Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-06-04
BURIAL OF A BABY PRINCESS.
a Sceue at Bachareet.
q H0oro1o~ ~ Do,,~>~:n

BURIAL OF A BABY PRINCESS.
A 4ccne at Barhareat.
The Hospodar of Roumania has lost
his only child. She was, writes q COR
respondent Of the London Times, a
beautiful and loveable child, three and
a half years old, and only four days
previous in apparent ruddy health but
suddenly fell victim TO scarlatina, A
most sincere regret and sympathy per-
vades all classes for the Prince and his
excellent wife, the Princess Elizabeth
de Wierd, the moro particularly as it
was their only child, though their
marriage was celebrated on the 10Th
OF November, 1869. The salic law
prevailing here, the Roumanians were
not in mourning for the, loss of an heirto
the throne, but in pure sympathy for
the aflliotion of the parents. According
to Continental custom interment fol-
lows rapidly after death; in conse-
quence the remains of the poor babe
were the same evening conveyed, escort
ed by troops of cavalry, to the Summer
Palace, formerly the ancient Monastere
de Controceni, and the following day,
at 2 r. n, was appointed for the funeral
service in the church in which it had
been baptized. The Summer Palace is
situated about five miles from the city
of Bucharest. The road presented an
unbroken line of pedestrians and car
riages. The ministers, officers, civil
authorities and foreign consuls were in
full court costume, the Boyards and
civilians in full dress, and their ladies
in the deepest mourning, but their
sombre toilettes were still the very
acme of taste and luxury (par par
enthesis, tho Roumanian ladies, sur
pass in richness and elegance Partisan
toilettes).
On arriving at the monastery all left
their carriages and passed on foot with
in its ancientwalls to the church, making
their way through crowds of troops sup
porting their colors draped in Grape.
The front row was entirely composed of
superior officers, with Grape on the left
arm and at their sword handles. All
the troops had Grape on their left arm.
All branches of the military and navy
were represented. On entering the sa-
cred edifice the blaze of light from the
hundreds of wax lights was dazzling.
In the midst of this temple, beneath
the dome, raised on an elevated bier,
reposed the earthly remains of the be-
loved child, enclosed in coffin covered
with white satin ornamented with
broad silver lace. The upper part of
the coffin and bier was covered by
wreaths of therichest flowers. Ranged
around this funeral altar were young
girls clad in white from head to foot,
their faces being yelled with semi
transparent wells, their fair heads being
crowned with wreaths of violets and
their waists girdled with the same.
No ladies but in the deepest mourning
were allowed access to the church.
As soon as the service commenced
some of tho ministering priests dis
tributed to each gentleman in the
church long wax cierges decorated with
black Grape bows. In the Greek
church no organ or other musical in
strument' il used. The service is
chanted by the priests, assisted by q
choir OF very young boys. At intervals
the aisle till, the service concluded, the
coffin was transferred by superior off,
GERS to portable bier, also covered in
white, ornamented with silver lace and
flowers in the coffin it supported. The
same, preceded by the priests and
choir, and followed by all the assistants
in procession, passed out of the
church, and in front of that portion Of
the monastery which for some years
has been fitted and used by Prince
Charles as . summer palace. The
cortege then, by circuitous walks
through the palace gardens, descended
to the valley one hundred feet beneath.
The monastery, from its plateau, DOM
mates the country around for miles.
The priests in their superb robes, the
ting their cen ~st left 'i in heir
train transparent clouds of sweet
odors. The long procession of thou
sands having descended to the valley,
again assembled to where the fresh
earth denoted the poor child's resting
place. It had been the favorite spot
where it had in its little life sported,
and where half-a-dozen days previously
it had been playing with it's nurse.
just about the spot on the heights
overlooking it were hundreds of young
girls clothed in white, who united with
the choir theirsilvery voices, and behind
these, thousands Of sympathizing per-
sons of all degrees. From valley to
hilltop hymns filed the air with sweet
sounds as the funereal flowers filed it
with sweet odors. When the little
body was lowered into it's sylvan grave,
few eyes surrounding it saw clearly,
for all were dimmed with tears. Then
came the awful thud of the clay on the
coffin, sounding the mournful requiem
of the last earthly farewell, and the
mourners and spectators dispersed.