davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1914-11-01

of blue and apple-green and milk
white and gold, standing within the
ramparts cut on by Soo nine aen,r RED so"ers; ;,
grimages there. ST. Serge was the
founder. and the impressive gateway
of the monastery is decorated in fresco
with scenes from his life.
There are thirteen churches within
the Enclosure, and the monks. instead
of following the liturgy. frequently
stand in the nave, bowling and crossing
themselves from time to time. In the
courtyard there are always pilgrims
drinking from the spring they consider
sacred. stones throw away from
them are the broad ramparts that early
in the seventeenth century 10000 Polish
soldiers besieged for period of six
teen months, all to no avail.
Some of the monks cells look out on
these impenetrable walls, and no earlier
than in 1912. one traveller. overcome by
the spirit of investigation. dared knock
at the door of one of these cells. Ready
for any rebuff he might receive, he
stood there, rather stiffly braced. in
tending to get a glimpse of one OF the
quick unbending can be imagined when,
after two monks with long flowing
boards and dressed in loose black
robes had appeared in the doorway.
ence was of extraordinary interest, de-
clared they knew he was English. and
straightaway asked him what the capi-
tai of England was.
The Briton managed to reply that the
capital was London, and was told that
that also was interesting, that they had
known the name of the capital of
France, but would he kindly give them
the name of the capital of Germany?
"And Chicago is the capital of America,
isn't it?" The traveller, being in gay
humor by this time. ventured to tell
the monks that New York was usually
the capital of America.
Each of these monks, living in as per-
feet ignorance of the world and Its
affairs as if, indeed. the ramparts of
their retreat might even in the
twentieth century be stormed by an
other 10000 soldiers without result, re-
ceive $500 annual pocket money. be-
sides extra fees for special officiating.
They have very few duties. and aside
from a few services each one is called
Evening star., 1914-11-01

song of his prayer. There Is a special
prayer for the royal family. and away
closing bars of the song as 1t rises to
a wonderful crescendo and fingers, as
If the suppliant were reluctant to stop
begging blessings for the Little Fa-
Tiers household.
A priest does not Of necessity possess
a sonorous voice, for not only does he
not sing but he does not preach. Ser
mons are seldom heard In the orthodox
church of Russia. By the peasants and
many others of higher or lesser de-
gree the priests are supposed to have
1.-The evil eye," but this belief does not
seem to keep the ecclesiastAc ana MS
flock from being on most frlendly TERMS
the basic reason for this probably be-
ing that the minister. particularly In
the country districts, Is decidedly one
of the people and is both parson ana
farmer.
for his services by the state-s200 a
year as an average-and his parish
toner's pay him additionally for indt-
vidual services. such as marriages.
christeninEs, burialS, etc. st. Johns
day is one of income for him, for ordi-
narily no less than third OF the men
of the parish are named John. ana
each of these expects prayer a'.o
benediction bestowed upon MN, com
to the priest in each case. In some
little towns bread is collected by the
priest, who goes about for this purpose
with a big wheelbarrow, and often at
the end of the day finds himself with
as much bread in his kitchen as the
parishioner has f1rewood In his shed.
one visitor to Russia could not help
laughing outright when he saw a days
collection of bread in the friendly
priests kitchen. and his host smiling
ly explained that he did not have such
a terrible appetite lit was the pigs
who got most of the bread.
Some churches possess an icon that
is reputed to work miracles, and such
a church is indeed fortunate, for con-
siderable money is made by the priest
for carrying the little picture held
sacred to the homes of the sick or TO
a place where some new undertaking
is about to be launched. the benedic-
tion of the church upon a commercial
Evening star., 1914-11-01
The Height Question.
ZEN. ARTHUR MURRAY said a

