Evening star., 1924-01-04
BLUE BLOOD FAILS
.AT LUNCHROOMJ JOB
Princess kourakine Cannot
Cook ''Ham and" So Boss
Discharges Her.
BY ROBERT II. SMALL


epeeisl Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, january 4.-'She may
De OF tho royal blood, but she can't
cook ham and eggs
THIS was the explanation given to-
day by the proprietor OF q rather
obscure little restaurant who had
5ust had the painful duty Of firing"
the Princess Larisse Kourakine.
The princess is one OF the small
army Of Russian mobiles which has
been drifting into this city during
tho last two or three years. They
have been coming in the steerage as
rapidly as they could escape from
the red rulers of their country and
sell enough of Jewels or other snug
sled possessions to obtain passage
money to the new world of new op-
portunities..
Admitted as Artist.
The princess lost her husband in
Archangel a little more than a year
ago. He was murdered by the
guards, she explained. With her
brother she determined to come to
even the small sum necessary to
make the crossing third class, but
At last the money was in hand and
Ihe voyage begun. Reaching New
YORK. the royal sister and brother
ran afoul of the immigration quotas.
The quotas for Russia were ex-
Eausted. The brother promptly was
turned back. but special plea won
sdmittance for the sister. She had
BEEN a nurse during the war. She
she came In as an exception, as an
artist She speaks five languages and
10 otherwise accomplished.
English was not at her command
however. and this has proved a
severe handicap. The Russian Re-
lief Society cared for the princess
for a week or more. But the relief
society has more than had its hands
null these last two years caring for
an the immigrants from the one
notified the princess that soon she
must find something to do that would
make her self-supporting.
Up to this time the princess has
kave been in restaurants. The easier
xask OF waiting at table was not for
0er because she could not understand
She patrons. She was willing to do
any kind of kitchen work. either at
the stove or the sink. But what
ever the princess may have known in
the past OF the Russian culinary art.
she has been absolutely unable to
negotiate the simple but entirely
American place to eat"
In applying for her Jobs the prin-
cess kept her identity a secret. The
latest restaurant keeper to give her
The air said he had struggled with
fuli days. At the end of that time
they were both on the verge Of nerv-
Gus prostration.
He didn't know she was a princess
yy1f 4nt1
princesses mean nothing in the life
or his customers when they want
their ham and eggs, country style.
or their corned beef with a side order
or New York beans, a couple Of
would seem that ordinarily a Russian
princess should know all about cof-
zee. Probably the Princess I4arfsse
does know the samovar variety, but
the common or garden American type
OF draw one" beverage was entirely
beyond her.
Life is not altogether drab for the
princess today. however. for she has
been taken in by the Countess Ilya
Tolstoi. who lives In the late sew
entities on Riverside Drive-a most
fashionable neighborhood. There the
princess may be seen moving about
In a black velvet gown. cut straisht
in the manner of the Russian singers
and entertainers who abound in the
eabarets and the musical revues. The
countess says she will care for the
princess until the right place for her
comes along. She is sure there IL
such a place. Ths princess says that
even the kitchen Of New York
eating place" is far preferable to
tho best of life in Russia today
Blue Bloods in steeraxe.
Not all OF the Russian MOBILES who
have come to America are as penni-
less as the princess. but most of them
are. The one outstanding exception
Is the Prince Youssoupoff, who seems
to have the wealth of Croesus be- |
hind him. Not only did the prince !
bring over something more than |
half a million dollars in an attempt !
to rebuy a couple of Rembrandts |
from Mr.. widener in Philad elphia.
but somewhere in the American
customhouse he seems to have an in
exhaustible store Of Jewels, crown |
and otherwise. Every now and then
notice is given of the withdrawal Of i
q flock OF pearls or a couple or three |
diamonds Weighing high up in the |
karats. Some one has estimated the |
jewels az being worth in the neigh