Morning Oregonian., October 16, 1917, Page 6, Image 6

THE MORNING OREGOXIAN. ' TUESDAY. OCTOBER 1G. - 1917.
EMPRESS' SISTER
BELOVED If RUSSIA
Grand Duchess Serge, Grand
daughter of Queen Victoria,
Is Head of Convent.
i CREDIT IS GIVEN NICHOLAS
Home of Order of Mary and Martha
Is Taking Care of Wounded
Soldiers and War Orphans, but
Is Beautiful With. Flowers.
I'
ET RHETA CHILDE DORR.
(Twelfth of a series of articles telling the
Inside story of Kusnia's revolt. Copyright.
1917, by the Xe wYorlc Evening Mall. O-ub-lished
by arrangement.)
On the afternoon ofthe day -when
Nicholas II, deposed Emperor and auto
crat of all the Russiaa, with, his wife
and children left Tsarkoe Selo and be
gan the long journey toward their place
of exile in Siberia, I sat in. a peaceful
convent room in Moscow and talked
with almost the last remaining .mem
ber of the royal family left in complete
freedom in the empire.
This was Elizabeth Feodoroyna, sis
ter of the former Empress "and widow
of the Grand Duke Serge, uncle
of the Emperor. The Grand Duke Serge
was assassinated, -blown to pieces by a
bomb, almost before the eyes of his
wife, by a revolutionist on February 4,
old style, 1905. He was killed when
going to join the Grand Duchess In one
of the churches of the Kremlin in
Moscow. She rushed out and saw his
mutilated body lying in the snow.
Plea Made for Assassin.
The Grand Duchess Serge had long
been known as a noble and saintly
woman, and her conduct following the
horrible death -of her husband perfect
Jy illustrates her character. She be
sought the Czar to commute the death
sentence passed upon the assassin, and
when he refused she went to the prison
where the wretched man awaited his
death, gained admission to his cell, and
almost to the end prayed with him and
comforted him.
No children had ever been born to
her, and after the event which cut the
last "tie that bound her to the life of
royal pomp and glitter, she retired
from society and gave herself up to re
ligion. As soon as possible she became
a nun.
Christ's Edict Followed.
Her private fortune to the- last rouble,
investments, palaces, furniture, art
treasures, jewels, motor cars, sables
and other fine raiment were turned
into cash and the money used to build
a convent and to found an order of
which Bhe became the lady abbess. The
Grand Duchess Serge literally obeyed
the edict of Christ to the rich young
man: "Sell all thou sast and give it to
the poor."
The convent of Mary and Martha, of
the Order of Mercy,- in-Moscow, is a liv
ing token of her great sacrifice. Here
for the past eight years she has lived
and worked among her nuns at least
one of whom was a court lady, and
many of whom are women from the in
tellectual classes. Some -of the nuns
Were from humble households, for the
order is perfectly democratic. Every
one who enters the House of Mary and
Martha does so with the understanding
that her life is to be spent in service,
spiritual service such as Mary of the
Gospels gave, and material service such
as the practical Martha rendered her
Lord. Tit somewhat dreamy and
passive Russians will tell you that
Elisabeth Feodorovna's convent is one
of the most efficient institutions In the
Empire, and they usually add: "They
say she makes her nuns work terribly
hard."
Mob la Faced.
"When the days of revolution came. In
February. 1917, a great mob went to the
House of Mary and Martha, battered the
Sates open and swarmed up the convent
steps demanding admission. The door
opened and a tall, grave woman in a
Palo silver-gray habit and white veil
stepped out into the porch, and asked
the mob what it wanted.
"We want that German woman, the
ister of the German spy in Tsarsko
Belo," yelled the mob. "We want the
Grand Duchess" Serge."
Tall and white like a lily, the woman
stood there. "I am the Grand Duchess
Serge." she replied in a clear voice that
floated above the clamor. "What do
you want with me?"
"We have come to arrest you, they
shouted.
"Very well, was the calm reply. "If
you want to arrest me I shall have to
go with you. of course. But I have a
rule that before I leave the convent for
any purpose I always go into the
church, and after I have prayed I will
SO with you."
Great Crowd Cowed.
