Evening star., 1923-12-23

think this is as fine an exhibition o;
courage as has come within my OBJ
servation.
At this time life in Petrograd was
full of the most unselfish heroism and
the basest meannesses. Then first I
realized that life is either evil or
good. and that which seems the
golden mean" becomes in crisis
the one extremity or the other.
To give side light on the situa-
tion of Russia in general at that
time l shall relate the experiences Of
my youngest brother. That winter he
had diphtheria and was sent to our
country place in the south Of Rus
STA for his health. When the revolu-
tion broke out he was alone with his
English governess and a doctor.
We always had been on very good
terms with our peasants. They all
loved my father. but the propaganda
was very strong. and the strongest
talking point of our enemies was to
say that my father had left them in
a moment when they needed him
most and that this was proof that he
did not trust them and was afraid.
The peasants became heated by the
words of the orators and more still
by the wine that was given out free
ly to a point where they were pre-
pared to go and burn down our house.
Our superintendent saw that things
were getting hot, so he took my
brother. a boy Of six, in the car into
the center Of the village where the
crowd was congregated and, lifting
him into his arms. addressed the
peasants with a simple but very
forceful speech. The purport Of 1t
was that II my father had not trusted
them he would never have left behind
his youngest child under their pro-
lection. and that they ought to look
upon this act as the greatest compli-
ment he could have paid them.
The crowd cheered and. refusing to
let my brother drive home, carried
him back on their hands That night
there was a meeting in the village
and all the revolutionary agents were
hanged by the peasants.
\
rOMING back to the life at the
~ capital, / want to try to give a
picture Of the administration Of the
country In the first days Of the revo-
luton. At that time the emperor was
at the front. but literally held pris-
oner in his private railway car. and
the governing power of the country
was concentrated in the hands Of
the duma (the Russian parliament).
I had chance to go into the palace
where the duma was in session, and
that which struck me most was the
confusion and lack Of organization
that reigned there. The wonderful
old building was turned into a pig
sty. The marble floors were covered
with cigarette stumps, dirt, papers
and every conceivable refuse, Wild
looking men were running from one
room" to another. trying to do some
thing and not knowing what to do.
reminding one Of flock of sheep lost
in a woods.
Several different organisations
looked upon themselves as holders of
supreme powers and each thought it
its duty to issue as many orders as
possible, often not noticing that the
new order was Numerically opposed
to the last. They spoke of their love
for their country and proclaimed the
great dawn OF liberty which had
broken over Russia. while in their
hearts all felt that things had gone
wrong and that they had lost control
over the demoralised populace. They
tried to regain 1t by giving greater
and greater license to crime and to
all the impulses of vulgarity and
bestiaiity. while power was slipping
further and further from their grasp.
In May. 1917, my whole family left
Petrograde for a little summer resort
in Finland, where life was peaceful
and quiet, and II IL had not been for
the newspapers one might have
thought that things had not changed.
We spent a very happy summer. pass
ing the time In all kinds OF outdoor
sports.
Gradually the horrors Of the days
In Petrograd became a matter Of the
past to US boys. That. autumn we
went to the Caucasus. as my father
thought 1t the safest place for the
family, while he remained in Petro-
grad.
The wave Of revolution had not yet
rolled up to that distant part Of Rus
sia, but 1t was coming-coming with
vengeance. gathering momentum
on its way.
Many Of the best Rnssixn families