The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-06-14

| Maya had been listening tntently, at
the same time thinking Of her lover,
who on the morrow would take part
in this great movement, anxious both
for him and her father.
Stephan Mikhailof staggered upstairs
| to his room and without removing his
clothes threw himself on the bed and
was asleep the moment he touched 1t.
A few minutes later there was a
summons at the street door, and Cap
tain Ivanovitch entered the house.
Maya Joined him Immediately.
Have you seen your father?' the
captain asked anxiously.
YES" replied Maya In a voice that
trembled. HE has refused his con-
sent
Maya ran over what her father had
told her as to that which was expected
to occur the next day When she
had finished she asked her lover
whether, when the revolution occurred.
the troops would fire on the people.
'1That is matter Of uncertainty.
The men are in sympathy with the
crowds they will be ordered to shoot
down. Some Of the officers are revolu-
tionists, and some are loyal to the car.
This is the case in my regiment, and
believe it Is true Of the others unless
1t may be some Of the more aristo-
cratic commanders, where the officers
all support the bureaucracy. Success
or failure depends upon whether the
people or the bureaucracy can win over
the troops to their side"
The next morning there was a feel
Ing In Petrograd that momentous
events We're to be enacted. For q long
while spectators had tied up food or
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
dearth of eatables in Petrograd. Crowds
began to collect in the streets, and
such places as We're intended for the
sale of food were surrounded. It
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 Their
colonel, having drawn them up in line,
gave the order to aim and was about
to follow 1t with the word "Firew
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 We're sounds of the dropping of
the butts of rifles along the line, first
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 win
dow, he saw large concourse of peo-
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
bowing his Acknowledgements.
Mikhailof, having been clothed. was
sutficiently 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 1vanovitch."
And why is the crowd cheering
him."
Because, papa, while you have been
asleep there has been revolution.
The turning point came when Sergius'
regiment was ordered to fire on some
Workmen. 1t was at an aim. ready
to NOV down the rebels, when Sergius
stood between the regiment and the
workmen and told the soldiers that If
they fired on men who were simply de-
handing bread denied them by the bu.
reaucracy they must first kill him.
Ihat turned the scale. The workmen
and the soldiers fraternized and from
that moment regiment after regiment
fClNty fla.Nw