Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-25
Devil or Sal t.?
= BY the Princess Radziwill =
Copyright Company.

! taken upon themselves the responsible
| ity of subjecting him to that annoy
ance
| On the 18th of December, the day ap
| pointed for the trial, the halls and cor
! ridcrs of the law courts of PetrograC
were filled with an inquisitive crowC
struggling to get access to the room
where it was to take place. The specta
tors waited long time, watching
curiously the impressive face of the hero
of the day, who had quietly entered
the hall and taken his place in the
| criminal dock About II o'clock the
| judges, together with the public prose
cutor made their entrance, when to the
general surprise the latter rose anC
said that owing to the absence Of
several important witnesses for the
prosecution, he moved an adjournment
of the proceedings until an indefinite
time. What had happened, what hat
brought about such an extraordinary
change? This was the question which
one could hear everywhere after the
court had risen and the assembly dis
persed. Comments without number fol
lowed upon this decision, which no one
would have thought possible a few
hours before.
In spite of the severe censorship over
the press, the principal liberal organs
taries which revealed the feeling of in.
tense indignation that prevailed in every
class of society. The words Shame
shame!" were heard on all sides. 1t is
not at all wonderful that they found
an echo among some determined spirits
who resolved at last to free Russia
from the scourge of Rasputin. whose
hand was again seen in the whole dis
graceful affair.
This, however, was not at all an easy
matter, considering the fact that the
Prophet had become very careful and
that his followers had him watched
wherever he went for fear of an attack
which they strongly suspected was be-
ing contemplated The house where he
lived, "a Gorokhowaja street, was al
ways surrounded - policemen and Sc
cret service agents, who examined every
person who entered or went out of IT,.
Rasputin himself had also grown sus-
picious, event of persons with whom up
to that time he had been upon friendly
terms, and he avoided the numerous in
vitations that began once more to be
showered upon him. He spoke again of
returning to Siberia, which was always
with him a sign that he did not feel
himself at ease in the capital.
[ had the opportunity to observe this
restlessness the second time that I met
him at the house OF that Mr.. De Book
whom I have already mentioned. when
he declared to us that he was sick Of
Petrograd and of the many intrigues
which were going on there. But that
was before the war, and it seems that
since il had begun the ideas of Raspu-
tin had changed and that he was always
saying that ne considered it his duty TO
remain beside his friends at this hour
of national peril. The fact that his
feelings had changed on the last point
proves that he was aware of the dan
ger in which he stood, and of which it Is
likely that he had been warned by the
numerous spies who were but too ready
to keep him well informed of all that
it was to his interest to know.
One thing seems certain. and that is
the activity which he began to display
during the last weeks and days of his
evil life in favor Of the conclusion of
peace, which he now told whoever cared
to hear him that Russia ought to make
if she wished to escape from further sin,
as he termed il.