She turned and walked across the
erarden to the church, the mob follow
ing. As many as could crowd into the
small building followed her there. Be
fore the altar door she knelt, and her
nuns came and knelt around her. ween
ing. The Grand Duchess did not weep.
pni rrayprt tor a moment, crossed her
This Treatment Yiih Ccticura
Will Save Ycsr Hair
Cm tretirins, comb the hair out straight all
around, then begin at the aide and make a part
ins, gently rubbing Cuticurm Ointment into the
partinc with the aod of the finger. Anoint ad
ditional partings about half an inch apart until
the whole scalp has been treated, the purpose
being to get the Cuticura Ointment on the scalp
kin. especially on the spots of dandruff and
itching, rather than on tie hair. When com
pleted place a light covering over the hair to
protect the pillow from possible stain during;
the night. The next morning shampoo with
Cuticura Soap and hot water. For sample
each tree by mail address post -card: "Cuticurm.
Dept. 1BG. Boston." Soid everywhere. Soap
ISc Ointment 2S and SOc
self, then stood up and stretched her
hands to the -silent, staring mob.. .
"I am ready to go now," she said.
But not.' a hand was lifted to take
Elizabeth Feodorovna. Khat Kerensky
could not have done, what no police
force in Russia could have done with
those men that day, her perfect cour
age and humility did. It cowed and
conquered hostility, it dispersed the
mob. That great crowd of liberty
drunk, blood-mad men went quietly
home.- leaving -a guard to protect the
convent. It is probably the only spot in
Russia today where absolute inviola
bility .may be ..said to exist for any
members of the hated "bouriu." as the
Bolsheviki call the intellectual classes.
n tne August- day when l rang the
bell of the convent's massive brown
gate I did not really know that I was to
see and speak' with the Grand Duchess.
The friend who took me there doubted
very much whether I could be received
trus informally without a previous ap
pointment. The gravity of the times,
and especially the situation of the Ro
manoff family, placed the Grand Duch
ess Serge in a position of extreme deli
cacy, and my friend said frankly that
he expected to find her living in strict
retirement. The best he could promise,
he said, was that I should see the con
vent, where one of his young cousins
was a nun.
Blind Soldiers Taught.
I saw a small but perfectly esuipped
hospital with an operating-room com
plete in all its details. The hospital
had been devoted to poor women and
children before the war. Now most
of the wards are filled "with wounded
soldiers. I saw. a room filled with
blinded soldiers who were being taught
to read by sweet-faced nuns. Blind
ness is bitter hard for any man. but
for illiterates it must be blank despair.
I saw a house full of refugee nuns
from the invaded districts of Poland.
I saw an orphanage full of slain
soldiers' children. I lingered long in
the lovely garden where nuns were at
work, some pruning trees and hedges,
some sweeping the gravel paths with
besoms mad eof twigs, some teaching
the orphan girls to embroider at big
frames, to knit and to sew. They made
a fascinating picture, and I .could
hardly leave them even to se the
church, which Is one of the most beau
tiful small gems of architecture to be
found in Europe.
l never really saw that church at
all, as it turned out, for Just as we
entered and I was getting a first im
pression of Its blue and white and gold
beauty, a messenger hastily opened the
door and said that the Grand Duchess
wanted to see me..
Flower Are Everywhere.
TVe went back to the convent and
was taken to a tiny parlor, which is
tne private retreat of the lady abbess.
xl is not. mucn Digger than a hall bed
room, and it gave the same general im
pression of blue and white and gold
one sees tnrougnout the place,
mere were many books, bound in the
lapis blue, which seems to be the grand
uucness iavorite color;, a few pictures,
U,"C"J "i me -uaaonna and cnild: some
small tables, one with Stephen Gra
nam 9 book, "'House of Mary and
Martha," held open upon it by a piece
of embroidery carlessly dropped. There
were easy chairs of English willow
with blue cushions, and a businesslike
little desk crammed with papers,
everywhere, in the window, on tables
aim wie aesK, were Dowl and vases
or. flowers. Every room in the place,
in iici, was iiiiea witn lowers,
j.ne aoor opened and the grand
uuuness came in witn a radiant smi
or welcome ana a white hand out
stretched. "I am so glad to find tha
i naa time to meet you today, Mrs.
Dorr," she said in a rarely sweet voice,
lour highness speaks English ?"
exclaimed in surprise, and she replied,
waving me to a comfortable arm chair
Why not My mother was English,
Mother Is English Princess.
