The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-08-13
WOMEN WHO RULE.
SOMETHING ABOUT THREE QUEENS.
The Queen OF Belgium, the Empress
of Mexico, ana the Queen OF
Naplas


While the name Of King Leopold H. Is
before the public, either rs
promoter of home improvements, an
African discoverer, or an important mem
Der OF the Congress on the Congo ques'
ton, not much is heard of the Queen, his
consort, writes London correspondent.
Those who do not approach her may deem
her a distant, silent woman, naughty 10
insolence, proud to rudeness, reserved 10
sternness. Those who know her best tell
a different tale. The beautiful Austrian
princess was frankly and lovingly adopted
In her new country, and us frankly ana
lovingly she returned its homage IN aiiec,
ton. She easily and gracefully adapted
herself to the more restricted sphere Oh
small court, and fell into the homelier
ways of its surroundings, impreSnated
with the somewhat bourgeois element in
Quoted into them by the daughter 81
Louis Philippe. King Leopold's second
wife. Still in the zenith of her youth ana
beauty, she was the faithful companion
and attentive nurse of her father-in-law,
King Leopold l., who loved her as much,
and perhaps more. than he ever loved any
body, his own children not excepted.
Religious without bigotry, pious without
cant, she pierced by her unaffected attach
tachment to her faith the rationalistic
armor of the aged King, and she alone was
suffered to kneel at his bedside during
the watches of his agony and lift her
-. 60 bn IL, iptr She hrplI ylf
up her daughter in an atmosphere OF
peaceful home life, and shared it in their
simple avocations. She was rarely seen
out of doors without one or both prin-
cesses at her side, driving them herself in
low pony carriage, and acknowledged
with graceful smiles and inclinations of
the head the universal salutations she re-
ceived on her passage through the streets
of Brussels, the long boulevard of the
Avenue Louise, the shady roads of the
Bois de Ia Cambre, and the environs OF
her favorite residence, the Chateau de
Lacken.
Queen Marie bravely carried the crown
ing sorrow of her only sons untimely
death. The little Duke of Brabant wor-
shipped his mother. Late at night he
would rise from his bed rs soon as he
heard the tramp OF horses and rolling OF
carriage wheels in the great court OF the
palace, telling of her MnJesty's return
| from theatre or opera, and, gliding to the
window, the boy would lift the heavy cur.
tain and watch till the receding figure had
vanished between the portals. When he
was laid, at nine years old, in his Tower
laden coffin under the vaults of l.acken,
it was the queen who, broken hearted her
self, upheld the courage of the King, and
In the bereavement of her maternity
found words of comfort for her husband
mIler the heavy blow, From that day
she was invariably most tender and Kind
to her brother and sister tn-lIw, the
Count and Countess dc Flanders, hiding
from all eyes the pangs it cost her to see
them rear boys who will occupy the
throne the place which should have been
her sons.
To say that Queen Marie is generous
: and charitable, that she hokls her court
with easy and courteous dignity, and thai
she is at the head of all societies and IN
stitutions for the relief of the poor, The
nursing of tho sick, AID the promotion o
art science, and knowledge, is only say
ing that she discharges Ecr royal duties
, but beyond this she has unflinchingly ant
unremittingly filled "a part which in an!
station of life lays claim to respect ant
admiration. She has been and is rea
Sister of Mercy to the poor stricken I'm
press Charlotte of Mexico. From the on
| set of the horrible malady which convert
cd the bright, happy princess OF Delgian
no one else could be. 70 l.ey the naples
woman turned instincdvely after tn
shock which shattered her intellect
While few glimpses Of reason still lit Vi
her fast cloudlnG mind, she could not bea
to lose sight of the Queen. and claimed
q her for constant companion in her drives
at her meals, through the long, listles
c hours The Queen never Wearied Of min
o isterng TO her, With admirable solci
tude and sublime stratagems she contrive'
3 TO hide from the Empress the news Q
MaXimilians death, and the acciden
1 an engraved portrait-only disclosed it t
= the wife when her mind was no lonce
able 10 gasp its dread significance. Whe
5 madness III it, worst and most ptcou
form had irreYocahly lijd It's hold on TIL
. victim, it was the Queen who cqaXed he
Il sister-in-law from her crouc!lng attlGud
j and tempted her to take food, who, rel
| dered her the mental Offices she refuse
: from all others, and who has never taile
V for one day 10 yisit her. Often at nigh
the attendants of the Empress Chai lott
would rouse the Queen from her siHMbei
c when the insane WGlnRn barame unmaI
;, ageable, and she was eses ready {" haste
u to the wing OF the palace where Ter ~ t.
it ip-laW's apartments lay: ever promi /
l. sooths her with gentle words or pachyln
presence.
If these are ting actions which disqua
ify woman from WORLDLY Elllng
throne: if they weigh rs meth NJ. R-sTlpst
fondness for ponies and an attachment L
a microscopic little dog; If twenty fly
years of unimpeucEaDle welded life an
I noble Hotherhood are not to stand I
records of hey fitness to reign, then II
, Queen of the Btlgiape ehould ahdcat
= for of such is her existence li,t,. Np
:, Another Queen S private existence Is n
n without its characteristic features. II
y name of the Queen of Naples cvokes ii
ure ont Of some romance OF ch!vairy III
# legends, She appears to our fancy US
u heroine in sensational ~ ventures Of lo'
IL and warfare, sometimes heading iahtast
J. masquerades and mud reyeiFy IN the pr
IS ace of the Bourbons. at Naples, 81 oiae
: defending the last bu;wdrkt of t!reateni
o. royalty on the bastiaus Of Gacta; liSit:l
T. the dying in the casematcs under Il
70 bombs OF the .isribnldians, or kneeing
to on "his dearly beloved daughter" III
ct is the portrait lingering j, %. il
81 aeination. In reality the Du, hess -,
Castro, as she is called Eow, is
n quiet, subdued, silent. woman, leadi
e- q life almost monastical in las mo &
:, onous repose, ia aq CT linary hotel of t
!! Rue Bo!ssy d'Anglafs, ~ pu"s, sire
-, near the Champs flysee%. ana 4hutti
so on the Place do In Cancorde. where i
~ other Marie lost her lilo aud her tlfu;
ne She has lived there through tho lO
- years of her exile, after the tage of
"a Mauda was abandoned, in 1874, for t
NJ NJ Hotel Yuiiiemont. where the King Il
nc Queen occupy tive largc apartments
na the first and second fa9s. The King il
~ one secretary and the t2GraR an. lady
~ waiting. A butler and four men aid IL
~ npids compose the who of their priv;
me me staff " servants; For the res,, they ay
ler themselves OF he general resources
e3y public establishments. The royal coul
". have renowned TIL. p0mps VI palac
~, Eyen when visiting Munich, the Cnee
gu native city, they put up unceremoniou
, ,as at the Hotel BalIevge, the quaint (
TO TO hosiery, with its highly eGi9red, aim
ho historical decorations.
,eS During eight months of the ear