Thus the Poles hope much from the young Tzar in the future, and believe that he would do more were he not held back by Russian public opinion.  For example, the other day two Russians were overheard in the train to say:  “For thirty years we have tried to force our religion on the Poles, our language on the Poles, and our customs on the Poles, but now here comes ‘The Little Colonel’ (the young Tzar), and in a moment he sweeps away all the progress we had made.”

To call him “The Little Colonel” is a term of great endearment, and the name arose from the fact that by some strange oversight he was never made a General by his father, but remained at the death of the late Tzar only a Colonel.  When urged by his councillors to make himself General, as became a Tzar of all the Russias, he said:  “No.  The power which should have made me a General is no more.  Now that I am at the head of the government I surely could not be so conceited as to promote myself.”

The misery among the poor in Poland is almost beyond belief, yet all charities for them must be conducted secretly, for the government stills forbids the establishment of kindergartens or free schools where Polish children would be taught in the Polish language.  I have been questioned very closely about our charities in America, especially in Chicago, and I have given them all the working plans of the college settlements, the kindergartens, and the sewing-schools.  The Poles are a wonderfully sympathetic and warm-hearted people, and are anxious to ameliorate the bitter poverty which exists here to an enormous extent.  They sigh in vain for the freedom with which we may proceed, and regard Americans as seated in the very lap of a luxurious government because we are at liberty to give our money to any cause without being interfered with.

One of the noblest young women I have ever met is a Polish countess, wealthy, beautiful, and fascinating, who has turned her back upon society and upon the brilliant marriage her family had hoped for her, and has taken a friend who was at the head of a London training-school for nurses to live with her upon her estates, and these two have consecrated their lives to the service of the poor.  They will educate Polish nurses to use in private charity.  With no garb, no creed, no blare of trumpet, they have made themselves into “Little Sisters of the Poor.”

I could not fail to notice the difference in the young girls as soon as I crossed the Russian frontier and came into the land of the Slav.  Here at once I found individuality.  Polish girls are more like American girls.  If you ask a young English girl what she thinks of Victor Hugo she tells you that her mamma does not allow her to read French novels.  If you ask a French girl how she likes to live in Paris she tells you that she never went down town alone in her life.

But the Polish girls are different.  They are individual.  They all have a personality.  When you have met one you never feel as if you had met all.  In this respect they resemble American girls, but only in this respect, for whereas there is a type of Polish young girl—­and a charming type she is—­I never in my life saw what I considered a really typical American girl.  You cannot typify the psychic charm of the young American girl.  It is altogether beyond you.