I had forgotten for the moment that
the grand duchess and her younger
sMsier, tne iormer Emnress of Russia
were daughters of the Princess Alice of
England and granddaughters of Queen
Victoria. Kussia seemed to have for
gotten also and to have remembered
only that the father of these women
was the Grand Duke of Hesse and the
Ainne.
ine grand duchess' interest in the
outside world is patent. She asked me
eagerly to tell her how things were
going in Petrograd, and her face sad
dened when I told her of the riotous
tnu uiouuy events x nad witnessed dur
ing the days of the July revolution,
scarcely past.
limes are very bad with us Just
now," she said, "but thev will improve
soon, I am sure. The Russian people
p?v" ana Kina at neart. but the'
are mostly children big. ignorant, im
pulsive children. If they can find good
leaders, and if they will only realize
that they must obey their leaders, they
will emerge from this dreadful chaos
na ouua up a strong, new Russia.
nave you seen Kerensky, and what do
you minK of nim "
i replied rather, cautiously. Like
everyone else, 1 still hoped that Ker
ensky would succeed in getting his
reieascn giant back Into Its bottle, and
x u..i nyi want tounsettle anyone a
f'.miutnce in nim. even to the extent
or an expressed doubt. Kerensky,
torn ner. was greatly admired and
liked, and I hoped he might prove the
strong leader Russia needed in her
trouoie.
Prayers Offered for Kerensky. "
i nope so, replied the last of the
Romanoffs, "and I pray for him every
The bells of the Tittle church chimed
the hour softly, and th Grand Duchess
paused to cross herself devoutly.
"Mm. to near aoout those won-
aenui puDIlc schools of vours." h
said, "but first tell me what America
is uuing in war preparation."
As I talked she listened, nodding and
smiling as if immensely pleased. The
great airplane fleet In course of con
struction seemed to amaze and delight
ner, ana wnen 1 told her of the con
servation of the food supply and the!
restriction oi tne manufacture of alco
hoi. she fairly glowed.
"America is simply stupendous," she
exclaimed. "How I regret that I never
went mere, ur course, I never shall
now. To me the United States stands
ir oruer ana eriiciency of the
kind. The kind of order only a
- v v. i rnir. 1 ne K in a i pray
wuut oume aay 11 ere lor Rus
sia." And then she made her one allu
sion to the deposed Czar. I did not
know that at that minute the C-rar-
on his way to Siberia, but it is very
probable that she knew it. Che said-
I am glad you are going to irntt
your soldiers from the dancer of th
drink evil. Nobody can possiblv know
how much good the abolition of vodka
did our soldiers and all our people.
I think history should give the Em
peror credit for his share in that a.-t
don't you?"
I agreed that the Emperor should
receive full credit for what he did.
and I spoke with all sincerity.
Elisabeta. Feodorovna kept me for
nearly three-quarters of an hour talk
ing to her abopt the Gary schools.
which she is eager to see in Russia:
about American women and their part
in tne war and about welfare work
for children, especially for tubercular
and anemic children.
best
free
wtm'niir"''" an Hrii'"
s
, i . , , .. ' j t ,mg7yfr ll!juii jmaui j linn -mmxiB A
Up to midnight September 12th, dur
ing a period of 8 months, we sold and
Lire dealers more United
than we sold to dealers
delivered to
lures
during the entire 12 months of 1916.
This phenomenal sales increase was made
notwithstanding our epoch-making sales increases
of 1916 over 1915.
These record-breaking sales increases of 1917
over 1916 and our record-breaking sales in
creases of 1916 over 1915 definitely and finally
prove three facts:
1. The
supremacy
of United States Tires.
2. The fact that the vast army of automomobile
owners who used United States Tires in 1916
are using them in 1917 on the sheer merit of
their experience.
3., Tlie fact that another vast army of aufoxnoBUe
owners have been won over to the use of
United States Tires in 1917 on the sheer su
periority of our tires over,, other tires thai
fried.
Are Good "fires
'Chain' Usco' 'Royal Cord' 'Plain'
Demand that your Tire Dealer supply you with
United States Tires or go to another dealer.
ft SuSscridfnj to the 2 n-dl6eiy Loan Is M -a
patriotic duty andt?e safest M
fnterest-pdyny nvestmMttfe 'Nobby
worcfids ever cnoymp
' ' VTl.'flr ' 4 1 ""-Tl l lllllll mi i Ill II I
I i i i - il'ii.'B tin . if, !
II il l IH Mi'l (I i' I II I I : i ,111 1 e
: ji
a vr- v-5 1 n 1 ," li i p i ' ; i ..a nit 1 r.1 i ;t h 1 , ir i n,i -ijii i 1 , 1 i.f , :
Home Industry Procramme Set,
HOMB ISDl'STRT PROGRAMME SET.
The Woman's Co-operative League that
is featuring: home industries this sea
son will hold an open meeting- Wednes
day niKht in the East Side Clubhouse.
East Tenth and Weidler streets. All
who are interested in promoting local
manufactories and enterprises will be
welcome. Mrs. J. G. Frankel will
preside.