GEN. ARTHUR MURRAY said at n
dinner in San Francisco, apropos OF
the height of soldiers:
THE British army has raised the
height limit for volunteers to five feet
i've Short Britishers object to this
and with reason.
For consider the japanese. They
are Incompatible soldiers. Yet the
five-foot limit would bar most OF
them out.
Consider the Gurkhas. the hill tribe
soldiers OF India. They are as valiant
as the Japs, yet their height runs
from four feet eleven to five feet four.
"At one of the London recruiting
stations. just after the establishment
East Ender who had been rejected by
the examining surgeons pointed with a
scowl toward a taller East Ender who
had been accepted and said:
".Aw. look at him! An knoeke0
is 'ead on lawst Saturday night:"
Evening star., 1914-11-01

sess marvellous spiritual beauty. but
they are exceedingly intricate to fol-
low, and very long and tedious, so that
a bishop reciting prayer is privileged
to Sit amid his congregation and in
dulge in conversation with one of his
priests while the choir is out at the
gates singing an anthem that may be
heard In both street and cathedral
Deacons of the church are not COM
manded to preserve silence during serv-
ice, and during the evening service.
when very long scrtptural readings are
the rule these officers may form little
groups for the discussion OF any sub
and clergy relax. and the reading.
though Interrupted. does not stop. nor
does it seem to be needed to any ex-
tent
In converts and monasteries the
nuns or monks who are not oficiating
stand at various points about the
church and bow and cross themselves
from time to time. All Of which. says
the traveller who was writing OF 1t.
seems to bespeak a physical rather
than an intellectual view Of worship.
though, he adds, there must be many
monasteries where things are some
what different.
The bishops, with few exceptions. are
men of piety and learning. Antonious
of Petrograd has the reputation Of be-
ing a saint. He lives austerely. and
his black robe is entirely without or
nament When he drives. in a plain
little carriage that has replaced the
magnificent coach and five horses that
his predecessor was wont to use. only
his white headdress and its cross OF
diamonds betray his presence in pass
ing His life is said to have been a
tragic one. and he to have turned
ascetic. Sometimes his wonderful
flower garden is found stripped OF
every blossom, not rose OF lily left.
for his people think he Is holy and
that even the flowers at his feet will
heal the sick.
Now and then there are ascetics who
was one a few years ago, Humble
Iliodor. prior to Tsaritzin. who de-
manded in an article in a Moscow
newspaper the execution Of the famous
Evening star., 1914-11-01
A ROYAL PARTY VISITS WESTERN CANADA

in which the British took part. he was
killed in battle. Death already has
entered the ranks of the vice regal
party.
In the west two years ago and again
in July the Connaught party played
and frolicked in 1.-The national play
ground" climbing mountains at Banf.
visiting the glaciers, riding COW ponies
over rough trails and glorytng In the
delights of the unspoiled American
Alps. Care was taken to give them a
large measure of privacy. and. though
they remained for few days at some
of the hotels at the better known re-
sorts, most of the time was spent i'll
the wilds of the national park. where
they had their own camps, just as they
had two years before.
On the earlier trip the party went
through to the Pacific coast and there.
by steamer, crutsed through the beau
tiful fjords, sounds and mountain-ltned
spreads through the coasts of British
Columbia and Alaska. The intention
was to repeat the sea trip this year.
but the unexpected ending Of the tour
prevented.
Both two years ago and this year the
individual members of the party car
rfed cameras and, just like ordinary
tourists. delighted in taking unconven-
Great albums in government house at
Ottawa are filled with these souvenirs
of what the Princess Pat has declared
to be the finest holidays she ever had.
a&
Perhaps the most notable picture of
the collection, and the one which has
created more fun among the princess
many relatives in the courts of Europe,
is the one that depicts her astride
western cayuse. or COW pony, beside
tiny mountain lake in the Rockies.
Princess Pat, who is movie fam
while In the mountains arrayed herself
in the garb the movies told her was
worn by the cowgirls and the women
of the west, the heroines of the moving
picture drama. And this picture. which
depicts her as veritable queen of
the movies" is very tender to her heart
But all that fun and frolicking Is far
behind the Connaught family. All are
now back in Ottawa, busy at the mani
fold duties the war has thrust upon
scions of royalty. The duke himself Is
taking a keen professional interest in
the raising of the Canadian contingents
for the war. and Is assisting in the
work in many ways. One Of the regi-
ments raised took the name of THE
Princess Patricia's Own Light Infan-
. try, and the princess worked for 1t
herself the great silken embroidered
regimental flag which she presented to
the regiment before 1t departed.
The duke: the duchess and the Prin-
cess Patricia also were to the front In
: organising the movement which re-
suited in a hospital ship being fur
, nished by popular Canadian subscrip-
!, tion to the allies. Other activities Of a
i. like nature continue to engage them.
Evening star., 1914-11-01

