The Washington times., 1923-03-11
Cconeinusd from Double Page

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he howled, the fat coward. 60
way from me, 60 'wayl / won't
get out from under this lounge, to
Be shot
Derzinsly polxed me in the ribs.
His huge laughter filled the great
room till it re-echoed.
Funny, wasn't it" he asked
me, ''the way the beggar tried to
escape? Well, helped the soldiers
drag him out. / hit him on the
head. He was stunned. Then we
hauled him down the stairs and
held him out at arms length while
drew my revolver and riddled his
trembling hulk with bullets. Oh,
yes, IliOdOr, this building here has
seen . new rebirth Of freedom in.
my own day"
He banged me again, laughing
savagely. Then suddenly his at
tention. which had wandered from
me to the martyrs, came back to
me with practical question.
81 wonder" he said, rubbing his
hands, 81 wonder what we shall do
with yOu?"
Whist what what do Won
meant" I asked, thinking Of the
bishops.
81 mean, dear sir, how we shall
utilize your gifts your really very
great gifts--to the best use Of the
new free state. !,
My heart sank within me. /
wondered il the terrible man at
my side was about to join me to
his company Of general-b eheading
aides.
II am man Of God, \ said /. II
never have been 4 soldier"
Il tell you" he spoke at length,
you're q man of brains-a man
Of the pen, as you might put it. /
won't ask you to equal my deeds
for freedom. Each to his kind,
say /. All you'll have to do, lilo
dor, for our grand new free coun-
try is to write b forceful book on
the subject, How Became q Boil
shevist. Make it strong, Iliodor,
and thus you win convince Com
nnissar Trotsky Of your good faith.
We know Of you-you are very
able man. YOCf persuasive words
built your great monastery you
have brains OF 3 kind we need.
Will you write the book 2"
What q dilemmal / wasn't a
Bolshevist. / hated the Bolshe-
visits. / had seen their works and
despised them from the bottom Of
my heart. And yet, il / was to
escape whole from this hazardous
predicament, / would 60 only on
my promise to write a book on
how / became one Of these mon
strOus, stupid, cruel people. No
wonder blanched. No wonder I
hesitated. At length, tremblingly,
/ spoke.
tsWell,' said I, "you see, ! am
not . writing man. am = church
man. Do you really think my lame
words could add anything to your
cause Z"
He was emphatic.
you'll never learn younger,
said he, ITO be q good, earnest, elo-
quent writing man for the glori-
Gus new free state! Ili0dor, get
out your pen and Ink and dipsinl
The state needs quiet men, too.
We all cant kill, like / can. We
all haven't the vigorr r.
Still hesitated. Finally, bang
ing his great fist. down upon the
table, hs asked impatiently:
well, will you write that
book" / thought of the bishops
who had been dragged to death
from the room next to where we
sat. / thought, and / decided.
t'Yes,' said I. 81 viii write it,
OF course, / never did write the
book. But by promising sue
ceeded in saving my head for that
particular day. So, outstanding
what money had, | proceeded to
wait in Moscow, pretending to be
at my literary task, till / might
manage to escape. While / lin
gered ! saw the terrible life of all
the people.
So / beheld the collapse of the