THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND,' JULY 11, 1920
PRINCESS CAKJTA.CUZE1SIE FROM YOUTH IN" WHITE HOUSE
Granddaughter-of U. S. Grant Describes the Happy Days She Spent as a Child
With Her Illustrious Kinsman and Her Farewell to Him as He Lay Dying
BY CLARA WHITESIDE.
LTHOTJGH I was born In the
Z White House during my
grandfather's presidency, my
horizon during my brief stay there
was very Mmlted indeed," laughed out
Russian princess, "for I was only two
years old when my parents tore me, I
am sure reluctantly, away. However,
although I have no memories of the
White House, my recollections of my
grandfather. General Grant, in the
later years of my childhood, are quite
distinct, even to this day. I remem
ber so well his big, affectionate na
ture he loved children.
"When I was about 6 years old my
parents' moved to New York. We had
been living in Chicago, as my father
and been personal aide-de-camp to
General Sheridan, who was stationed
there. My father left the army and.
rejoined his family in the east.
"It is then that I best recall my
grandfather. I have vivid memories
of drives between his knees, behind
two wonderful Arabian horses that
had been given to him. He made those
horses fairly fly, but I was not fright
ened I loved it. He used to call me
"h!s own big pet,' and he had me often
with him. I well remember the day I
was taken into his room, those last
fcours of his life, to say good-by to
grandfather, not realizing, even
though the room was mysterious in
Its stillness, that I would never see
him again."
Princess Cantacuzene is the daugh
ter of General Grant's eldest son and
the oldest of his grandchildren. Her
father was a veteran of the Civil war,
the Spanish-American war and was
commandant of Governor's island. He
did much reconstruction work in the
Philippines, and because of this record
of her father and the love and ad
miration we all bear her grandfather,
6he is affectionately called "our Rus
sian princess."
Her marriage to a Russian prince
2d years ago has not lessened her
pride in her birthright as an Amer
ican. The fighting blood of her grand
father is her heritage; she, too, is a
born fighter. But It isvfor Russia she
pleads and works her husband's
ccuntry and her home for many years
and it is to America she turns for
help. ,
One knows, while there is an ounce
4 z. A, - , . i
' j . '
of strength left in her, she will use !t,
working for the relief of that loyal
band of men and women who are hold
ing on, and to whom she looks, and
all civilization looks, to carry forward
tho reconstruction in Russia.
I was waiting to see the princess
she h.d promised to talk with me
and I used the minutes in looking out
across the old square in its coat of
green. Unconsciously my eyes fol
lowed a woman who came directly
toward me across the park. Tall,
erect, with her hands in her coat
pockets, Bhe attracted my attention
and held it, perhaps because she
walked so well. As she came nearer I
found to my surprise it was the prin
cess. Personality is a strange thing.
I: cannot remain hidden, but always
crops up, sometimes when you least
expect It. nl her tailored black sport
suit and simple black hat, with a
cluster of gardenias in her coat, she
was a princess through sheer mental
ity. She was to talk before a represent
ative group of women that afternoon,
nd a number had come from a dis
tance to see and hear her women
who had known her years ago and
miles away. While we were talking
in a room apart a woman came
toward us hesitatingly and said to the
princess:
i wonder If 1 may interrupt for
just a minute. I want to give this to
you," and she handed her a email
... , L-
"He nutde those hsnu fairly fly,'
white box. It is a piece of your wed
ding cake, which I have kept all these
years. It was very good cake. I re
member eating eome of it at your
wedding."
"Oh!" responded the princess with
the most pleased surprise, "how very
kind you are to bring it to me! Wed-
rays oar princess of ber errand father. General TT.
remember me, I know, but my grand.
father gave your grandfather a pair
of Arabian horses. I wonder if you
ever rode behind them in your child
hood?"
"Do I remember them? Why, most
assuredly I do," laughed the princess,
holding out her hand impulsively.
ding cake, like wine, improves with
age but not women. Dear me! I am
getting old. This cake reminds me
that I have been married 20 years."
And then another woman came to
her and asked:
"You won't mind if I just say "how
do you do?" will you? You will not
"Many are the times I've flown be
hind those beauties with my grand
father. I'm so glad you came to me,"
and tears were very near the surface.