title that might well be writ
IN ten on the tale Of the trip to
the Canadian west on which
the Duke Of Connaught and
lis family were engaged when the war
in Europe called them suddenly home
TO Ottawa.
In this great war the human side OF
royalty, to a degree at least. has been
lost sight Of. Belligerent nations have
been individualized in their monarchs.
The national sins and the national vir-
tues have been saddled equally upon
monarchs, until they are either mon
sters or demigods, according to the
partisan view, and all of the royal fam
lies share In the reputation attributed
70 the rulers.
1t cannot be happy time for Euro
pean royal families, closely intermar-
future in the lap of the gods. the whole
system of royalty threatened. No
worse, perhaps. than the condition OF
their subjects, but certainly. at least
from their viewpoint, little better.
+
Just human people are these scions
of reigning houses. They love and live
very much as other people do. And
nothing In recent years has exhibited
the human side of royalty better than
the suddenly interrupted tour Of the
.onnaught family in the west.
The Duke of Connaught. otherwise
i'rince Arthur of the reigning house Of
Britain, is Governor General OF Cana
da. A son Of the late Queen Victoria.
ne is a brother of the present dowager
Empress of Germany. mother Of the
kaiser; was brother of the late King
Edward of England, and is uncle Of
King George of England and also of
the kaiser. In greater and lesser de-
gree his relationships extend into the
royal families of all European reigning
houses.
BY training and profession he is
soldier. and, according to military au-
thorities. a very good soldier, too. For
years he was chief of
the British land forces, but now his
other duties prevent his engaging in
regret to him.
The duke is now rounding out his
term of office as governor general, or
viceroy, of Canada. He was to have
been succeeded this autumn by Prince
Arthur Of Teck. but the war has In
terfered-
Two years ago the duke, his family
and q party OF officials Of the vioeregal
court at Ottawa discovered for them
selves the Canadian west, which fs
very much the same as the American
vest. 1t was a new and unconven-
-,etting ready to return to Britain the
family decided to have one more look
1T that land. and SO In early July they
:tarted.
In the party were the duke. the
duchess and their beautiful daughter.
Evening star., 1914-11-01

DUCHESS coNNAUGHT.

Princess Patricia. European princesses
as a rule are not noted for their love-
illness. Princess Patricia Is an excep-
tion. Furthermore, she IL famed for
her willfulness, her unconventionality
her wit and her charm of manner
quite as much as for her beauty. Cos
sip in years past has married her of
to half the eligible princes in Europe.
but the Princess Pat, as she fs az
fectionately termed, refuses to consent
to any mere state marriage" and her
heart is still her own. Spinstcrhood,
at least SO far. has no terrors for her.
Another member or the party was
Col. Henry Cecil Lowther. d. g. O.,
Evening star., 1914-11-01

of the Scots Guards. the dukes mill
tary secretary. a distinguished soldier
and. as Washington found him when he
visited the city with the duke two
years ago a polished gentleman. 1t
was Col. Lowther. 1t will be remem-
bered, who, beside Ambassador Bryce,
was the dukes only attendant when
the duke paid his famous visit to the
National Press Club In Washington.
Direct from the Canadian Rockies.
when the war broke out and the tour
abruptly closed. Col Lowther hurried
home to England. There he Joined his
regiment and was in the first British
expedition to join the allies. And there,
Evening star., 1914-11-01
Uncle Samn's Mail Service Little Affected by War
War

just about complete; complete. that is
without the innumerable changes which
must be recorded from time TO time f.
the red ink of the department. Uncle
Sam has set himself to the task of kee,-
ing up correspondence between tn
United States and the countries whe
conflicts are raging. And he is carryin-
out that task pretty nearly as though he
wasn't aware a war is in progress.
Evening star., 1914-11-01


