Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-03-21
Just Before the
Russian Revolution
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union i
By ALAN HINsDALE

| Before the Russian revolution there,
was no more luxurious dwelling place.
for sovereign than the Winter PAIL
ace at what was then called st. Pei
| tersburg. What it's condition is now =
| don't know, for have not seen ID
since it ceased to be the cars resi-
dence.
Not long before the breaking out Of
| the worlds war, was tourist in the
! capital Of Russia, and had letters tO
the American ambassador there and to|
prominent Russians. Through the en-
bassy received an invitation to a ball
at this same Winter Palace. will not
pause to describe the scene of SPLEEN
| dor, but will mention one woman,
about twenty five, who was not only
very beautiful, but bore on her coun-
tenance the stamp of a marked spirit
within. 'That woman" I said to a.
friend, interests me; would like to
be presented to her"
Il have her acquaintance" he said,
and will introduce you with pleasure.
This he did, but did not find much
comfort in the brief chat I had with
her. She seemed to have matters on
! her mind that prevented her making
herself agreeable to an untitled strang-
i er from America
! There is a story connected with her
| that will narrate. 1t was told me by
/ the man who introduced me to her,
| Paul Kaluzsky.
| Kaluzsky came from the same place
as she. In their social circle was Ste
| pan sSerozha, an intimate friend Of
| Paul, whom Paul described to me as
a splendid fellow, endowed with great
patriotism. There were two girls be-
| tween whom he divided his attentions.
One was Liza Arkadevna, modest
country girl, the other Sonia Mikhail-
off. the girl met at the Winter Pal
ace. The latter spent much time in
i the capital and was occasionally seen
at imperial functions.
/ Paul told me that Stephan favored
/ Liza, and that Sonia was trying to win
him from her. Stephan admitted that
| Sonia was secretly in favor of the rev.
olutionists, and was endeavoring to en-
list the talented Stephan in the cause
| of the people. But this was confiden-
1, tial; Sonia was supposed to be loyal
to the government.
| Beyond the fact that Sonia was
| Liza's rival, Liza distrusted her. She
warned Stephan not only against
Sonia's influence, but against giving
himself up to association with one Of
the secret circles of reyolutionists
which We're to be found all over Rus
STA. Liza begged Stephan to consider
the horrors of Siberia. andsthe danger
he would run by identifying himself,
with any move disloyal to the governs
ment. Besides" said Liza, 81 am told
! that no one can tell whom to trust;
| ones most intimate friend may be his
betrayer.''
One day it was announced that
Stephan and Liza were betrothed.
Sonia was present at the betrothal
ceremonies. She seemed not in the
least to mind having lost Stephan to-
Liza and wished them both great hap
4 ptness. In doing so she kissed Liza.
| Paul who was present told me that
when this salute was given, he judged
| from the way Liza received it that she
! considered 1t Judas kiss. At any
rate she seemed turned to ice.
About a week after this Stephan
disappeared. 1t was not feared by his
friends that he had been made away,
with by the government. for he had
not-so he had assured Liza-commit-l
ted any disloyal act, having promised
her that he would not do so. Time
passed and nothing was heard of the
missing man. At last it was reported
by one who knew him that he had seen,
!! Stephan In shackles on his way to ST.
IBERIA.
About this time Sonia was placed
under arrest by the government, ac-
cused of being member of a reyolu-
/ tionary circle. She had strong friends
| at court and 1t was said that they se-
! cured her release. AT any rate after
being held some time her friends ex-
pecting every day that she would be
sent to Siberia she was let out of
prison and restored to favor 1t was.
not long after this that I saw her at
the Winter Palace. Paul and were
leaving the palace when she passed
out to enter her auto to be driven
away to her apartments. went to
PauPs home with him and over glass
of wine and a cigar he told me the
story. We little thought that we were
! so near it's climax.
The next day Paul called at nv ho-
4 tel and with look of horror on his
face. told me that when Sonia's chauf-
feur opened the door of her limousine
he found her dead with dagger in
her heart.
too was appalled, but not as much
as Paul who had known the victim
from childhood
My first thought was that Liza was
implicated in the murder. suggested
it to Paul who frowned it down at
once.
| | did not receive solution of the
mystery till after the deposition of the