"Were it not for the suffering and
chaos In Russia I should be very hap
py Indeed over here. In the two
years I have been back in America I
have experienced so many kindnesses
and encountered so much appreciation
of my grandfather that my heart is
full most of the time. My husband
has been here but a short while, com
ing directly from Kolchak, in Siberia.
"Oh yes, indeed," she answered to
my Question whether her husband
spoke English. "He is like most con
tinentals and speaks many languages.
I knew no Russian when I was first
married and went to Russia to live
but I acquired it very easily. I do not
epeak It correctly even now, but I
have had no difficulty for years In
making myself understood. I can
even read the newspapers.
"My family is all in America now,
My son is a Junior at Harvard, and
my two daughters are in Florida with
their Russian governess. While I
loved Russia, I never enjoyed the na
tive sports; but for that matter I
never was athletic, nor enjoyed stren
uous exercise to the extent of mak
ing It a playtime. My children love
all the Russian sports and do them
well, I think shooting, hunting, rid
ing and fencing. The Russian people
are very lovable. They received me
so warmly when I first went there"
stranger. That is their attitnd
toward all Americans, and they have
shown it six or seven times over in
our country's history. Did you know
that during the civil war Russia pent
fleet over to "stand by should we
need it? An old veteran who served
under my grandfather wrote me only
the other day, "We all felt more com
fortable in those days, when we heard
the Russian fleet was in the harbor.
"I was struck with the attitude of
our Russian people at the time of the
war with Japan. They hated to fight
the Japanese: they knew nothing
about the quarrel and less about the
Japanese: but It was not that way
during and before the world war.
They had felt and disliked the Ger
man Influence long ago. Germany was
the sinister Influence in Russia, as it
is in this country right now."
"Come," said the chairman, enter
ing the room, we need the princess.
And this Is true, we 4o need the
princess. We need her for her fear
lessness and her clear vision, and
then she belongs to us. It is as an
American she is now pleading for us
to help Russia. "Russia," she says,
"never has asked for alms, and I can
not break the tradition. But be
cause of my birthright I ask the help
of America for those wonderful, pa
tient, suffering people. They have
been a strong ally in the world wart
they have come to the help of Amer
ica many times and have always been
our friend help them help them
selves." With the background of her child
hood, and a girlhood of memories and
associations distinctly American:
with the added background of 20
years spent in Russia as a Russian
subject and 20 years of love for her
adopted country. Julia Dent Grant.
Princess Cantacuzene, la nevertheless
more woman than princess, more
woman than an American citizen. She
gave to Russia loyalty, and she brings
to us from Russia a "clear call' and a
woman's faith In Americas response.
Deserves Reward.
"Have you really done anything to
deserve the gratitude of the people?"
"Yes," the candidate responded. "I
have, though hy do not know It. I
haven't made a large number of
speeches 1 was tempted to make."
COUGH CAUSES TEACHER LOSS OF POSITION;
WITHOUT AID SHE BUILDS BUSINESS
Mrs. Annie L. Langley'a Hotel on Galveston Bay Is Not Any Too Attractive, But Her Southern Chicken Din
ners at $1 a Plate Bring Reservations Days in Advance,
if
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5 r'f CTP's
7 i$fHlifcvj
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BY FAITH HUNTER DODGE. ,
"Wanted A competent cook; school
teacber preferred."
THIS advertisement was published
In a Texas daily, and this is how
Mrs. Annie L. Langley, former
school teacher and now proprietor of
a hotel, explains it:
"Pure meanness was responsible for
ny getting so good a cook. I was
peeved because the school authorities
had sent out their new contract cards
with such miserably small salaries
and no promise of. anything better.
Not only my schoolman husband but
niany of my friends were hard hit.
I was already earning three times as
much money as I had ever earned
teaching, and was able besides to see
my husband and children in a pleas
ant, comfortable home with the kind
of food they needed: and 1 intended
to give some other teacher a chance,
tco.
"The nert day after the advertisement-
appeared quite a refined voice
came to me over the long-distance
wire: "Is that ad you have in the
Chronicle intended seriously?"
"I' asked the owner of the voice
to come out and talk business. She
was a normal school graduate and
had taught ' four years: and cried
when she told me how desperate she
was to get away from the one-room
almost tenement quarters she was
occupying with her child on a teach
er's salary. Out here she receives as
much cash as before and in addition
has a real home and real food for
herself and her child. I had to per
suade her that to fill hungry stom
achs with wholesome, satisfying food
Is as Important and edifying as to
feed little brains with facts and fic
tion, rules and regulations and far
more advantageous. You see, I had
lived through that struggle myself."