been in the same city in Russia dur
Ing the war with the Japanese. and as
mighty crowd of peasants now came
sweeping down the streets. he eug-
rested to the correspondent that they
follow the wildly singing throng to
the Holy Gate, where the bishop was to
bless them.
The night was heavy and rain was in
the air, the lights were dim. and the
chanting peasants. who now and then
broke off to sing the Marseillaise or to
shout for the czar, looked. In the eyes
If the two Englishmen. like medieval
men of the steppes come back to life
n the light of a spiritual fervor that
vas shaking the very foundations Of
heir oiden country.
AS they reached the shrine and the
bishop came out of his hour Of prayer
there for the success Of Russia's strug-
gle. students were bidden to bring
the sacred ikon of the Blessed other
Then the governor arrived, and the
bishop, in emblazoned robes, with the
kon held before him. began a prayer
or the safety of the land of the Slavs
The peasants were kneeling on the
sobbiestones. in the mist and rain. with
II .yes worshipfully on the ikon.
vs. the prayer was finished they rose
--'''~ 7 chant, and as they
reached their feet the song OF prayer
and praise and hope for Russia had he
come a far-resounding anthem. The
bishop stood there with the ikon
stern1y held before them and pro-
nounced his blessing. As the chant
ing ceased. one giant of fellow. with
n shock of yellow hair hanging like
an aureole about his head, voiced the
very being of his fellows in every COR
ner of Russia when he cried: Now I
can fight"
The sight Of the ikon was the final
spur.
As
In the orthodox church of Russia,
which most people think of as having
one creed. discipline and form of rites.
there are two separate and distinct
orders of clergy. The ecclesiastic
whose somber apparel proclaims him OF
the "black" clergy has taken the vows
of a monk, while the white" priests
constitute a secular clergy. are re-
uuired to live among the people and
to marry.
Contrary to a natural assumption OF
Catholic or Protestant, the Russian
priest does not act rs spiritual ad-
wiser, and never breaches a sermon
He is an Official" writes q traveller
studying the customs of the slays
whose duty 1t 10 to perform c0mpli-
ments, read prescribed prayers and
convey benedictions." As seminarist
where he is a candidate for the robe
and cassock of the church Of the car,
compelled to study other than with
the attitude, say. Of an American stu
dent of engineering; when the semi
narist graduates he is going to per
form certain intricate services, and he
Evening star., 1914-11-01

steamships are to depart. Usually
these sailings are noted by mail, but
when necessary the information is
wired to the Washington headquarters.
The mails to and from Germany and
Austria Hungary are the most affected
by the hostilities. Under former con-
dtions the mail for these two coun-
tries went by way of Great Britain
closed to the dual kingdom, however,
and shipments have to go by Italian.
Holland or Scandinavian ports. This
means a difference in time. of course.
as it takes longer for mail to go
around by Naples than it does to go
direct via Liverpool or Plymouth.
Because of the greater care which
must now necessarily be used in cross
ing the Atlantic, and because of the
fact that vessels are halted frequently
by cruisers and battleships. the ocean
liners are not making as good time now
as they do under more favorable cir
cumStanceS.
There is also another sidelight of in
terest in the matter of time, although
this is factor of which the postal
authorities have no definite informa-
ton. 1t is believed that in some of
the countries at least. nearly all the
handling of the mall is done by wom-
en-, as the men are at the front under
arms. The women, being inexperi
enced in this work, would naturally
delay the delivery of the mail longer
than would men who were expert
enced in handling it.
The lines over which the greater bulk
of the mail is carried at present are
American, with which the post office
has contract Of one sailing a week,
now being made Saturdays: the White
Star, the Cunard and the French lines.
These, together with the North Ger
service of which has been discontinued,
also carried the bulk of the mails in
the days of peace.
The mail is also being transported on
the Italian lines leaving New York, the
Danish American, the Scandinavian
American. the Norwegian American,
the Holland-American and the Russian
American.
Although these vessels are stopped
time and time again by cruisers of the
belligerents the mails seem to remain
safe. In a number of instances, when
reservists of one country were taken
as prisoners by the powers with whom
their own country was at war, the mail
going to the hostile country was undis-
turbed. Since the powers in the triple
alliance have control of the sea and
have taken all German and Austrian
Hungarian reservists from the vessels
mail clerks now on the transatlantic
liners are natives of either of those
countries.
The mail is put on board the ships at
Evening star., 1914-11-01

