Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-06-09
BY LOUIS DE WOLF.

ana tragedy at every street corner
1t was for example. in Constantinopl
met "The Princess waiting table
dancing and being generally agreeable
to such guests as wished to have an in
spiraton for their toasts And it was fl
Jerusalem I met The Colonel" who wa!
my dragoman.
How these two were associated befor.
the war was the romance; their station
now is the tragedy, and because the story
is true 1t is a remarkable illustration Of
the condition OF things in the less tray
eled highways of after war Europe.
The whole range of services are per
formed by many exiled members of the old
Russian nobility. One sees them in Pera
IN the MuscoYite-the men, bootblacks
public porters and walters; the women,
peddlers Of handmade Russian dolls. sec.
ond hand furs and both rare and tawdry
trInkets In the Muscovite | saw Others
Of these Russian ladies as Mattresses
Ihey are wan women now, and NAV or
may not have been loyely-but THE
Princess
Among her people her story must be
a not uncommon one, knew; but inst
what was the truth about her-the truth
that would mtrival fiction in its strange-
, ness?
\ There she was, sitting at a table with
(some guests, drinking coffee. That was
her custom, travellers who had fire.
quented the restaurant before told me
And over cup Of coffee she would fell
her name-Sophie, and that she was an
arttstocrat, species now not connie
nanced in Russia. To one she had men
toned son, II years old. at school hack
home. Yes, she hoped to return some
day.
That evening she drank coffee with mo
but told me no more. So was left mus
ing the mystery in that curiously cos
mopolitan resort. The Muscoyite is
housed in building Russian in its STYLE
or architecture There is always soma
thing of the Oriental in Russian design,
but the Muscoyite adds to this blend
many Moorish characteristics which conn,
to predominant in the interior dec
orations. The whole then resembles 4
Moorish palace. The rounded N
archways are hung with inexpen. NJ
siye but gloriously colored draperies M
of blue and gold. The walls gro AS
dark red peasngly and dimIv @
lighted by the small power electric Ss
bulbs. Rows of tables of variod
size line the walls leaving an omen @
space in the center for dancing. M#
Our standards brand this secona M3Xs
rate; in Constantinople it Is ouite
the particularly since the
advent Of jazz. The tourist raralv
gets away from jazz. Its cacsnhon.
Gus strains seem to have made
world conquest. Nor has the Mus.
coyite in Constantinople escaped Y
BY midnight the place is noisy
with Jazz and life seems to move
furously. Rush hour begins at
2bOut II and brings on more of the for.
mer Russian nobility as walters and
hostesscs. The latter wear seml-evening
dress and II you are without partner,
Will dance with YOU gladly and join you
at your table later. They are gracious
companions and they seem to have grown
accustomed to this manner Of living. so
different from the traditions OF their
birth. Yet you wonder-what is the
story each Of these delicately nurtured
and too privileged women has to tell?
What. especially, Of THE Princess? That
seemed the particular mystery and the
key. perhaps to the rest.
! had this sense Of mysterious, exotic
things when my ship passed through the
Dardanellcs that narrow waterway that
contracts in places to less than two miles
and runs on for thirty.fve miles, empty.
ing into the Sea Of Marmora. Then the
ship must sail 10 miles further before
coming TO Constantinople, As in that
central Citv 50 too in the DardaneIles is
visible the aftermath Of a great conflict
in the narrower parts Of the waterway
lie the wrecks Of British cruisers and
other vessels used in the Gallipol cam,
paign in the frutless and fatal effort to
force a passage.
The peace terms. however, give Eng
land virtual control of COnstantinople
The British Gen, Harrington heads the
Allied Military Commission as com
mander in chief Of 10000 men English,
French md Italian troops British con.