Mrs. Langley, as Annie. L. Burt,
loved teaching; partly because she
loved children so much. She might
never have left that profession, even
to marry the man she loved, but for
a certain scholastic incident. An In
spector walked into her classroom
one day when Miss "Annie had a cold.
She coughed. Then she received per
emptory notice to remain at home
without salary.
After a few weeks of home and
rest and much good food bought with
the last of her savings, Annie L.
Burt would have been an excellent
advertisement for the "after taking'
claims of a spring . tonic; her own
; j -
Mrs. Annie, L.angrley and her first hotel, which consisted of this balldlns"
lone, out now a bis dining room has been added and n small city of
tents takes care of the overflow of quests.
doctor laughed at the word "lungs.." I home for her children plenty of out-
ao am tne scnooi autnonues. out too doors to play in. plenty of sea breezes
plenty of pure, fresh food, easily pro
late. So did V. W. Langley, broad
shouldered, six-foot-two Texas school
teacher, who carried her off to Niag
ara Falls with him on their honey
moon. So would anyone who sees
her now or her three rollicking
youngsters, as sturdy a trio as any
these United States ever produced.
But a nice home in a large, growing
city with enough nourishing food for
a healthy family of five, and a school
teacher's $200 a month (or less) are
"Incompatible," as Mrs. Langley puts
it. She believes in school teaching
exactly as she believes in .foreign
missions, and she had no intention
of perverting Mr. Langley's equally
idealistic views on the subject or of
proselytizing him away from his
chosen profession.
She hadn't a cent of capital. And
she had three small children. She
also had plenty of courage and con
siderable faith.
First ' she picked out the most
healthful spot Bhe could, find for
curable, and all this sufficiently close
to the city for her husband to com
mute to school in his flivver. She
found a hotel "for rent" in addition
to all the aforementioned commodi
ties. To be sure, the food supplies
were not visible and the' hotel was
quite dead. But there was an enor
mous property with artesian wells, a
windmill, a water tank and a profu
sion of roses, jasmine and ferns.
Where roses can grow Annie L. can
grow anything; there is something
really weird about "the old saw, "She
can plant a broom handle and it will
bear flowers and fruit," when applied
to her. She used to grow head let
tuce all year around in her window
box.
The hotel didn't look any- too at
tractive Just at first except for the
flowers and the marvelous expanse o
beach in front of it "equal to Ostend,"
say those who before the war blocked
their road sped off to Europe jevery
summer. She furnished it bit by bit,
the dining room first.
Then she announced chicken din
ners nt U the plate. From the first
she has been paying a family of col
ored boys to raise chickens for her
with the aid of an installment-pald-for
incubator, and in the first year
their three-by-slx pen grew almost
to the dimensions of a small Peta
luma farm. Fish and shellfish are
abundant and .free for the catching.
Salads aad vegetables come from the
hotel garden.
It was past the middle of July the
first year before business was rushing,
but trom that time on- well, it now
keeps one person busy during the en
tire forenoon answering phone calls
from neighboring cities asking for
dinner reservations. The dining room,
built from blue prints Mrs. Langley
herself made. Is a large open-air
tructure, well screened and divided.
From the ceiling in each dining
room hanging plants and ferns are
suspended. Mrs. Langley has made
her dining rooms quite the most pop
ular thing for motorists who drive
out from the city, take a good swim.
eat a good evening meal in a cool
pleasant place and just before driv
ing back again have a moonlight dip
n the salt water of Galveston bay. If
they wish to spend the week-end.
they find accommodations in the long
gayly striped tents close to the hotel
proper.
Feeding people was always Mrs.
Langley's specialty. It all began with
one cake like Franklin's kite, a play
thing with a big future. She was 7
when her colored mammy permitted
her to experiment. The result is what
1 still her chef d'oeuvre.
Just make one of these and you'll
see why dinner reservations made
long in advance include the clause.
With the special cake."
