Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-03
WOMAN SOLDIER DEPICTS FLIGHT
FROM PETROGRAD, MOB IN PURSUIT

| would give their consent to my de-
parture from our home in Taganrog
| they had made me promise that l would
! not go about the town. either by day
| or by night, as many of the students
| were supposed to do. Usually, wNsn
i l left the gymnasium or the pension
where / lived it was with some friends
OF my parents OF with some acquaint-
ance whom they had recommended to
me.
Ridiculed by Lower Glasses.
AS we marched to the theater on
this night I noticed that people of the
| lower class treated US with less re-
spect than 1 had been accustomed to
| observe. There were smiles and I'M
pleasant remarks. and now and then
cries of ridicule. Some members of
our party were smoking cigarettes. We
told them to stop, since the people
might find excuse for ridicule in that.
There had been rumors of disaffection
among the lowest class with the Ker-
attention to them. And on this night.
when 1 saw the first evidence of a dis
position to look upon our organiza-
ton with anything less than a great
respect. 1 ascribed it to the fact that
we were in a part of the town where
Gated.
In the theater we sat near each other
and gave ourselves to an interested
view of the war scenes on the screen.
Before the presentation of the films
was half over. one of our party who
had gone to the entrance of the the
alter for some purpose. returned and
whispered a message which made US
suddenly lose all interest in the scenes
upon the screen.
Told of Riots Outside.
There is rioting in the streets near
the Winter Palace" she said. The
bolsheviki have arisen to overthrow
Kerensky. They say that persons
have been killed and that Kerensky
has ordered soldiers to put down the
disorder"
One woman among US was one of the
petty officers of our company. She
took the situation in hand at once.
Leave the theater quietly" she said,
two and three at u time. Wait at the
door for each other. When we are all
assembled there we will return to the
barracks at once
We did she ordered. A group of
curious people observed us. Some of
them were laughing. some uttering
rude expressions of ridicule. Young
men shouted vile remarks after us as
we marched away. We were moving
toward the Pushkin statue, in the
street of that name. There we had ar
ranged to rendezvous with other SOL
diers of the battalion, returning to
camp. Unfortunately that point was
the very center of the disturbances of
the night, though the fact was I'M
known to US. Long before we neared
the statue the sound of rifle firing
startled and alarmed US. 1t seemed to
come from the direction of the Nevski
prospect.
Defenseless Women Attacked.
As we proceeded the firing grew
more frequent, and occasionally we
could distinguish the sound of volley
firing, proving that disciplined soldiers
were in battle with the rioters. Also
we heard. for the first time for many
of US. the death tattoo of machine
guns. We paused at a street inter-
section to consult. Our leader thought
we had better make our way directly
to the scamp, rather than attempt to
keep our rendezvous at the Pushkin
statue. We were unarmed and, of
course, entirely unprepared for COM
bat. The sound of firing and the
clamor of the mob was now quite near
to AS we stood there. irresolute,
a party of rioters poured into the
street a block away. from cross
street.
They were raising bolshevik cries
and there was a note like that of wild
beasts in their bowling. When they
saw us their leaders shouted warnings
and the members of the mob stumbled
upon each others heels in their haste
to regain the shelter of the side street.
From their shouts and excavations we
knew that our uniforms had misled
them and that they believed they had
encountered a patrol of regular SOL
diers.
Followed by Mob.
We began slowly to retreat. Skufk-
ing in the darkness from doorway to
doorway, the holder members of the
mob followed US. The dread realiza-
ton of what threatened chilled the
blood in our veins. We were soldiers
no more, but women. unarmed and
helpless, menaced by savage beasts.
one of the rioters. More shots, in
quick succession. followed. There was
no response from us. We had not
frearm among US. 1 had grasped
Nussa's hand. 1t was trembling. A
girl beside me stumbled against me
whisper We FASTENED our steps.
The mob, emboldened by our tactics
and finding that no answering shot
came from our ranks, pressed closer.
They had not yet. however, penetrated
our secret. They feared trap of
some sort and kept within the dark
ness of doorways. They feared that
the soldiers might be Withholding
their fire to make it more effective.
But again and again. with increasing
frequency, their pistols cracked.
One came boldly into the middle of
the street and exhorted us to join with
the bolsheviki.
"Down With Kerensky."
There is to be no more war; he
shouted.
"The people will fule. Down with
Kerensky!"
At that moment the first of our party
was wounded. A bullet struck her in
the breast. She shrieked in fright and
agony. That revealed all to the mob.
1t was a woman's shrek. Like a pack
of wolves they were upon u.s.
Women they screamed.
.Kerensky's women soldiers, Ker-
ensky's battalion of -"
1 cannot write the shocking para
phrase they made of the name of our
organization. Dragging Nussa by the
hand, l escaped the mob's onslaught.
We were both feet of foot and cour-
ageous. ] was strong enough for two.
fortunate thing helped us to save
ourselves, also. The few electric lights
in the street were suddenly extinguish-
ed just as the mob swept upon u.s. Rum
ming madly in the darkness Nussa and