The Washington times., 1919-08-31
ByIOan Narodng,
Author Of gThe Danee,V Ete


IN the great cataclysm Of blood and -.
ror that has fallen upon oRce mightY
= Russia there Is no more aDDoaliHg
problem than the fate Of the Russian In
perial Ballet, created and lavishly f0stsFsd
by long line Of Cars.
What has become OF these lovely ailun
ing, delicate creatures. incompaFable eZ-
ponents Of the dance, raised to be a. oEna-
ment Of the worlds most luxurious and sE-
travagant courtg Have they net dread
ful fate at the hands Of violent, faneticaI
revolutionists? Have they been executed
along with other uneounted victims Of tie
revolution? Have they been kept 70 min
lister to the pleasures Of the despots 81 he
proletariat?
Even to those who have followed Rus
sian affairs most closely and haYs been
in frequent communication with tie COM
try, the fate Of many Of the impeTial
dancers stin remains a mystery, Is not TIE
fate Of the Car himself and bis Whole
family stIn much Of 3 mystery
Concerning the dancers. however, #s
have reason TO believe that q few hsYe
met a tragic end. Others have fallen into
cruel misery, while many, probably tie
majority, have been able to exist, foR
amusement is q necessity even Of TIE most
ordent revolutionists.
The greatest interest naturally centres
about Mademoiselle Mathilda Ksheshin-
skaya, perhaps the most celebrated o. AZ
the Russian dancers, that caDFiciOus
little queen OF the imperial stage. she
dawned upon the world when poor Gar
Nicholas was a susceptible youth and had
not yet inherited the throne. He became
so fascinated by her that he wished %
spend the rest Of his days in Fonantte e.
tendance upon her. It was with the great,
est difficulty that bis august father and
the other authorities OF the empire eoB,
vinced him that be must take 3 eOnsoFt
more fitting TO his rank.
Nile. Ksheshinkaya was not the most
beautiful Of the imperial dancers, but few
ever exeelled her IN grace, although her
style was less original than that Of some
artists who have more recently won fame,
She retired from the stage quite early, end
the appTeclatiYe Gar bestowed upon heF
a magnificent palace, worthy Of 3 member
Of the imperial family. This residence
became one Of the greatest centres of
Petrograd aFistOcFatic Bohemian lie,
Grand dukes, Oriental pOtentates, powerful
statesmen, brilliant artists, BOhemians
and interesting adYenturers thTonged rs
brilliant salons.
The clever dancer never lost her in-
huence over Car Nicholas, and the Gear
ina herself admitted her charm. on sey-
eral occasions the artist, by her fascinR-
tion and audacity, Influenced the Car 70
infringe the most rigid rules Of court eti-
quette.
Once there was 6 special gals perform
ance Of play az the Winter Palace IN Pet
rograd to which Ell the great dignitaries
Of the empire and foreign diplomats we're
invited as guests Of the Car. Z vas held
in the great ballroom.
An arm chair IN the centre sf he fFst
row was reserved for the Car, aRd 0l one
side was q chair for the Queen q Den
mark, the czaTina being absent. Nile,
Ksheshinskaya took Il into her little head
to go to this performance without an in-
Vitation. AS she vas well known to the
palace functiOnaries she passed the outer
guards easily and presented herself In
the lobby outside the ballroom. An official
asked her for her Invitation and she an
sWered:
4 have none. You viii please place a
chair for me next 10 His Majesty"
The Gar stepped IN at this moment
and the artist repeated her order in HIS
presence. The monarch with a smile
-acitly consented and the dancer sat next
10 him during the whole performance.
During the early days Of the war Nile
KsheshinskayR and the other dancers re-
lained all their prestige and popularity
and helped by their art and personal
charm to brighten the gloom Of the great
conflict
Then the Car Zen and the RolshsFild
arrived IN power. The beautiful palace Of
Nile Ksheshinskaya was seized BY Lenine