Here Is the secret: Three layers of
rich cako with this filling: Cooked
Icing mixed with one cup of raisins,
one cup of pounded pecans, one cup
of grated cocoanut, one tablespoon of
grated bitter chocolate, the juice of
one lemon and one orange. Just as
New Orleans is famed for Antoine's
split orange dessert and Begay's liver
and bacon, so Annie Langley bids fair
to achieve fame through this cake and
southern fried chicken.
But here we are, 'way ahead of our
story. Fortunately Annie L-'s mammy
had let her experiment considerably
In the old southern kitchen. When
Judge Burt and his wife died Annie
found herself the oldest of five si
ters and bead of the family. After
two years of normal school she added
to her four sisters the 48 children -in
grade 2, public school, and that was
already quite a family, but not yet
sufficient for her motherly Instincts.
One Sunday mofning in the choir
loft of her church she felt her atten
tion distract'ed from the sermon and
hymns by the peaked face of a hun
gry-looking school teacher from the
north.
"My, but she's thin! I wonder what
it is she doesn't get to eat?" And pon
dering the subject, Annie determined
to find out. The pastor told her that
the teacher from the north lived at
the Hotel H.
That, evening Annie L. was absent
from the choir. She was at home
kneading a batch of white flour bread
The following evening, with two big.
warm, savory loaves under her arm,
she called on the girl from the north.
Bread! White bread! Did you evei
go without it for three whole months?
"I've had my pleasure as a school
teacher." says Mrs. Langley. "Now I'm
having the double pleasure of seeing
people well fed and or making it pos
slble for my daughters If some day
they should want to teach school to
do it without worrying about the sal
aries."
SEA CHART OF STICKS AND
SHELLS GUIDE TO MARINERS
Curious Device Made by South Sea Islanders Served in Days of Steven
son as Means of Interpreting Shoals and Currents.
X
A V
ZXTwY
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A
American Museum of Natural History, N.
A SOUTH SEA ISLANDER'S CHART, HADE FROM BAMBOO.
BY M. GEORGE EYRE.
THE South Sea islands, land of
mystery and strange devices,
now give us a sea chart made
from sticks and shells. It now forms
an Interesting part of the exhibits
to be seen in the South Sea island
hall of the American Museum of Nat
ural History in New York. It served
as an accurate and authoritative
guide for the daring navigators of
the Marshall islands of a generation
or more ago, a guide just as accurate
and authoritative as a modern en
graved map of lands and waters and
depths and shoals and winds and
waves and currents is to mariners
of the present day.
Additional interest is lent to the
chart in that it was the gift of Rob
ert Louis Stevenson. In 1890. the
same year in which the author of
"Treasure Island" began his four-year
residence In Samoa, which, incident
ally, marked the last chapter of his
life, Stevenson voyaged in the steam
er Janet Nichol among the islands of
the South seas. Mrs. Stevenson and
her son "Lloyd accompanied him. and
in her "Cruise of the Janet Nichol"
she refers to the charts of the na
tives. "These charts," writes Mrs. Steven
son, "are curious things made of
sticks, some curved, some straight,
caught here and there by a small
yellow cowry. The cowries represent
islands, the sticks both currents and
winds and days sailings. The dis
tances between the islands have noth
ing to do with the number of miles,
but with hours only. These charts
are 'very little used now, only one
old chief knowing how to make them,
but the time was when each young
chief must pass his examination in
the charts, knowing them by heart,
as they were never taken to sea, but
keptj at home for reference and con
tinual study."
In spite of many differences of
opinion regarding the correct inter
pretation of the charts, it is generally
believed that the cowry shells repre
sent islands. Authorities at the
museum of the University of Penn
sylvania say, however, that while the
popular explanation of the sticks Is
that they represent currents, as Mrs.
Stevenson says, a more accurate in
terpretation -would be far .more in
volved, owing to the procession from
the four quarters of trfe sea of four
distinct sets of swells during the sea
son of native navigation. The be
havior of these swells was closely
studied by the native navigator, and
the results of their observations were
incorporated In-the charts.
others, but because it is the one and
only revelation from God and of God
to mankind.
"Having seen the great Bible, no
one will ever forget it! Some will ap
prove it and some may not, but all
will have had their attention drawn
to the purpose of its construction.
