Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-03

that they never saw such cxaltation
Of spirit. 1t was an elevatinE, glori.
Gus, unforEcttable moment in ones
life. My soul was gripncd, and l
had dim realization Of a new world
coming to life. a purged world, a hap.
pier and godlier one.
And when Nasili robbed me OF our
horse. and the dread of Yasha's
frenzy had seized me. intensified by
my inability to find an escape, the
thought. WAR" suddenly flashed
into my mind.
Go to war to help save thy coun-
try" voice within me called.
To leave Yasha for my personal
comfort and safety was almost un.
thnkabc. But to leave him for the
field OF unselfish sacrifice, that was n
different matter. And the thought of
going to war penetrated deeper and
deeper into my whole being, giving
me no rest.
When Yasha returned, Prince Cute
murov and several other friends were
in the house ready to defend me. He
had already learned from the natives,
on his way home, that Vasili had
escaped on our horse. II seemed i'm.
possible to him that | could have
given his favorite horse 10 anybody
without his permission, and he there.
fore suspected me of an intrigue with
Nasili. whom l had dispatched to make
preparations for an elopement. He
made a violent scene, throwing him
self upon me savagely, showering
blows. My friends tore him away,
which only infuriated him the more.
This inability TO give vent to his rage
made him act like one demented.
His temper was clearly becoming a
menace. for which Il remedy was
needed. A physician came to Amiga
only once a month. As Yasha con-
| sidered himself in good health, there
could be no question of suggesting to
/ him that he consult the physician. 1t
was, therefore. agreed among my
friends that Prince Gutemurov should
take a walk about the village with the
doctor when he arrived, pass by our
house as if by accident, and for me
to greet them with an invitation TO
come in for tea, Everything went
smoothly. The ysician was intro,
duced to Yasha and Immediately re-
marked upon E6 pale appearance and
his inflamed eyes.
what ails you?" he asked Yasha
you seem 10 have fever. Let me eX
anime you"
The result OF the examination was
the advice TO lasha to go TO a hospital
for treatment, which he, OF course
ridiculed. Privately, the doctor in
formed Prince Gutemurov that Yasha's
nerves had broken down and that he
was dangerous to live with. as he
might kill me for some trivial cause
The physician urged that I leave him
at once. But I hesitated. Another
coming. Yasha actually made another
attempt to kill me, but was stopped
by our comrades. The cup was full.
decided TO escape.
Day and night my imagination car,
ried me TO the fields OF battle, and my
ears rang with the groans Of my
wounded brethren. The impact of thu
mighty armies was heard even in un
civilized Northern Siberia. There wer,
rumOrs in the air, rumors Of victory
and defeat, and in low voices people
talked of torrents of blood and %
rivers OF manned humanity streaming
back from the front, and already over
flowing into the Siberian plains. Ny
heart yearned to be there, in the boil
ing caldron Of war, to be baptized in it!
fire and scorched in its lava. Tn,
spirit Of sacrifice took possession q
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