was
the best way of keeping to the direct
route. Suddenly. from behind him. he
heard harsh voice cry in German.
Hate:
Looking around. he saw that it was
he himself who was being addressed.
He halted: there was nothing else to do.
Why did you not stop and salute
me-" asked an offensive-looking young
Austrian officer.
Kornilofr clinked his heels together
and saluted.
81 did not see you. Herr Haupt-
mann"
All. you are blind. then? Who are
you. and where are you going"
Johann Bach said the Russian ar
fectine simplicity: land I am going
home to my wife.
You will come with me first. so that
we can make few inquiries about
you.
Disaster stared the fugitive in the
face. His first impulse was to run. but
he resisted it. To obey. however. would
mean his immediate discovery.
Il beg your pardon. gracious Herr
Captain. he said. as humbly he
could. though inwardly cursing. 81 beg
you not to detain me now. when | am
so anxious to get to my dear wife.
AN hour longer from your wife won't
hurt you" answered th, officer. Come
with me-.
His tone was SO utterly offensive that,
almost instinctively, Korniloff made a
Ger called two men who were passing.
Take this man to the kiraly bar
racks he ordered. Il will meet you
there in half an hour"
x
themselves on either side of Korniloff
and marched him of. He knew it was
no good trying to escape. so he thought
he would try friendliness. Give me al
least smoke" he said: and very will.
ingly one Of the men stopped, gave him
cigar. and lighted it. They asked him
what he had done. or not done. to bring
on himself this disciplinary measure.
"Oh. it's only because I don't know
the way" said korniloff. Come and
have a drink with me. comrades. There
is no harm in that
One soldier looked at the other. and
they nodded-it was not far to the
barracks-and they turned into a small
beer garden. where drinks were order
ed They were served by a comet,
young woman. who looked with interes,
at the captive. for soldiers are not reti-
cent in talking to the opposite sex. kor.
niloff did not know how it came about
but presently his companions. who took
4, second glass of beer, began to fee
the effects in way that he would
never have expected. Korniloff left the
table with excuse to his comrades
who paid little attention.
The girl. who had been watching him
beckoned to him from the side of the
house grasped his arm, and led him to
the yard.
Flee" she said, across those fields
will keep them in talk. j have put