Evening star., 1917-11-04
BY RHETA CHILDE DoRR.

Copyright, 1917. by the New York Evening Mail.)
On the afternoon Of the day when Mich
olas II. deposed emperor and autocrat of
all the Russias, with his wife and chill
dren, left Tsarskoe Selo and began the
long journey toward their place Of exile
In Siberia, sat In peaceful convent
room in Moscow and talked with almost
the last remaining member of the royal
family left in complete freedom in the en-
pire.
This was Elisabeth Feodorovna, sister
Of the former empress and widow Of the
Grand Duke Serge. uncle of the emperor.
The Grand Duke Serge was assassinat-
ed, blown to pieces by bomb. almost
before the eyes Of his wife. by a revolu-
ZIONIST 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 remains lying in the
snow.
The Grand Duchess Serge had long been
known as noble and sanity woman. and
her conduct following the horrible death
Of her husband perfectly illustrates her
character. She besought the car to
commute the death sentence passed upon
the assassin, and when he refused she
went to the prison where the wretched
man waited 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
society and gave herself up to religion.
AS soon as possible she became a nun.
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
she became the lady abbess. The Grand
Duchess Serge literally obeyed the
edict of Christ to the rich young man:
poor"
Worked Among Nuns.
The convent of Mary and Martha. of
the Order of Mercy in Moscow. is a liv-
ing token of her great sacrifice. Here
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.
When the days of revolution came, in
February, 1917, a great mob went to
the House of Mary and Martha, bat
tered the gates open and swarmed up
the convent steps demanding admission.
The door opened and a tall, grave wom-
an in pale silver-gray habit and white
veil stepped out into the porch and
asked the mob what it wanted.
I'VE have come to arrest you," they
shouted.
She turned and walked across the
garden 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, weep
ing. The grand duchess did not Weep.
She prayed for moment. crossed her
self. then stood UP and stretched her
hands to the silent staring mob.
Il am ready to go now" she said.
Elisabeth Feodorovna. What 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. 1t cowed and
conquered hostility, it dispersed the
mob. That great crowd of liberty
drunk, blood-mad men went quietly
home, leaving guard to protect the
convent. 1t is probably the only spot
in Russia today where absolute invio-
members of the hated "bourju." as the
Bolsheviki call the Intellectual classes.
Flowers on Convent Wall.
The convent. which is situated in the
heart of Moscow. is group of white
stone and stucco houses, built around
an old garden and surrounded by high
white wall. over which vines and fo-
liage ramble and fall. A key turned,
the brown gate swung open to our ring
and we stepped into a garden running
over with the richest bloom. 1 remem-
Der the pink and white sweet peas
against the wall. the white madonna
lilies. that nodded below. and the car
pet of gay verbenas that ran along the
pathway to the convent door. There
were many old apple trees and forest
of lilacS purple and white.
In her small room, combination of of
Gee and living room, we were received
by the executive head of the convent
Nine. Gardeeve, for many years the in
innate friend of Elizabeth Feodoroyna
After a few minutes conversation my
friend said to her that / had told him
some extremely interesting things
about public schools in America, and
he wanted me to repeat them to her.
Likes Gary System of Education.
So told her something about the eX-
traordinary experiments that have been
worked out in Gary, Ind. and the work
that was being done in New York and
elsewhere to give children, rich and
poor alike, the complete education they
merit.
Meanwhile what would I like to see