Having seen these words indicating
this purpose, God grant that no ons
shall ever forget them and that each
may honor this written word as God
requires that they should, and that
each may unite with the 'Bible cru
sade' In impressing that sacred duty
and Inestimable privilege upon all
mankind. Then and then alone will
the purpose for which this great man
uscript Bible has been prepared be
accomplished."
A feature of the great Bible is that
It will be written entirely by hand.
Not more than three verses of the
text will be written by the same per
son. Kings and field marshals will,
side by side with paupers and work
men, testify their belief in the Holy
Scriptures. At the side of the piece of
text which they write all will sign
their names to the following:
"As my testimony that I acknowl
edge the Bible as originally 'giver
to mankind to be 'as it is in truth,
the word of God," I append my sig
nature." Authors Twelve Thousand.
The biggest Bible, when completed,
will not only be the largest example
of the word of God. but it will con
stitute the world's completest auto
graph album, with signatures, it is
anticipated, of most prominent Eng
lish and foreign men and women from
kings downward. Twelve thousand
people will be needed to complete the
text.
Twelve large goatskins have been
used in providing a cover for the big
gest Bible.
When standing on end the volume
is more than S feet 2 inches high and
nearly 3 feet 6 inches wide, so that
when it Is opened flat it measures
about 7 feet 10 inches across.
The whole "volume now lies at the
Oxford University Press. It awaits
the advent of Bible year and the gift
by some wealthy crusader of a spe
cial motorcar, which is needed to take
it on its mission in England and
overseas. Perhaps the great Bible will
visit America if Invited to do so. The
special car which is to be designed
to the great book will contain a fold
ing pulpit and a special platform for
exhibiting the text of the biggeot
Bible-and the signatures.
Sermons of Prophecy Fonnd.
Asked what kind of sermons would
be preached from the car, the Rev.
H. A. Fowell, crusade leader, de
clared: "I am a strong believer in the pro
phetic side of the Bible and if I am
permitted to accompany the great
manuscript on some of its travels- I
shall prach on this subject, I want
to impress upon people that the Bible
is a guide to everyday life and that
the events described therein propheti
cally are those which are happening
in "the world today."
WORLD'S LARGEST BIBLE
TAKES 12 GOATSKINS FOR.COVER
Great Work Will Be Written Entirely by Hand and 12,000 Writers Will
Append Autographs to Their Work.
Coal Production Gains.
REGINA, Sask. The Saskatchewan
bureau of labor states that there
were 56 producing coal mines in the
province in 1919, with a total output
of 311,764 tons. In 1918 there, were
51 mines, which produced 360,081 tons.
ENGLISH Bible plans for 1921 cen
ter round the production of the
world's largest Bible. Months of
work have already been expended
upon it. Many weeks more will
be needed for its completion. Al
ready, however, the frame ofthe
great book is in being. , Six
stout hempen ropes, much thicker
than the ordinary clothesline, for its
backbone. Four of. these are laced
into millboards half an inch thick as
a foundation for the leather cover
ing. The back of the book is sewn
with twine round the six stout hem
pen ropes in the old-fashioned way.
In every sense the biggest Bible is
intended to be the Xinest example of
bookmaking that England can pro
duce. But why produce the biggest Bible?
The answer to this question is given
by the "Bible Crusade" as follows:
"The great Biblt, is intended to
rivet public attention on the primary
importance of the Bible as the foun
tain and source of all truth. As this
unique volume is magnified ir size
above all other volumes, so the grand
eur of the Bible ought to be magni
fied in value above that of all other
books, not merely because of Its liter
ary, its poetical, its historical, its
archaeological or its moral beauties'
which are confessedly superior to all
MINT0 RANCH TO OPEN
Son of ex-Canadian Governor-General
Plans Stock Farm.
CALGARY. Alberta. The Earl of
Minto, son of a former governor-general
of Canada, Is bringing over from
England to his ranch in southern Al
berta 12 thoroughbred mares, includ
ing a 3-year-old filly by Radium out
of Charmeuse. Minefield, a 5-year-old
by Rocksond. a Derby winner, is
also amember of the shipment.
The Earl of Minto will remain in
Alberta until June, going back to
England and returning later to his
ranch.
Hen Pen Brings E'g- Son).
OTTAWA. The leading pen in the
international egg-laying contest be
ing conducted at tne central experi
mental farm here has been sold to
a Quebec poultryman for 1275. The
pen consisted of ten barred Plymouth,
Rocks.