Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

real generals WITH goa FACE
and epaulettes and all. From
Il 4 his neck hung a notified star
and on his breast were medals
and small golden wreaths, to show
that he had taken his degree in mill
tary science and served his country
Zealously. For such was the custom
then that the fatherland slowly trans
formed its favoritas into Christmas
trees. 1t adorned them with tinsel
leaving them to strut around in all
their splendor, until the pine needles
fell off and the marauder of all living
things at length made an end to the
glory. Vanitas vanitatum.
But 1t was of the general that we
were speaking. His name? Names
mean so little. They are only an outer
badge, a mark of identification for
others as they turn the pages of mem
DRY.
Let US call him Jurej Michailo-
w1tsch, since he was Russian, and
Russians, to be authentic, must al
ways trail an itsch behind them
something bushy and bristly and curly,
like the tail of q greyhound.
Jurej was indeed a true Muscovite.
He enjoyed his caviar, drank moder-
ately Of vodka in everyday life and
immoderately when the festive occa-
sion demanded it, ana blew artistic
rings of smoke from his cigarettes.
Light of heart, he could be rollicking
as a child or deadly in earnest, as the
occasion demanded. His anger never
lasted long. The storms would soon
pass into kindly sunshine.
4 X X
A FTER the Japanese war the Car
n himself had made him colonel
and placed him in charge Of regi-
ment, herewith launching him on
his career. BY the time he became
q general he lowered head and Shout
ders above the rest.
Then he was appointed inspector of
certain military establishments and
settled down in Moscow, where he had
his own house and maintained q court
like q lesser prince. When 1 learned
to know him he was one Of the most
influential persons in the city, a man
at the height of his power.
His body seemed almost square and
his head was globelike, with a few
gray1ng hairs at the temples. The
face was dominated by a pair Of large
fish eyes, bloodshot, with yellow pu-
pills; occasionally they would flash like
golden sun refiectors. Outstanding
however, were the luxuriant, SLOUGH
ing mustaches, invariably blackened.
Indeed, they might have been Chinese.
so far did they droop on the sides of
his mouth.
When he leaned back in his open
troika, with the prancing horses in
front and the rotund coachman on the
box, he was not unlike a mandarin,
as the wind would snatch his mus
taches and play with them as if they
were g. pair of unusually thick rat
tails,
He had been a fine fellow in his
younger days, Of that there could be
no doubt. And more than once his
wife, Nadia Nikolaj ewna, had faced
the perils thereof. 1t was whispered
around that Princess This and That
had been head over heels in love with
the dashing young officer, whose feet
were as sure on the battlefield as in
the drawing room. Even now he could
lead the ensigns a merry chase, If 1t
came to mazurka or graceful quad
rifle. And his genius for carrying on
q brilliant conversation about nothing
at all was little short of remarkable.
BY and large. however, the generals
wife could find no cause for complaint.
In the home he had been the best of
husbands and a faithful friend. II he
had ever jumped over the traces he
had done 1t in a reckless rather than
in a wanton mood, and Nadia would
comfort herself with the thought that
a dynamic nature like his could not be
inhibited too much. After each little
lapse he remorsefully begged her for
giveness and resolved still further to
reveal his love for her. For there
was love, deep in his heart, like
beautiful flower.
Yes. Nadia Nikolajewna was fortu-
nate. OF that there could be no doubt
And II fate had given them children
she would have been happier still.
"Petruschka the name will be-" she
would say. THAT Jurej and I have
agreed upon" But the heir never
came. Instead, lines of worry and
anxiety began to appear around her
mouth.
ON the evening in question the gen
~ eral was giving his usual mid
winter ball. Outside, under the scant
light of the street lamps, glistened the
snow, and the sleigh bells jingled mer-
rfly along the winding street to Kuz-
netsk Most. Over the Kremlin hung
g. cold moon. 1t made the gilded Gu
polas CLEAN like oxidized brass. But
inside the palace all was festivity and
cleaning lights. overheated stoves
and an atmosphere of perfumed ex-
halations slightly mixed with the
singular odor of dressed leather. typi-
calfy Russian. a part of the air itself
in the kingdom of the cars. On a
stage smeared to the ceiling like a
swallows nest under the caves, sat
the band in red shirts, playing their
flutes and clarinets until their cheeks
pulled out to look like those of rosy
church angels. Down below moved the
motley crowd of guests over the
polished parquet floor. Here and there