The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-10-02

(The following graphic picture Of
the fdnrite-stricken peasants ap
peared in a recent issue Of the Prav'
da, the official organ Of the Soviets
and Is here translated BY Mr.. Bern.
stein.) o.
IN HE bright. red sun was rec!in-
ing In the West. Paying no
heed to the miseries II caused
on earth. It was playing with all the
colors Of the idle rainbow in the sky,
while below there was dry. dark
blue, terrible gloom.
On the crossroads. stretching over
blighted fields and meadows which
were now a hungry. dusty desert
on the road where a long line of
wagons came In the morning from
the neighboring villages, there now
stood a cart heaped with peasants
household utensils. Near the cart
lay the bay horse which had Just
dropped from exhaustion.
In the cart an old woman lay mo.
ttonless; near her was the fourteen
or fifteen year old Tanka (diminu-
tive for Tatyana). with an ENACT
ated. wax-like face and sunken eyes,
and close to them. kneeling. was the
fifteen-year-old Vanl1a (diminutive
for Ivan) staring into the distance.
CHILDREN OF SORROW.
''Vanka! Eli, Vanl1a-' Tanka
called family In O drawing tone.
What IL TT"
Cant you sec anything"
Can't see anything"
A pause ensued.
'Vanka! Are you very hungry"
did you think wasn't hungry?
Wait. father and mother will come
back soon"
Tanka grew silent. She only
shook her head uneasily and licked
her dry, chapped lips. As IL sud-
denly recalling something. she turn.
ed to her grandmother and stared
at her with frightened eyes.
'Grandmai Eth. grandma"
Leave her alone! She may be
sleeping" vanka stopped her.
I'm afraid. maybe she has sud.
denly-you know-of hunger"
What do you mean?"
Perhaps she died-like grsndpar'
There! Died? why should she
dier yanka looked at gran trnather.
You see, she's breathing"
''vanka," began Tanka again
plaintively. what II tatler and
mother won't como back?"
20 on. why shouldn't they come
baok7 Where viii they sor"
Maybe they've gone to the Indian
Carr"
WAITING FOR PARENTS.
''on foot7 Do you think the road
to tho Indian Gar II 30 shortf You
couldn't get there in q week"
And win the Indian Car feed our
peopie!"
"of course. hen feed them, II our
people 90 over to his faith"
And will our people 60 over to
his faith7"
'Of course, they win. Either they
must die Of hunger. or 60 over to
his faith. but then it's easy to go
over to his faith-he's Greek ortho-
dox."
And how WI We get to the In
dian Carr"
Father win find . fellow-traveler,
or he'll bring us something to eat
wen eat and then 60"
'walkf"
well walk a. far as ths sea-"
And how win We cross the scar"
'.our people will build . boat.
something like the ark"
And Is II good at the Indian
Czar's?"
"of course, it's good there. Each
one gets a loaf Of bread, and some
get even a cake"
Absorbed in their sickly. hungry
day-dreams. both grew silint All
was quiet. The grandmother. who
lay motionless. opened her eyes and
turned her head.
TIA like q little water 70 drink"
she mumbled with her parched lips.
Grandma! She's up! I thought
you were deadr' said Tanka.
Grandma! Our horse is ieadr'
AGE CALLS FOR FOOD.
Dead? Then Wen all have to die.
water-or something to chew"
wait, grandma, father and
mother will soon come back" said
Vanka and looked again into the
distance. They're comingr he ex-
claimed. Mother and father are
coming. No, mother is coming, but
some one else is with her-it isn't
father"
"who?"
1T don't know. He's carrying a
bag"