The New York herald., 1922-01-22

eyes stared, wondering, doubtful, yet con
vinced.
They left the elevator together at the
main floor. When the others had surged
away from them one spoke to the other,
hesitant, faltering:
"Is it possible-surely / am mistaken
you are not -"
The other interrupted: "Yes. am-and
you-can it be that you are -"
Then they threw their arms around each
other, much to the amusement or wonder
OF the crowd passing in and out of the
constantly arriving or departing eleva-
tors
Each One Countess
And FavoriteS at Court
They cried bit-without speaking.
They had not even spoken to each other.
more than those first few broken phrases.
when they disappeared, arm in arm, out
side the entrance doors.
I heard of the meeting later from both
of them. One was the Countess Benkle-
noff, to whom the late Car gave as a
present in observance of her twelfth birth
day, a commission as honorary Colonel of
the famous Twelfth Hussars Her father,
the Count owned one of the most extern
sive estates in the Urals. His father, her
grandfather, had kept 5000 serfs. Her
beautiful home on the Morskaya, one of
the most fashionable streets in Petrograd,
had been the scene of countless magnif-
cent entertainments, for her mother was
nna nf ha hnc in
capital and one of the closest intimates OF
the Czarina. OF the little Countess, it was
said she had turned the head of half the
guards officers at the Imperial Palace.
On the memorable night when the Grand
Duke Nicholas was summoned to the
Cars headquarters and informed that he
was to be relieved of his high command
and sent to the Caucasus-and that the
Czar himself would assume the leadership
of the army-it was to the home of Count
Benklenoff the Grand Duke hurried on his
return to the northern front via Petro-
grad. The Count was at the front, and his
daughter, the little Countess, received the
Grand Duke alone. II was by her hand
he sent certain messages to his brothers
and the other grand dukes urging them to
prevail upon the Car to alter his decision.
The little Countess pleaded the cause of
the Grand Duke Nicholas, even to the
Czarina herself, but without avail. He
was sent to the south and those who
plotted the downfall of the empire tri-
umphed-for that was the first step Of
that tragic progress of Russia toward tenn
poEary oblivion.
The little Countess escaped with her
father and mother, and all now are in New
York. The Countess has become a Ste
nographer, and earns $50 week, to which
the father adds $50 each week as the re-
suit of his labors as door tender at a
downtown bank.
The other stenographer had lived in the
next palace to that of the Count Benkle-
non, on the Morskaya in Petrograd. She
was the Princess. .Gourka in the old days
"old days" they seem, although only six
years ago. She and Olga, her neighbor
the little countess" were not so friendly
then, although they lived in adjoining pal
aces.
Prince Gourka. father of the Princess,
and Count Benklenoff had become en-.
meshed in court intrigue under the Gear
Alexander. whom both served, and had be-
come bitter enemies. But here in New
York. as two stenographers working in the
same building, going to their lunch at the
same hour, each helping support their
emiore families, the old arrangements
were forgotten. They are neighbors now
again-and now they are friends, not enc
mics.