The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-15
ABOUT THE PURPLE BORN
Odd Bits Of Gossip Of People Whose
Heads Support Royal
Diadems.
A Pseudo Abyssinian Princess
Rung in on tho Queen Of
Italy.
The sultan's Fayorito Wife - Bavnrla's
Crazy King-An IMperiOus Duchess
%Swindllag tho Cxarowitch.

Especial Correspondence Of THE INDEPENDENT |
LONDON, May 30.-There is an on dit
afloat that King George Of Greece purposes
to visit London shortly; and, if he decidea
to abdioats, that he may definitely fix his
residence here. 1t is also said that his
majesty has amassed a considerable fortune
by lucky speculations, and that he ia at the
head ~(incog.) Of an Important commercial
house in the city. 80 that when he leaves
the country and throne Of Greece to his
son, the Duke of Sparta, he will dedicate
the remainder OF his days to business, and
be at the head of the merchant princes OF
old England. In this case he may aspire to
the right and title Of Rol fin de sisole.
A tit morsel of scandal comes from Italy
in connection with King Humbert's late
major domo, Signor Crispi. That individ-
ual while in Office introduced to the italian
court q pseudo-Abyssinian princess and her
two brothers. The black visitors were
treated with the usual courtesy, and were
allowed rooms in the palace.
They were also provided with
state carriages to convey them
to the various places of amusement. and es-
corted by cavalry. King Humbert and his
spouse gave fstes in honor of their "be-
loved vassals," and at ono of them Mar
gherita kissed the princess" publicly on
the mouth. which is said to be the highest
honor that can possibly be extended to any
parsonage in Italy, according to the eti-
quetts of the Quirinal. The taxpayers
were victimized to the extent of $4,000
francs for entertaining the Abyssinian
royal highnesses as guests of the Italian
kingdom by the foreign Office, over which
Signor Crispi presided. 1t is now asserted
that the woman who was kissed and feted
John of Abyssinia at all, but a grands
dame of the demi- monde at Cairo; her al
legged p~rincely brothers were ignorant
blacks who had been trained to play their
part by the woman and her confederates.
Signor Crispi himself, it is said, concocted
the intrigue and instructed the alleged
princess in her duties. The whole affair is
to be brought before the Italian parliament
in the course of a few days, when Crispi's
conduct will be held up to the light of day.
The ~favorite wife of the sultan was once
q poor girl, lying In the coal mines in
France. She was a beautiful girl, as she is
now a beautiful woman, and some charita-
BILE person found her occupation in a fam
GUS dress1naking establishment in France,
where her superior intelligence soon made
her the madame's most valuable assistant,
and she was sent to Constantinople with
dresses ordered by the sultan's mother.
Nothing more was heard of her for many
years, until a little inheritance was left her
by \ relative, and notices were published
asking for her whereabouts. In answe to
these notices a wonderful equipa2e, escort
I'D I~ o1on~%nl 4-n~nLr c&~~~ol I'D rhD
door of the embassy, and the sultan's wife
stepped down to declare herself the once
Flora Collin and renounoe the legacy in
favor of her kindred, who are still poor.
III was the old story of love at first sight be-
tween the sultan and the beautiful modesto.
The description of the king of Bavaria's
present condition is q very sad one, and at
first sight it does seem strange that a lat
ter day nation should acknowledge an I'M
fortunate lunatio as its nominal sovereign,
and keep the actual ruler out of the regal
title. After all, though, there is q touch of
right sentiment in retaining poor Otho's
name on the books, and it contrasts finely
with the very opposite regulations prevail
ing among the Hohenzollerns. These may
have been eminently suited to the dark
ages, when q reigning prince was valued
according to his prowess and skill with the
battle axe; but in this nineteenth century
it came as a surpsise to many to hear
JAW SAo ASASAS AkSA ION t
close chance of being defrauded of his
brief tenure of power, for the reason that
his malady prevented him leading an army
to the field! If there were a genuine test
among monarchs, who would stand?
A report is going the rounds that a cousin
of the queen is now an inmate of the Cham
berwell workhouse. Her name is said to be
Caroline Guelph. and it is also stated that
she is an illegitimate daughter of George
w.
Society has been wondering why the
duchess of Edinburgh persisted in remain
The duke had to go over to Coburg for his
wife. But "the situation is strained" aa
the French put it, and very much strained >
1t appears, between the ouke and duchess
Of Edinburgh-so ''strainsd.' in fact. that,
If rumor may be believed, the only daugh-
ter of Alexander II. of Russia declared that
she would never again return to the roof OF
the second son of Victoria of England if he
did not come himself and fetch her. Under
the circumstances. it 10 indeed wonderful
that the duke of Edinburgh can still fiddle
and look pleasant, for to suffer agony with
v%aricose veins. and to have an imperious
wife are not altogether delightful accidents
In q mans life.
The announcement in a Vienna paper
that a match has been arranged" bet weer
the czarewitch and the Princess Helen OF
Montenegro is decidedly premature. Nc
suou Arrangement na5 been cOnCluded: bu'
1T ID not improbable that the union in ques.
ton may be officially announced before
long. There are many things to be said il
Its favor. To begin with, the princess il
eligible in every way. being beautiful
rlch-as prlncesses go, nowadays-and {
member of the Orthodox church.
Before the departure of the c%zarewitch
from Ceylon, a smart reporter from a local
paper procured a copy of the chamber
lain's list of those who were to be honoured
by mementees of the imperial visit and OF
the gift which each was to receive. This
list was published the day before the Gar
ewltoh left, and opposite the name of a rail.
way superintendent appeared the entry
"Scarf-pin set with brilliant and rubies.'
Two or three days later the superinten.
Gent received from the Russian consul a.
Colombo, who had been entrusted With
the distribution of the royal larpesse, 9
simple ring, set with a very small sapphire
Tn superintendent had the Courage &c
kick" He returned the ring to the consul
pointed cut that it was not the article which
tho czarewitch had publicly intimated was
destined for his acceptance, and that it wal
OF such paltry value that he would bt
ashamed to show it as the gift o.
80 exalted a parsonage. And then
the discovery came out that Il mem
Der of the suite, to whom had been
entrusted the giving out of the present,
from the royal strong boxes. had COOL
substituted inferior articles, and enriched
himself with the difference in their cost
Inquiries proved that this sort of thing hat
been going IN throughout the entire tour
ard although efforts were promptly mad,
TO hush up the scandal, the delinquent-al
officer of good family-had to be 'repri
msndedn with tho promise of punishman