Evening star., 1929-12-20
FORMER GRAND DUCHESS KIRA
YULETIDE GUEST IN CAPITAL
Princess of Russia Eagerly
Awaits Chance to Hear
Christmas Carols.
Visitor Is a Descendant of
Two Notable Royal Fam
lilies in Europe.
BY CORINNE FRAZIER.

"Once upon a time lovely princess
tide. And more than any other thing,
she wanted to hear the singing of
Christmas carols-for in all her life this
young princess had never heard a
Christmas carol chanted. -
Not fairy tale, but the true story
of the former Grand Duchess Kira
of Russia. lovely 20-year-old daughter
of former Grand Duke Cyril, cousin
of the Prince of Wales, granddaughter
of Queen Victoria of England and
niece of Queen Marie of Rumania, who
is visiting America for the first time
as the guest of Mrs. Deming Jarvis,
former Washington woman, and who
with her hostess will spend the Christ
mas season in the National Capital
where she hopes to hear for the first
time in her 20 years the singing OF
Christmas carols.
Carol Singing Chief Attraction.
"I am anticipating your carol sing
ing above all else as l celebrate my
first Christmas in your wonderful coun-
try" said the former grand duchess
with a wiStful smile as she received
the writer informally in Mrs. Jarvis
suite at the Carlton Hotel yesterday,
chatting with an utter lack of self
consciousness. You know, have never
heard a carol sung III my life as you
people sing them and I am looking
forward to it eagerly"
There was nothing in her manner to
indicate that this was her Sixty-firSt
interview SinSs she arrived in the United
States (although the first she had
granted to a woman, she confided).
1t might have been a tete-a-tete with
her first caller, so genuinely interested
did she seem.
Surprise was expressed that the Rus
slams, with their well known love of
music, did not follow the custom of
singing carols, familiar to every child
in America and England. Whereupon
the grand duchess explained several
differences in our celebration of
Christ's natal day and that of her
countrymen.
Russian Custom Outlined.
eyes, we have very beautiful Noel
music sung in the churches and
cathedrals in Russia, she agreed, "but
not the house-to- house caroling that
you have over here. Our Christmas
comes 13 days after yours, anyway, you
see," she continued-"it is a. very solemn
occasion. Oh, yes, we have Santa
ClauS-or his equivalent-and he brings
ups. Christmas trees? Not in Rus
sia, perhaps, but you know I haven't
been in Russia since I was 3 years
old"
A shadow passed over the young face
and was gone in the flash of a magnetic
smile. MY own family has tree, a
very gay one with lots of candles on it.
every year in Northern France, where
we are living now, and we love 1t so
Is,1zE zscf NNre
day and keep 1t lighted through the
twelfth night" until our Noel dawns
Longer, too, if it will last" she added
with musical chuckle. II won't let
them discard my tree until it literally
falls to pieces!"
Descendant of ROmanOff Line.
Mile. Kira, for all the old-world ro-
nance about her personality as a de-
cendant of the royal Romanoff line, is
a very modern young person with a
keen love of sports and a passion for
art inherited from her talented mother
whose flower pictures In both oil and
water colorS are we'll known throughout
Europe. The daughter is expressing her
artistic talent in charcoal sketches, her
principal subject being the horse. Il
love horses" she confided, land my
greatest ambition is to draw my horses
well-to catch something of their vital
ity and grace with my charcoal. I am
sketching entirely in charcoal, now
'croques,' we call them in France, quick
sketch impressions. 1t is the first step
of my art training. 1 have been study
ing under a French artist friend of
my family, for the past three years. 1
hope some day to be able to make my
horses live on paper"
Princess Loves Horses.
Her love of horses is evidenced in her
own superb Workmanship. She was
scarcely in Washington an hour before
arrangements were being made for her
to take her first canter through the
bride paths of the Capital. She had
just come in from a ride yesterday at
the time of her interview, and made
graceful apologies for brief delay while