Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-10-26

By her great beauty, her winning manners
and accomplishments Natalie secured COM
plete control of her husband A more splen-
did specimen of womanhood it would be inn
possible to find than the superb figure of this
most queenly looking queen, with a face of
ideal beauty, full of spirit and fine feeling,
framed by an abundance of black hair, eyes
that respond to the faintest emotion, and
remarkably clear complexion. "The Fairy
of the Orient" was the title bestowed upon
her by her subjects Her only child, Prince
Alexander, was born Aug IA 1876 The
queen was always thorough Russian, and,
the king alleges, ever engaged in intrigues
with the party which sought the domination
of the czar in Servia This is in effect the
charge of treason which he aud his partisans
made against her. But she saved her hus-
bands capital, and possibly his crown, about
four years ago, and ON this very fact the
main imputation against her honor as a wife
has been built. The story may be briefly
told as follows:
Four years ago when all tho great powers
except Russia had accepted as an accom-
plished fact the union of eastern Roumania
70 Bulgaria, which had been brought about
by Prince Alexander's coup-d'etat, the King
OF Servia, urged on by his wife, suddenly de-
ciared war on the prince, demanding a largo
slice Of Bulgaria as compensation for the lat
ter's increase of territory. Contrary to every
bodys expectation, the Bulgarian troops
were victorious in every engagement and the
invading Servian forces, completely routed
retired toward the Servian capital closely
followed by the Bulgars, whose prince as
serted that he would only sign the terms of
peace In the royal palace at Belgrade. King
Milan, who always prudently remained
twenty miles distant from the scene of con-
hict, appealed in vain to the emperor Of
Austria for help and was met by the most
decided and curt refusal.
Barly one morning Count Rudolph Won
Khevenhuller. the Austrian ambassador to
Servia, rode into Alexander's camp and ver-
bally informed Prince Alexander that if he
continued his march on Belgrade an Austrian
army would enter the city at his heels TAX
ing into consideration the high diplomatic
rank held by the minister, and the official
nature of the communication, the prince had
no reason TO doubt its authenticity. Accord
ingly Prince Alexander brought his victosi.
GUS army to halt and Withdrew from Serv-
ian. territory, creating thereby the most
/ intense surprise.
| The whole of the European press was mys-
| titled about the matter, and the most out
-.AA1>@-~-A A~&'%AAS vic A0A AALCS alIA-
anders course of action. 1t was only when
too late that the latter discovered that Count
Khevenhuller had not only been without the
| slightest authority to make any such COM
munication as he had delivered, but that he
had even acted in direct opposition to the in
structions and wishes Of the Austrian foreign
Office In so doing : The ambassador had
| acted at the instigation of Queen Natalie.
/ who had summoned him to the rescue of Ser
via. Naturally the queen was not migrate
| full, but Emperor Francis Joseph was not
slow to show his disapproval Of the petticoat
| policy OF his envoy, and Rudolph Won Khe-
yenhuller was soon able to mediate in
forced retirement on the danger Of yielding
| TO the spell Of fascinating queen.
But there are two sides to the story. and
regarding this incident Princess Ghika, the
sister of the queen, has warmly defended
Natalie She said not long ago:
There Is not word Of truth in that
wicked story. Natalie Is saint This tals
vas manufactured durina tha Sarua-Rnl4A-