Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-29
House, Perograd Where Mile kousnezoH
and Where She Refused to Appear
Unde Boshevik Orders.

Paris, Feb. 10.
X NILE. MARIA KOUSNEZOFF. one Of
MI the most beautiful and talented Of
~ Russian opera singers, has escaped
from the Russian Bolsheviki and reached
Paris after cruel sufferfings and an e.-
traordinary series of adventures.
The artist is warm admirer OF the late
Gar and the imperial family, from whom
she received many favors, and she makes
no pretence Of treating che present Boil
shevik and Soviet government with i'm
partiality. Her experiences. as she de-
scribes them, are peculiarly interesting as
illustrating whet may have happened to
the many hundreds OF refined women.
whether princesses. artists OF members OF
wealthy families, who have been isolated
in unhappy Russia.
She is one who always enjoyed the good
things Of life to the full, and the expert.
ence of being deprived Of soap and neces-
sary changes OF clothing made her call
down every curse on the authors of her
misery.
Never, perhaps, has young and beauti-
full woman, once a spoiled darling OF aris.
tocratic society, suffered such hardships,
experiences often SO degrading that she
feels it is no. possible for her now to de.
scribe all Of them fully.
Mile. Kousnezoff is noted for the variety
OF her talents. She is grand opera sing.
er of high order, and IS also a very skilled
dancer Of the modern Russian school, rank
ing with such artists as Anna Paylowa,
Karsavina and the Fokines. She is recog.
nized as an actress of distinction.
She is we'll known in America, England
and other countries and has made a favor.
able impression there by her beauty.
charm and talent In Russia, before the
revolution, she was one Of the favorite
artists of the imperial family and aristo.
'ortuno by her art. Her diamonds were
r:narkable. even amid the splendor OF the
and ducal circle
After eighteen months of imprisonment
among the dreaded Bolsheviki this beau
tiful woman has made her way to Paris.
she described some Of her most remark
able experiences.
II went back to Russia from America in
1917" said Mile. Kousnezoff. 81 had prop
erty there and my interests required me to
go there. The Rolsheyist movement was
already in control and conditions became
worse in Petrograd every day spent there.
For eighteen months I never had a
satisfactory meal. Som etimes the food
was loathsome. Always there was some.
thing lacking that was necessary to re-
past OF civilization such as have always
enjoyed.
do you know what has given me most
pleasure since escaped from Russia? 1t
is not safety. nor missing the constant
sight and sound of bloodshed. nor even
freedom. 1t Is the taste OF real bread
II lived on bread for two weeks after
nj 7
a bakery in Paris, cannot help stopping
to look at the beautiful golden loayes in
the window.
There is only one store open In Petro.
grad. Most purchases are made in the
streets. When you have bought something
to eat 1t is likely to be taken away from
you by force before you reach home
Those who have things to sell have usu.
ally stolen them from some one else. This
is especially true in the matter Of shoes.
which have become rarer than diamonds
in Russia.
my street shoes we're completely worn
through and il was impossible to buy q
new pair at any price. Accustomed TO
plenty OF shoes an my life, had never
thought of the inconvenience of going
without them After had suffered great
~, made bargain with street ped
der to buy pair OF old shoes for thou.
sand rubles
"They were shocking looking pair
that might have belonged to a scrub
woman. but they had fairly solid pair OF
soles. On my way home was waylaid by
two fierce Amazons who threw me down,
removed my new shoes from my feet and
even stole the remnants OF my old ones
from my hands. They left me to walk
home In my bare feet. Later I bought
another pair and concealed them more
carefully.
II found that it was dangerous to ap.
pear in any article OF apparel such as q
woman Of refinement is expected to wear
in other lands. During the first week OF
my stay in Petrograd M lingerie, which
was trimmed with very valuable lace, was
taken from me by band OF desperate
A