Phone your want ads to The Orego-
ni&n. juain iU.U, A, 6035,
SCHOONER STUCK IN GLUE
Captain Says He and Crew Held 60
Days In Jellyfish Waters.
BANGOR. Me., Oct. 6. Friends of
Captain James Sweeney and owners of
the four-masted schooner "W. E. Burn
ham had about concluded that the ves
sel and all hands had rone to the
bottom when, the other day, came a
telegram announcing: her arrival at
Long Beach, Cal.. after being four
months on the run from Panama, which
should have taken about 30 days. 'Cap
tain Sweeney explained tha slow pas
sage by saying; that for 60 days the
vessel had been "stuck In a sea of
elne."
Captain Sweeney Is one of the old
time windjammer captains. Uurin?
his mora than 30 years as master he
has never commanded a steamer, but
has clungr to the sailing vessels through
thiclc and thin. For SO years he com
manded th Chlloe Harold out of Bos
ine urego- j
send the W. E. Burnham from New
York: through the Panama Canal to
Vancouver. B. C, where the vessel was
to enter the lime-carrying trade be
tween that port and San Francisco.
The company engaged Cap Sweeney
to take the schooner around. He left
Xew York with a crew of , eight a few
days after Thanksgiving and on March
29 he cabled from Panama his safe ar
rival and his start up the Pacific Coast.
That trip from Panama to Long Beach,
which should have taken but a few
weeks at the longest, occupied just 122
days, 60 of which were spent in a flat
calm with a. tropic sun beating down
so hot that the pitch ran out of the
vessel's seams and barnacles collected
In great numbers on her bottom.
The Burnham was adequately provi
sioned and there was plenty of water
in her butts for the voyage up the
coast. Everything went smoothly for
a. while and the trip promised to end
on good time until she ran Into a sea so
filled with animal life of a, jellyfish
species as to make it of the, consis
tency of thick rrlue.
Then the wind failed. Day after day
ton. men tne tieneoict-.uanson Marine the ship floated through the dun-col-
Lompany, or lew xiaven, wanted to ored, soup-like water, not making
steerageway. Each day told the same
story. The provisions began to give
out and the water ran low. Captain
Sweeney and his crew had been in the
habit of washing down decks and wet
ting awnings each day with sea water,
but this had to d abandoned because
of the thickness of the animal life in
the sea. Nor could the water be used
in the preparation of food, such as veg
etables and cereals, as is usually done,
for none of the crew desired to have
their food cooked in water so filled
with this jelly-like animal life. The re
sult was that fresh water ran low.
It was on the 61st day of the calm
that the schooner finally floated free
from the jelly-like sea into clear blue
water and into a breeze. Officers and
crew, their bodies burned from the In
tense heat of the sun and the decks,
their mouths cracked and parched from
thirst, were nearly ready to give up
when the breeze came.
It was on the 122d day out of Pana
ma that they dropped anchor at Long
Beach.
Thrifty Housewife Gets Advice.
LAS CB.UCES. N. M, Oct, 3 How
may a thrifty housewife tell a good
cantaloupe from an inferior melon?
This Is the question packers of local
ly grown cantaloupes are asked daily.
The answer is by the netting. The
Inspectors judge the melons as they
are brought In from the valley farms
by tne netting or veins which appear
on the outside of the ripe cantaloupe.
If this netting is distinct and stands
out from the surface the melon is of
good stock, ripe and ready for ship
ment. But If the netting lies close to
the surface and is undeveloped, the
melon is either green or of poor stock
and is rejected along with all others
from that crate.
Seattle Girls Plan War Relief.
SEATTLE. Wash., Oct. 6. The girls
of Seattle, the society maids and the
self-supporting office workers and
clerks, are banding together In a
mighty war relief work project. They
are planning the greatest carnival and
bazaar in the history of this city to
raise an initial fund of $100,000 which
will be devoted to the care of returned
wounded soldiers, and to the relief of
dependents left behind by the young
men who marched away St few days
ago to enter their period of training
for the war on German autocracy. The
carnival probably will be held early In
December, continuing for an entire
week.
Phone your want ads to The Orego
nlan. Main 7070, A 6095.
i High quality, quick service, clean j
C ft 7 Y DAIRY LUNCH S
VVLl AND CAFETERIAS
823 AVanhlnsrton St.. Near SlxrTa.
! Cholee H o a a t a. Ste aka, C 3
; Chops, Chicken, Klah. etc. IOC 3
; A Complete Line of Rich Break- 3
: fast Pastries, With a Cup in. S
of Our Famous Coffee XVC
; Hot Cakes. Waffles or Any Short
Order Any Time of Day or Night. EE
i