The Washington herald., 1919-04-23

help Russia and We want you to make
use OF us. You can treat US as you
please, you can kill US. but don't
leave US. We will go anywhere for
you. We will go TO Gen. Polovtzev
and tear him to pieces.
They embraced my feet. Rugged me-
kissed me. professed their affection
and loyalty. I was profoundly stirred
My heart was filled with. gratitude
and love for these brave friends. They
seemed like children to me, like my
children, and felt like a tender
mother. II ! had alienated ! 500 bad
ones. I-had won the deep devotion OF
these 800 noble souls. They had tasted
the rigors of soldering but did not
finch. The others were towards, mas
querading their worthlessness under
the cover of democracy" These
sought no excuses. The prospect Of
actual strife did not daunt them. The
thought of 800 Russian girls, courage
ous OF heart, pure of soul. ready for
self-sacrifice. was one to comfort my
aching heart.
Il wish 1 could. but 1t Is impossible
for me to remain" l replied to the
pleadinss Of my girls THE orders
from the superiors are to form a COM
mittee or disband the battalion. Since
1 unQualifiedly refused to do the for
mer there remains nothing for me but
to go home. Good-by for the time
being; l will go to the Duchess of
Lichtenberg for the afternoon
The duchess was one of the circle of
society women who had taken a deep
interest in my work. She was a very
simple and lovable soul. and ! needed
some one to whom / could pour out
my heart. / was always sure that the
duchess would understand and be
helpful.
What ails you. Maria?" were the
words with which she greeted me as
soon as / appeared on the threshold
Of her house.
! could not restrain my sobs and told
her haltingly of the mutiny and the
consequent collapse of the battalion.
1t weighed heavily on me and SEEM
ed crushed by the disaster She was
struck by the news and cried with me-
The beautiful dream we had nurtured
was shattered in truth. In truth, it
was an evening Of mourning. / re-
mained there for dinner.
About s o'clock one of nv girls
sought admission and was shown in.
She had been sent from the barracks
as a messenger to report to me the
results of visit they had paid to Gen.
Polovtzev. It appeared that my 800
loyalists armed themselves with the
rifles and went to the commander Of
the military district. demanding that
he come out to see them. They were
not in a light mood and meant bust
ness. The general came out.
What have you done to our Match
alnik?" they demanded sternly.
Il haven't done anything to her."
Polovtzev answered, amazed at the
threatening demonstration.
I'VE want back our Natchalnikr'
my girls shouted. I'VE want her back
Immediately. She Is a holy woman;
her heart is bleeding for unhappy Rus
sia. We will have nothing to do with
those bad. unruly girls. and We will
not disband the battalion. We are the
battalion. We want our Natchalnik
We want strict discipline in accord
ance with our pledges to her. and we
will not form any committees"
1t was reported to me that Gen. Po-
lovtzev was actually frightened, sur
rounded by the throng of raging and
menacing women. He sent them back
to the institute, promising that. he
would not disband them and that he
would come to the barracks at 3
o'clock the following morning. / went
with the messenger to the quarters
and found everything In splendid or
der. The girls seemed anxious to COM
fort their Natchalnik and so main
tained cald and moved on tiptoe.
In the morning everything went as
usuaH. the rising hour. prayers, break
fast and drilling. At was informed
that Gen. Polovtzev. the adjutant of
-Kerensky, Capt. Dementiev and sew