The Tsar’s surprise party.

>In the summer of 1917, American journalist [Albert Rhys Williams]( https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Albert_Rhys_Williams.jpg) was traveling across Siberia when his train came to an abrupt stop. In his book *Through the Russian Revolution*, he reported what happened next: >>Suddenly from behind a snow-bank a figure shoots up… and comes running violently for the train… From other snow-piles and bushes and from the far horizon, more and more figures keep emerging, until the whole plain is dotted with men racing headlong for the train… carrying… guns and grenades… They are a harsh, determined lot. Many of them are grimy, nearly black. All of them have black looks for the train… >>[I] thrust my head out [the train window] and… address [their leader.]… “Where did all these men suddenly spring from? Why is the train held up?” >>[He replied, laughing,] “These men are miners from the great coal mines less than half a mile away, and peasants from the village. Thousands more will be along directly… We [intend]… to take off of it [the Tsar]( https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Nicholas_II_by_Boissonnas_%26_Eggler_c1909.jpg) and Royal Family.” >>”Tsar and Royal Family? On this train? Here?” [I] shouted. >>”We don’t know that for sure… [But] every man dropped his tools, snatched up his gun and rushed for the train… You see how deeply we feel for our Tsar? Only twenty minutes advance notice, and we got this nice, big [surprise] party ready for him. He likes military displays. Well, here it is. Not in regulation style, but quite impressive, is it not?” >>It was! Never have I seen such a beweaponed set of men… In their hands were missiles enough to blow a thousand Tsars into eternity, and in their hearts and eyes vengeance enough to annihilate ten thousand… They combed the train from end to end, opening trunks, ransacking beds, even shifting the logs on the engine tender to see if His Imperial Majesty might be hidden in the woodpile. There were two white-bearded peasants who… would run their guns under [each train car], ram their bayonets around, and then withdraw them, shaking their heads sadly. The Tsar of All the Russias they hoped to find riding the bumpers… Each time disappointed, they would hope for better luck at the next car and repeat the proddings. But there was no Tsar, and so their bayonets did not puncture him. _________________________________________ **Source:** Fleming, Candace. "Survivors of a Shipwreck." *The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia*. 192-93. Print. [Albert Rhys “Reece” Williams]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Rhys_Williams) [Russian Revolution]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Revolution) [Николай II Алекса́ндрович (Nicholas II of Russia) / Nicholas the Bloody]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_II_of_Russia) [Рома́нов (House of Romanov)]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Romanov)