The Washington herald., 1919-04-09
CHAPTER VII.
introduced to No Mans Land.

Our train was composed of a number
OF box-cars and one passenger car. \
box-car. having two hunks on each
side, in which the soldiers sleep, is
called teplushka. There are no win
dows in a teplushka, as it is really
only a converted freight car. The pas
senger car was occupied by the four
officers of our regiment. including our
new company commander, Grishani-
nov. He was a short, jolly fellow and
soon won his mems love and loyalty.
There was much empty space in the
passenger car. and the officers be-
thought themselves to invite me to
share it with them. When the invita-
ton came the soldiers all shook their
heads in disapproval. They suspect
ed the motives of the officers and
thought that Yashka could fare as
well among them as among their su-
periors.
'Botchkareva," said Commander
Grishaninov. when 1 entered his car.
would you prefer to be stationed in
this carriage? There is plenty of
room"
mo. your excellency." I replied, sa-
luting. Il am a plain soldier. and
ii is my duty to travel as a soldier"
Very we'll" declared the comman-
der. chagrined. And l returned to my
teplushka.
"Yashka is back. Good fellow,
Yashka!" the boys welcomed me en-
Enthusiastically. fiinging some strong
eptthets at the officers. They were
immensely pleased a the idea that
Yashka preferred their company in a
teplushka to that of the officers in a
spacious passenger coach, and made
a comfortable place for me in
corner.
We were assigned to the Second
Army. then commanded by Cen Kur-
ko, with headquarters at Polotsk 1t
took US two weeks to get there from
Tomsk. Gen. Gurko reviewed US at
army headquarters and complimented
the officers upon the regiments fit
ness. We were then assigned to the
Fifth Corps. Before we started the
word went out that there was a wo-
man in our regiment. There was no
lack of curiOsity-seekers. Knots of
soldiers gathered about my teplushka,
peeped through the door and cracks
in the sides to verify with their own
eyes the incredible news. Then they
would swear, emphasizing by splitting
the ineNplicable phenomenon of a ba-
ba going to the trenches. The atten-
ton of some officers was attracted
by the crowd. They reported me to
the commandant of the station, who
Immediately sent for Col. Grishani-
nov, demanding an explanation. But
the colonel could not satisfy the COM
mandant's doubts and was instructed
not to send me along with the men
to the fighting line.
Botchkareya," my commander ad-
commandant- The general won't al
low it He was much wrought up over
you and could not understand how a
woman could be a soldier"
For moment 1 was shocked. Then
the happy thought occurred to me
that no general had the authority to
overrule an order of the Tsar.
Your Excellency!" I exclaimed to
Col Grishaninov, "I was enlisted by
the grace of the Tsar as a regular SOL
dier. You can look up his majesty's
telegram in my record"
This settled the matter, and the
commandant withdrew his objections.
There were about twenty versts to
corps headquarters to be walked. The
road was in a frightful condition,
sticky and full of mudholes. We were
so tired at the end of ten yersts'
walking that a rest was ordered. The
soldiers, although fatigued, made
dry seat for me with their overcoats.
We then resumed our journey, arriv-
ing for supper at headquarters, and
were billeted for the night in a stable.
We slept like dead. on straw spread
over the floor.
Gen. Vsluyev was then commander
of the Fifth Corps. He reviewed US
in the morning and was extremely