The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-05-15
WOMEN WHO RULE.
SOMETHING ABOUT THREE QUEENS
The Quesn Of Belgium. the Empress
of MoSIeO, and the Queen or
Naples

N1PA-
While the name Of King Leopold II. is
constantly before the public, either rs a
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 a London correspondent.
Those who do not approach her may deem
her a distant. silent woman, naughty To
tnsolence, proud to rudeness, reserved to
sternness. Those who know her best tell
a different tale. The beautiful Austrian
princess was frankly and lovingly adopted
In her new country, and as frankly and
lovingly she returned its homage in affec-
tiou. She easily and gracefully adapted
herself 70 the more restricted sphere OF q
small court, and fell into the homelier
ways OF its surroundings, lmpregnated
with the somewhat bourgeois element in
Quoted into them by the daughter Of
Louis Philippe. King LeOpOid's second
wife. Stin IA the zenith Of her youth and
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
can't, she pierced By her unaffected attach
tachment 10 her faith the rationalistic
armOr of the aged King and she alone was
suffered 10 kueel at his bedside during
the watches Of his agony and lift her
voice IN prayer FOR the dying She brought
up her daughter in an atmosphere Of
peaceful home life, and shared it in their
simple ayocatious She was rarely seen
ont Of doors without one or both prin-
-sses at her side. driving them herself in
p low pony carriage, and acknowledged
Hl graceful smiles and incIinations Of
-.- head the universal salutations she re
e.. ed on her passage through the streets
G.. Brussels, the long boulevard Of the
avenue Louise, the shady roads Of the
Bois de La Cambre, and the envfrons Of
her fsvorite residence, the Chateau de
Lacken.
Queen Marie bravely carried the crown
ing sorrow Of her only son's untlmely
death. The little Duke Of Brabant Tor-
shipped his mother. Late at night he
would rise from his bed as soon as he
b ard the tramp Of horses and rolling Of
carriage wheels in the great court of the
palace, telling or her Majestys return
from theatre or opera, and. gliding to the
window, the boy would lift the heavy cur
vanished between the portals. When he
was laid at nine years old, in his hower-
laden CONN under the vaults OF Lacken,
u was the queen who. bTOEen-heHrted her
self, upheld the courage OF the King, and
IN the bereavement OF her maternity
found words OF comfort for her husband
under the heavy blow. From that day
she wac invariably most tender and kind
TO her brother and sister-in-law, the
Count and Countess de Flanders, hiding
from all eyes the pangs 1t 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 sbe holds her court
with easy and courteous dignity. end that
she Is at the head OF oil societies and in
s-ltutous for the relief Of the poor, the
nErs-uE OF the sick. and the promotion OF
art. science, and knowledge, Is only say
ing that she discharges her royal duties
but beyond this she has unflinChingly and
uuremltJlugly filed a part which in any
station Of Life lays claim to respect and
admiration. she has been and ia q real
Sister Of Mercy 70 the poor stricken En-
press Charlotte Of Mexico. From the on
set OF the horrible malRdy which convert
ed the bright, happy princess Of Belgium
II 70 senseless and at times dangerous
lunatiC, the Queen has been TO her what
no one else could be. To her the hapless
woman turned instinctively after the
shock which shattered her intellect
v lille few glimpses Of reason still lit up
her fast Cloudlng mind, she COuld not bear
- - - e. SIGHT of the Queen, and claimed
at her meals, through the long iistiess
hours. The Queen never wearied Of min
tstering to her. With admirable solicit
Iude and sublime strHtagems she contrived
20 ulde IrOm the Empress the news of
MaNlmilians death, and the accident
which revealed iu-an inscription under
az engraved portr8it-only disclosed it to
the wife when her mind was no longer
able 70 grasp It's dread Significance When
madness IN its worst and most piteous
form had irrevOcabIy laid its hold on the
victim, II was the Queen who coaxed her
sister-in-law from her crouching attitude
and tempted her 70 take food who rem
dered her the menial Offices she refused
from all others, and who has never failed
for one day TO visit her Oftei ar night
the attendants OF the Empress Charlotte
would rouse the Queen from her slumbers
when the insane woman became unman-
aEeablc, and she was ever ready to hasten
20 the wing OF the palace where her sister
in-.aw' : apartments lay ever prompt TO
sco.he her with gentle words or pacifying
presence
II these are the actions which disauaL
ly q woman from wUrthily filing q
throne II they weigh as nothing against a
foudness Tor ponies and an attachment for
microscopic little dog II twenty-five
ye-Ts OF unimPeAchnDle welded life and
nchlr motherhood are not 10 stand as
records OF her fitness 20 reign then the
queen OF the Brlgieus should abdiCate.
ior ot such Is her existence made up.
- O. =
without its characteristic features The
meme OF the Queen Of Naples evokes O tlg-
nrv out or some romance OF chivalry and
!sc-nts- she appears to our fancy us q
heroine in sensational adventures Of love
AMI warfare, sometimes heading fantastic
mu-4Uerades aud mad revelry in the pal
-te ~ the Bourbons nt Naples, a. others
-eieELing the lAst bulwarks Of threatened
20. g.ty on the bHstians OF Gaeta visiting
eHe dying in the classmates under the
coilbs OF the Garibeldiens, or kneeliny at
the teet OF the Pope 10 receive his blessing
o. his dearly beloved daughter" This
Is the portrait lingering IN our i'm
Rgination. In reality the Duchess de
Castro, as she is called now Is
quiet snbdued, silent woman, Leading
life almost monastical in its monot~
Qnous repOse, In an ordinary hotel OF the
Rue BOissy d d'Augiais IN Paris a street
near the Champs Elysees. and abutting
on the Place de Ia COucOrde. where an
other Marie lost her life and her throne.
She has lived there through the long
years or her exile, after the cottage OF st
Maude was abandoned, in 1874, for the
Hotel Nuillemont, where the King and
Queen occupy two large apartments on
The nrSt and second floors. The king has
one secretary and the Queen one lady in
wattng. A butler and four men and four
molds compose the whole Of their private
stan efservants. For the rest, they avail
themselves Of the general resources OF
Pu1Hc Establishments The royal couple
have renouheed the pomps OF palaces
Even when visiting Munich, the Queens
native city. they put up unceremoniously
81 the Hotel Bellevue, the quaint old
hostelry, with its highly colored almost
historical decorations
During eig~' months Of the year the
Duchess de Castro resides IN Paris Tha
remainder OF the time she spends At the
seaside and in Bavaria She seerne To e.
chew sll sPlendors, Ru rspresentati even
the social advantages abe might en- joy in
city where she would be welcomed bv
50 many liustriOus families ruors or Less
relsted to her. Almost her only anuse-
ment Is riding, either In the open air OF in
Eriding school She owns large stables in