Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-29
DIARY OF CzAR|NA
TELLS OF LAST DAYS
UNDER OLD ORDER

I'll 81 JOy NOIIiCS " HOWL
! With Arrival of ''ChiIdren."
Czarevitch III.
BY ISAAC DON LEVINE.
| ARTICLE ".
Four weeks after the ex-czar and
czarina were taken from Tobolsk
their three daughters and the ex-
czarevitch, who had been left behind.
joined them at Ekaterinburg. These
four weeks were full of agony to the
czarina, who was particularly wor-
ried over the fate of Alexis her only
son. The only cheerful day in the
month for the Romanoffs was May 70,
when the children arrived.
Otherwise the life which the former
emperor and his wife were forced to
lead grew more and more oppressive;
The royal prisoners were compelled
commissar to look over their rooms:
Meals were served irregularly. The
windowpanes were painted white,
shutting off the sunshine and the sky
except for small strip at the top.
The money they had on them was
surrendered for safe-keeping to the
authorities. The guard and COM
mandants were frequently changed;
|
for the prisoners to establish friend
ly relations with their jailers
On May 16 the cZarina received
from her sister Ella. the widow OF
fee and chocolate. Two days later.
May s. 1918. was the ex-czars fiftieth
birthday Nine days after his birth
day Nicholas Romanoff observed the
Icoronation as car of all the Russias
II was the irony of fate indeed that
these two anniversaries found the
Romanoffs in prison and so near their
inglorious end.
Rooms Are Inspected.
April 27-May 10, Friday.
"S:15. Told us to get up as commits
sar wished to see us before changing
lin one-quarter of an hour and to look
at the rooms Yesterday they changed
three times. Grayish weather
showing slightly. Wrote fifteenth
time to the children. Nicholas read
to me religious writings.
"4:15. Had tea with them. Again
people came to ask now how much
money we all have 1--WE - none),
and all had to write down the sum
and give it up to the soviet to take
care of.
"S:15. Dined with the others Played
cards in Eugene Sergeievitch's room
and talked with the commander OF
the guard"
Breakfast IL Late.
On May II the czarina records the
receipt of a telegram from Olga, who
was left with the ex- czarevitch in
Tobolsk. The following morning.
Sunday, May IL, she set down COM
plant against the late arrival Of
breakfast. At quarter past 10 she
| wrote: only got our tea Head con-
tinues aching and sleep very little"
On Monday, May 10. she again records
~ N
Others" which included all the pris-
oners but herself, at half past in the
afternoon. Two days later she made
the following sntry 2-1s. "wednesday.
Wrote twentieth time to the chill
pei Splendid weather, a nice
breeze. They were told not to go out
| this morning. An old man painted all
the windows white from outside. so
only at the top can see list of sky
and it looks as though there were a
thick fog, not at all cozy.
| 1915. Were let into the garden for
an hour Nicholas read again and we
played patiences.
Petty Persecution.
MAY 3-l6, Thursday.
''They smeared over the thermometer,
so can't see temperature; seems tine
weather. Nicholas read to US. Head
/ continues dCHlhS
"3-4 Sat in the garden.
$3.50. Supper, candles in glasses.
Cards-by light of one candle. Sideyev
half up. Received coffee and chocolate
from Ella She has been sent out from
| Moscow and is at Perm 1--WE read in the
papers).
Great heat; cup of coffee. Raining
a little-have a fire burning, as so
damp. weeks today we left Tobolsk.
Wrote 22d time to children and to Ella
and Jinotchka (did not send it).
1850. Lunched. Half an hour out
in slight rain. Heard the children are
already travelling:
Been raining again. Marie read to
to US.
theirs only brought at 2.
Il had my supper at o'clock. the
others only at 9. Cards. Had bath"
Nicholas Is Fifty.
The following day. May 6, according
to the Greek calendar, was a red-letter
1t was the birthday of the car. This
year it would have been especially
marked, for it was the fftieth ami
versary of the birth aof Nicholas Ro-
nothing but mysterious IN so B. D."
to indicate the event. The entry be-
gins as follows: <
MAY 6-19, Sunday.
IN so B. d.
GLORIOUS, bright sunshine"
The day, otherwise uneventful, is
closed with an expression of worry
about the children. Cannot find out
whether the children left or not
get no letters from anybody" the
czarina wrote after supper. The en-
tries made during the days imme-
diately preceding and following the ar
rival of the children from Tobolsk are
reproduced below:
May 7-2o, Monday.
Sunshine and clouds.
81. For the first time lunch was
brought punctually. The guard and the
commandant changed after a week.
80. Tea Nicholas read to US, then he
had bath. Marie-religious writings.
80. The others had their supper.
Played cards, nearly all time by candle
light, as electricity in my room would
not burn. The commandant scratched
of the paint covering the Thermometer.
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