The Washington times., 1923-01-28

I
self taught him, beginning this visit. And it
. q hard job, teaching Rasputin his A C's 1t
like saving wood could not keep him quiet for
more than ten minutes at time.
He would jump up and stretch his long legs.
"This is so lonely" he would chant song learn
ing is so loney!"
AS we entered his house that wintry day Gregory
stretched his arms, pointing to all the magnifcence
about US.
'See!' he commanded me, "see what darling Papa
Nicholas and darling Mamma Alexandra and all my
friends have given to Gods holy man. The prophet
lives softly-eh, what? Well niodorushka"-t
was his familiar for me-"be always my friend,
darling, and in the gores of this world will al
most equal Russia's holy saint"
. Rasputin was born in the hut of Siberian peas
ant. He ended in the imperial palaces of the Ro-
monoffs.
cars. For, while the Russian people bowed to the
will Of the Gar the Gear and the Czarina the min
listers, the Holy Synod, the Archimandrakes, the
Grand Dukes Church and State all bowed to the will
Of Rasputn. And Rasputin still illiterate that
he could hardly read or write.
II others had doubts whence Rasputin's power
started, the "Holy Saint himself very sure in
deed. remember when + visited him at Poksrov-
skoye he took me out to deserted house beside a
graveyard several miles upon the steppes where
no sign Of the dwelling OF men, The one house there
was tumbling to ruins; but before this miserable
shack Rasputin bowed down his head and kissed the
ground. was full of curiosity. l started to raise
d
hinge to walk inside TO inspect this barren little hut
"No-no-no-no! Rasputin stormed at me, his
voice coming suddenly with great intensity. mo,
you may not enter now; nobody may enter, if they
would not bring down a on their heads. But
look, behold Iodorushka, for in this place was born
my great power and glory, darling. Here came
about that which has made me the great prophet of
Russia. Had it not been for this little house and
what happened inside its four walls never could
have given Russia an heir-the, Czarevtch."
l looked at Gregory Rasputin with bewild erment.
"You," asked him, "you-gave Russia the heir?"
"Ah, yes" said he, everyone at court knows it.
1iodorushka. Had it not been for Gregory the Car
Papa and Mamma"-these were his names for the
royal pair-"hold the prophet in honor at court so
long will their heir be spared to them.
He said this, and lcaped high up into the air. AS
he came down he jumped across his staff, which he
held out for his long lean legs to caaput over, much
in the same way that nervous hunter vaults over
six-barred gate. AS he landed after this agile, if
religious, gymnastc exercise he winked at me with
his large, oily DEVILS eyes; winked slyly. 1t was
such antics as this at court which thoroughly
vinced the Gear and Czarna that they had to do
with very holy man indeed
But the mysterious history of this abandoned
house and the source of Rasputins power, which he
thought had come to him here was not revealed to
me until later
1t was from Hehona Gossva, the young school
teacher whom had sent to murder Gregory Raspu
tin that at last learned the secret of that house She
just freed from the shocking dungeons Of Peter
and Paul where the authorities had imprisoned her
after her arrest for attempting the life of the Saint
Gossiva told me the secret of the deserted house
as she had learned it in Rasputins native village of
Poksrovskoye, from the villagers while she wait
ing for her chance to kill Rasputin. Of this
cessful attempt Rasputins life will tell later;
but will speak of how Rasputn supposed to
have got his power
There lived wizard in that house." Hehona
Gossiva told me. In our Russia the people have
enormous faith in witches and charmers and sooth-
savers because my Russian people very super
stitious and very ignorant and spiritually they are
very sick.
"In this house." Hehonia Gossiva went on, 'the
old wizard lived and brewed his charms. He knew