Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-12


dog, eventually reached French soil through
the agency Of few loyal and devoted friends.
It Is true that without this knowledge the
closing scenes Of the drama enacted at
Ekaterinburg on the morning Of July II, 1918,
had for most Of as sense of incompleteness,
although one can perfectly understand and
respect the motives of those who until now
have guarded the secret. Yet a tragedy so
poignantly human and arreSting in its circum-
stances demands final curtain and perhaps
1t is not too much to hope that freed and
enlightened Russia may one day welcome back
to her soil again these pitiful human relics.
But time, the arch enemy of even our dearest
wrongs, can be also a cunning liar. Already
around the Romanoffs legends have sprung up
and are growing. Now in this direction, now in
that. something comes to the surface; is dis
cuSSed for time and then subsidies So already
out of all that has been said written, ma
terial in abundance is on hand, and posterity
must make its own choice.
1t was not merely from idle or morbid curl
osity that my attention was drawn to the
article referred to above 1t happens that
in position to detect trif1ing error that has
crept into thGt report with reference to the
statement about the dog. It is true that JOY"
the Czarevitch's dog, was with the family right
up until the end but in some mysterious way
he escaped the fate of his young master and
lived on to end his days in security and
comfort.
destiny came to be linked up with mine. For
that reason able to give account OF
his life in the years that followed Immediately
afterward.
ONE morning in the early Winter of 1918 an
officer of the White army brought to my
home in Vladivostok pathetic little visitor.
To all appearance he was just an old spaniel,
rather the woISe for wear and trife neglected
a. to grooming whose solemn brown eyes and
general air of gravity strangely belied his name,
which JOY
The colonel who had brought him explained
to me in few words his history for the past
few months and asked If would take care of
him until the time should come when he could
be taken with safety to his flnal destination in
Europe.
These we're days OF sudden and dramatic
changes in Russia. We were learning even
then to live from day TO day and by putting
behind US all that past lives had contained
to adjust ourselves to present conditions. How,
then, can 7 tell you the effect it had me
to be thus suddenly brought face TO face with
this living link with the past? To us, then he
seemed like a visitant from another world.
For this little dog was indeed Joy, who had
been for years the nseparable companion Of
the young Czarevitch, Alexis and who had
somehow miraculously survived the great
tragedy which had overtaken those he loved.
One wonders why the faithful old dog had
Had something in the animals mute appeal
for pity touched a heart that could not, or
dared not, spare the others? Or did he simply
crouch and fee in terror from the scene Of
that bloodshedF Probably no one now living
really knows.
What We were asked TO do we did gladly.
ny husband, who had been killed in action in
December. 1914, had been fellow oficer with
tia man who was instrumental in bringing Joy
to live with US, and since my marriage
in 1907 my husbands duties had kept him IN
day association with the imperial family both
In their Summer home in Liyadia and in st.
Petersburg. 1t was therefore to me and TO
my little a bond with a loved husband and
father
IN those days we were still too close to the
actual happenings to have any exact idea
Of the events that were reshaping the history
Of our country, Between the coast where we
were and the White army Of the interior the
distance was approximately 5000 miles, but at
that time the allies were still able to keep the
lines Of communication open. Conflicting
rumOrs Of all kinds reached US from time TO
time. Now hopes were raised that the Red
army held in check and would not be
able to press further eastward, and again
came rumors that the peasants all along the
line were in revolt because foreigners seemed
70 be in possession OF their land. Everywhere
there was confusion. One thing slone was
cledI-CnaC away DacK C1cTe AT Ekaber1nDoTg the
Cmr, Nicholas II, had been expected and that
a new order Of things destined TO tnke place
was in process of formation
Within few days after the execution of the .
imperial family representatives from the Kol-
chak government at OmSk were on the spot
investigating the affair. Among them was an
orderly of the White army who had picked ND
IN the neighborhood strayed and hungry dog
and taken it back with. him to headquarters j..
The incident would have passed unnoticed had =
not the colonel in charge, happening TO see the
hoa1 efa IN Fvs