ESPITE the great war which
is going on across the Allan
tic, and although the very
IL mention of the sea at pres
ent is enough to bring to the
more timid visions of submarines, tor
pedoes and floating mines. Uncle Sam
remains steadily ION the job" carrying
mail to the countries where the con-
dicts are taking place.
From fathers, mothers, brothers.
sisters, cousins and friends in this
country to those living within the
boundaries of the warning nations. and
vice versa, he has carried thousands
upon thousands of communications.
Upon his broad shoulders he has borne
countless numbers of mail pouches
with legions of missives of cheer.
anxiety, hope. sorrow and prayer for
the safekeeping OF those in the terri
tory where shot are flying and bombs
are dropping from the clouds.
The fact that shipping conditions
during the last few months have un-
dergone a remarkable, an almost un-
believable change, mail facilities be-
tween the United States and the coun-
tries now at war have hardly been al
fected in an appreciable degree True,
there have been changes In some or the
routes. sailings have not been as reg
ular. and, in some instances. the YES
sells are not making as good time as
usual, but everything considered the
mail service has retained a remarkable
degree of efficiency and the casual op-
server would notice but few d1nerences
in time.
Part of the efficiency of the great
United States mail machine IN the pres
ent crisis Is due to the fact that Con-
gress has given to the postmaster zen
eral wide discretion in the matter OF
handling foreign mails. He has peeh
able In the present emergency to take
such steps he deemed adV1saoie
without having to await the action OF
higher powers. Thus it was that when
the ships of the German lines. whlcn
had been carrying a large part OF the
mails across the sea, ceased TO make
their regular runs it was possible to
have their share of the work done by
other vessels.
Prior to the war transatlantic mails
were started from New York tuesdays:
Saturdays-fve days a week. At pres
ent three or four sailings are made.
but instead of being spread out over
nearly the entire week, they frequently
two or more on one day. The ship
ment of the mails Is dependent on the
movement OF the vessels.
Although plans are made ahead OF
without notice. Each day the division
of foreign mails of the Post Office De
partment 10 notified by 'he postal au-
thorities OF New York as to when
Evening star., 1914-11-01

upon to preside over during the day,
their lives are idle. To the western
mind such monastic life is almost in
comprehensible, for never were there
harder workers than some of the monks
and nuns in the religious retreats with
which we are familiar.
The government and the ecclesiastical
authorities seem to be aware that lack
OF employment is a prime cause of dis
orders in monasteries in Russia" says
one writer A church circular was is
sued few years ago pointing to the
possible evils of Idle life in religious
houses. and orders were given for the
dismissal of all servants, and vodka
was announced as prohibitory. kvass.
made from black bread. is a mild and
refreshing beverage still drunk by some
of the black" priests.
outside the great.gates of the ancient
LAvra student traveller recently came
upon a novice buying fruit at a bit of
stall. and he invited the stranger
into his cell for tea. 1t was little less
than startling. according to the guest.
who wrote of it later to be told that
his host had until recently been a tele-
graph clerk, that there had been a big
strike among the operators, with no
hope of early settlement. and he had
decided lit was rather a good Idea to
become a monk"
Though 1t seems to be a unique case
to discover an educated priest, this
same traveller happened to meet one
the first time he had occasion to talk
with one of the orthodox clergy. And
though he never met another, 1t seems
that his experience with ali he met
was the same-each one was honestly
astonished to find that their visitor
supposed they Of the Troitska Lavra
were much of the time engaged in
eyf,, n ,cy, 1ro-l
him what they should be presumed to
study, and even the scholarly priest, a
Lutheran officer of the army who had
turned clergyman, inquired just what
was meant by the term mental pray
er." When he was informed that it
was prayer without books. the OK
officer replied, quite without uderstand-
ing. that there were services for all
occasions. There are liturgical writ
inga that are really literary, and pos
Evening star., 1914-11-01

HEY are fighting
for the Slavs, for
holy Russia" said
an Englishman, a
few weeks ago. in
Moscow. while he
and a war CORE
spondent st 90 d
talking on a bal
cony that over
looked T h Q a I . r
Square. The man
who spoke had