Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-31

ant girl stepped into the interna-
tional hall of fame. This is her
story. In earlier installments she
told OF her childhood. of the brutal.
ties of her married life and the real
ization of her wish to become a SOL
tiier. She told of battles fought and
won and of the Generalization of the
army following the overthrow of the
b Car, IT was to shame tie men into
action that the battalion was formed,
but 1t was only partially success.
full: and, by and by, the Bolshevism-
infected soldiers forced the MEM
hers to dsband and Botchkareva re-
turns to Petrograd.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
DETRoGRAD seemed populated by
4 Red Guards. One could not make
step without encountering one
They kept a strict watch over the
station and all the incoming and out
going trains. My escorts left me on
the station platform. as they were TO
return to the front Immediately
I had hardly emerged from the sta
ton, intending to look for a cabman,
when a Red Guard commissary, ac.
companied by a private with naked
saber, stopped me with the polite
query:
madame Botchkareva?"
yes"
"will you come with me, please"
he suggested.
"where?" I asked.
ITO the Smolny Institute"
"But why?"
because have orders to detain all
"a
replied.
'fBut I am only going home!" tried
3 to argue.
Eyes, I understand But as an of.
ficer you will also understand that I
must obey orders. They will probably
release you."
He hailed a cabman and we drove
to the Smolny Institute the seat of
the. Bolshevist Government. 1t i'm.
pressed me as a heavily beleaguered
castle. There were armed sentries ev.
erywhere. Accompanied by a Red
Guard, 1 was led inside. There were
guards at every desk. was taken be-
fore a sailor. He was very rough and
brusque. " . -. .
Where are you going?" he de-
manded curtiy. '-
II am going home, to village near
Y 1OnSk, replleu.
Then why are you armed" he
sneered.
Because I am an officer, and this
Is my uniform" answered.
He blazed up.
"An officer, eh? You will be an of,
fcer no more. Give me that pistol and
saber!" he ordered.
The arms were those given to me al
the9 conservation of the Battalion's
nag. / priced them too much to hand
them er like that to this rogue of a
sailor. and refused his demand. He
grew furious. 1t would have been
futile to resist as the room was full OF
Red Guards. | declared that if he
wanted my arms he could take them
but i would never surrender them
myself.
He violently tore the pistol and
saber from me and pronounced me
under arrest, There was a dark cellar
in the Institute which was used as q
\ place of detention, and l was sent
down there and locked up. l was hun
cry but received no answer to all my
calls and remained in the hole til
the following morning. AS soon as
was brought upstairs I began to de
mand my arms. The various chiefs
however, remained deaf to my pleas
was informed that I would be
taken before Lenine and Trotsky. and
was soon led into large, light room
where two men of contrasting appear
ance sat, apparently expecting my en-
trance. One had a typical Russian
face. The other looked Jewish. The
flrst was Nikolai Lenine, the SECOND
Leon Trotsily. Both arose as / stepped
4 In and walked toward me few steps
stretching out their hands and greet
ing me courteously.
Lenine apologized for my arrest. ex
planning that he had learned of It only
that morning. Inviting me to a seat
the two Bolshevik chiefs complimentet
me upon my record Of service and
courage, and began to sketch 10 mt
the era of happiness that they sough
to bring upon Russia. They talked
simply smoothly and very beautifully
It was for the common people, thu
shaving masses. the under dog tina
they were fighting. They wanted jus
fice for all Wasn't of the laborini
class myself? Yes, ] was. Wouldn't
1oin them and cooperate with thei
party in bringing happiness to the or
pressed peasant and workman? The!
wanted peasant women like myself
they appreciated such deeply.
AYou will bring Russia not to happ
ness, but to ruin" I said.
why" they asked. We seek oni
what is good and right. The peopl
are with u.s. You saw for yourself tina
ths army is behind U.S."
II will tell you why" replied.
have no objection 10 your beautifl
sians for the future of Russia Blu
as for the immediate situation, II 20
take the soldiers away from the fror
\ YOU are destroying the country"
srgued.
t.But we want no war. We are goin
to conclude peace" the two leaders rt
Piled.
How can you conclude peace will
out soldiers at the front? You are d
mobilizing the army already. You hay
got TO make peace first and then i
the men go home. l myself war
peace. but IL were in the trenches
would never leave, before peace ha
"I