Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-06

character, regarded this indulgently.
Naturally when the terrorists sought a
victim they set eyes on Serge. Twice
they forebore from blowing him up
only because his wife drove with him in
the same carriage; the third time they
found him alone. and blew him to bits.
The grand duchess visited the assassin
in Jail and questioned him. and it is said
that he told her to her face that she was
well rid of the monster.
Up till Serge's death Elizabeth was the
merriest woman in Russia. For seven
years after her marriage she had stou:ly
resisted all inducements to join the Greek
Orthodox Church. ard even when she did
join her change seemed a mere Formally.
Immediately after Serge'S death came the
change The once frivolous and worldly
princess spent all day on her knees in
prayer and ecstasy, and at last came to
the decision, to devote the rest Oh her life
to religious aims. The reports published
last spring described the grand duchess
as becoming nun, but these were not
true. The grand duchess idea was to
revive an antique Russian institution
known as ''Obitel' or 'Habitation.' for
the furthering of charitable works 1t
to be carried on by sisters. who
should promise to live only for good
works, but should not take religious
VOWS. The ''Habtation of Mary and
Martha as it is called, has lately been
opened In the Bolshaya Orduinka street
in Moscow.
The ceremony of dedication was a gor-
geous one. The central figure was the
grand duchess herself. With her were
the Princesses Shakovskoi and ObOlensky,
two young and beautiful girls. belonging
to the highest aristocracy, whom the
ardent grand duchess converted to what
she now regards as the only possible life.
The institution has altogether fOrty-five
sisters. all of noble birth. of whom
eighteen have finally taken the oath.
Everything was done TO Increase the
solemnity of the dedication. The grand
duchess insisted on reviving ancient
dress. which, according to tradition, was
worn in Russia thousand years ago:
Everything is snow-white The head
dress, called apostolic, is white linen
kerchief and above this is long white
linen cloth, which falls on both sides
below the waist On the breast hangs
an eight-pointed cross. with the effgies
of Christ and of the Virgin. and on the
reverse side of Mary and Martha.
Thus robed and surrounded by bril-
liant assembly Of clerics. generals and
high officials, the grand duchess was con-
secrated for the work by the MOSCOW
metropolitan, Vladimir. The ceremony
consisted in taking on the 'pokruivalo,
and putting on the pokruivalo" and
cross of superior. Immediately after
the ceremony the grand duchess made
a round of the slums and thieves dens
: of Moscow, and proved the genuineness
of her conversion by going down on her
knees in her snowy robes and washing
the dirtiest floor she could find.
The feature of the grand duchess con-
version which excites the most comment
is the fact that she combines religious
humility with tremendous pomp and
ceremony. At present the grand duchess
is finishing a series of prolonged visits
to all the most famous monasteries and
shrines in the empire. Never did pill
grim travel with such royal state. In
the special train travel whole host OF
secretaries, aids-de-camp and high &C.
ciesastics.. The procedure is to visit the
monasteries, hear divine service in the
local chapel, adore the sacred images
and whirl away by special train to the
next monastery All Russia is put to
work to make the pilgrims progress
easy. Governors and all the high OFF,