The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-10-09
| DiStraught Mother
Turned to RaSputin
for Aid when Most
Eminent Physicians
Had Failed to Cure
Hinl.

prophet, endowed with supernatural
faculties, possessing the gift Of per.
forming miracles. 1t Is necessary to
take count of the strange power of
f0~cination and suggestion which
Rasputin possessed and of the facil-
ity with which the popular magma
ton of the Russian submits to the
attraction of the marvellous If one
would understand the growth Of
Rasputin's power.
The virtue Of the new saint" did
not long resist the pressing temp.
tations, and he soon fell again into
RIGHTEOUSNESS. After weeks of wild
est orgies, immortality and drunken
ness he would regain control and
resume the life of an ascetic.
The great sorrow he professed for
these lapses did not prevent him
from falling again and again. One
found in him even at this epoch
| that mixture of righteousness and
! eroticism, combined with great ma
tive ability. which makes a person
% exceedingly dangerous If he has
/ any power of influence.
I GAINS SWAY OVER EMPRESS.
! He soon became famous. His
peregrinations brought him finally
to St. Petersburg. In 1905 he made
! the acquaintance Of the archiman'
drite, Theophane, rector of the
Academy of Theology, who claimed
! to- see in him the evidence Of di-
vine inspiration.
He introduced Rasputin into the
! pious circles of the capital. where
! his reputation as prophet already
had spread.
Rasputin found 1t easy to impose
on the credulity of those devotees
whose very refinement rendered
them superstitious and sensitive to
the attraction of the pious rustic.
Rasputin quickly gained very
great ascendancy over his new fol-
lowers. He became familiar tig-
ure in the drawing-rooms OF the
high aristocracy and was even re-
ceived by some members OF the I'M
perial family, who sang his praises
10 the Empress. Nothing was
brought to court by intimate friends
of Her Majesty on the personal rec
ommendation of theArchimandrite
Theophane, in the winter OF 1917
1911.
After a while Rasputin, made
dizzy by his unexpected elevation,
believed his position so solidly es-
tablished that he lost his prudence
and fell again into licentious ex'
cesses.
He was extremely fearful that his
double life would be discovered. But
for a long time he kept it from the
knowledge of all his adherents.
Only very gradually did rumors OF
his misdoings spread abroad and
find credit. At first several timid
voices were raised against him;
soon, however, the outcries became
more numerous and certain.
CRUSHES OPPONENTS.
Mademoiselle Tioutcheva. govern
sss of the Grand Duchesses, was the
first in the court to attempt to un-
mask the imposter. Her complaints
only annoyed the Empress. Seeing
her powerlessness. and in order TO
relieve herself of responsibility, she
Do ~ longer
be allowed to go on the floor on
which the children lived.
The Emperor, who for long time
merely tolerated Rasputin, at length
interviewed. Her Majesty gave way.
not that her condolences in Rasputin
was shaken, but because of desire
for peace and feeling of condescen-
sion for a governess blinded by mar.
row zeal end devotion.
/ knew very little of these events
at the time. as I was ther only
simple professor Of the GSsnd Ouch
esses. Mile. Tioutche~G Kept me in
formed on the ups and downs Of
this struggle.
(She resigned in the spring Of
1879
At this time I did not believe all
the extraordinary rumors which
circulated with regard to Rasputin.
In March, 1911. the opposition be-
came more menacing. Rasputin,
judging 1t prudent to allow the
storm to blow over. left on a long
pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
On his return to Saint Peters
burg lin the autumn the opposition
was stronger than ever, and Ras-
putin had to endure the attacks Of
one of his former protectors, the
Bishop Hermogene. BY terrible
threats he wrung from the pseudo
saint the promise not to reappear at
court or compromise the sorereigns
in way by his presence.
Rasputin ran Immediately to COM