The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-17
RUSSIAN WOMAN
HEARS FROM HOME
Gets Letters Telling How Mem
bers of Royal Family Work
for Their Soldiers.

Special Correspondence OF The Globe.
NEW YORK, April 16.-Letters from
members of the royal family of Rus
STA being received by a prominent
Russian woman living in New York
relate not only statements of fact, but
! show what an immense patriotic fever
is stirring that country to the very core
during the present conflict with the
Japs.
For forty years or more a resident
of New York city, the woman in ques-
ton is still at heart as loyal a patriot
as when she first came to this country
bride. And today she is unable to
talk Of the sanguinary conflict with
any degree of cOmposure. Her eyes fill
with tears and she is choked with emo
ton the moment she essays to speak
of the terrible trials which her be-
loved countrymen and women are un-
dergoing at present.
Neither is her loyalty confined to
mere sentiment, for financial aid of
very acceptable sort has found its way
across the water, and, moreover, this
devoted patriot is said to have not
only to have refused all invitations Of
a social character, but has CARRIED her
self in the hue of mourning in respect
to her brave countrymen at the front
who have given their lives for their
country.
letter received today from a
daughter Of Grand Duke Sergius of
Moscow, whose wife is a sister Of the
empress, relates not only how the Rus
sian merchants, aristocracy and no
bility are contributing immense sums
to the empress war fund, but the poor
est peasants as we'll.
Receives Small Contributions.
"One of the grand duchesses in
charge of just the small coin received
from the very poorest people of the
country" said the Russian today,
writes me that in less than two hours
one morning she herself took in more
than 1900 roubles in amounts ap-
proximating cents, dimes and quar-
tiers, and every one of them from the
poorest in the land.
by night from all sources there was
more than 100000 roubles, or about
$1,50O,OOO in American money. Checks
for 100000 rOubles from merchants
from the custom, and many gave 1,000,-
600. Some American newspapers say
that Russia is in need of money, but it
AZ AAON ~ 1LCy nave OH anu IHOTG
than is necessary for present expense
and there Is unlimited supply yet to
be drawn upon. Every large Russian
city and town." continued the speaker
is organized to cooperate for war re-
lief. There is no compulsion about it,
but every one, even the poorest beggar
that walks the streets, is willing and
anxious to serve.
TN st. Petersburg the Royal Palace
Is turned into work rooms, over which
the empress is the presiding genius,
not alone directing the work. but per-
zsonally assisting. From the packing of
"a box of underclOthing she will Just as
likely drop down at a sewing machine
and put together some common article
of wearing apparel to cover the BODY
of a poor COsSack
There are so many opportunities Of
assisting besides merely the making of
bandages. Take just one article, that
of handkerchiefs alone; there must be
simply tons Of them. Soldiers must
have changes of underclothing. with no
provision of laundering of any sort
you can imagine the quantities Of gar
ments of all sorts and kinds needed.
Some women perhaps attend to the
packing of tea, sugar, etc, for the SOL
diers' kits; then in the way of medi-
cine and surgical appliances there are
acquisitions to fill The palace is like
a great beehive-I can't think of any
other smile so applicable. Certain
rooms are given over to the men who
do the more laborious work of boxing
up the goods and sending them to the
front.
Czarina as Woman.
Il have never seen any picture which
does justice to the empress, nor any
account of her which at all gives an
adequate idea of her as a woman. She
IS not remarkable. Her mother. the
Princess Alice, who was a daughter of
queen Victoria, and the flower of the
family, [ knew very we'll indeed. She
not only inherits her mothers splendid
quantities, but is in her ways like her
grandfather, that noble man, the
queens consOrt, whose influence is felt
throughout all England today.
Whatever the final outcome of the
war, there will be no lack of assist
ance of every possible sort Money
flows like water, and the people are
only doing now what they did during
the Crimean war, when even a beggar
gave all he had for the cause.
i was in Moscow then and assisted
in collecting money for the war fund.
Two districts We're assigned to me
one in the poorest portion of the city.
the other among the wealthy resi-
dents. 1 drove to the square in the
poor uISIT1CI III the morning and took
my stand beside it. You haven't the
idea of the sight that daily greeted
my eyes. The place was filled with
people, some in rags and all extreme
~ poor. They were all making their
way toward me, some with their hands
full of small coin, which was placed
in the carriage. At the end of two
hours the carriage would be filled with
not only money, but of jeweIry,
brooches, pins and neck chains, which
the women tore from their necks to
help the war fund. They are doing the
same today.
TT hurts me that the American
government is inimical to the Russians
Simplicity is the keynote of the Rus
sian character. 1t used to be so with
Americans, but oh, l see a great
change. These fine characteristics
which l knew and admired in the peo-
pie when l first came to this country
are being replaced by a love Of osten-
tation which is revolving. 1t fills nv
heart with sorrow to see it. Sons and
daughters Of a past generation, who
should develop and grow broader, are
falling below the standard of their
parents. Americans are losing ground
/ feel it; I am sure of it,
Philippine Bond Bids.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. April 16.-
There were Fifteen hidc for DbiIi1r;,,o