The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-27
AT THE WURTEMBURG COURT.
Why the People Are Willing for
Queen Charlotte to Die.
Washington Post.

Washington Post
Although Queen Charlotte OF Wurtem-
burg is woman of rare beauty and charm,
and possessed of every quality TO endear
her to her husbands subjects yet it would
be false to assert that the recovery from
the very serious illness by which she is now
Frustrated is hoped for or prayed for by the
people of Wurtemburg. On the contrary
they are inclined to hope that she may be
removed to a brighter and better World-in
one word, that her present illness may ter
inmate fatally, which it is extremely proba-
BILE will prove the case.
The fact of the matter is that the queen
has the disadvantage of being childless,
her husband having had only a daughter,
the Princess Pauline. by his first wife. Now
women are debarred from reigning in Wur-
temburg and in default of male issue on
the part of the King the crown Will pass
at his death TO the Catholic branch of his
house, the heir presumptive being young
Duke Albert, who is married to an Austrian
archduchess, and who was educated at
Vienna by Jesuit priests.
Now. the people of Wurtemburg are Luz
therans of a more bigoted type than are 10
be met anywhere in the length and breadth
or Germany. They look upon popery win
horror, refer to the Catholic Church as the
Scarlet Woman" and view with dread the
possibility of a Catholic and priest-ridden
King coming to rule over them. In fact, 1t
may be questioned whether they would not
prefer annexation to Prussia and the rue of
Emperor William to that of Catholic
King
If Queen Charlotte succumbs to her pres
ent malady, which, as stated above, is ex
tremely probable, the King, who is still
relatively young man, is almost certain 10
marry again, and it may be taken for
granted that on that occasion he will select
a consort who is likely to provide him with
an heir to the throne That is why the
Wurtemburgers are longing and praying for
the death of their lovely Queen Charlotte,
whose life they would cheerfully sacrifice
to avert the possibility of Catholic King
coming to reign over them.
Queen Charlotte is about thirty-two years
of age, has superb dark hair and eyes, and
She is .aS courageous as she is beautiful.
ana on two occasions has given evidence or
great presence of mind. Once when driv
ing through the streets of Stuttgardt the
horses took to fright, and the coacnman was
thrown violently to the ground. Without
moments hes tatiOn Queen Charlotte Sprang
onto the box, seized the reins, stopped the
horses, and then showed the kindness of
her heart by hurryng back to where the
coachman was in order to inquire about
his injuries. On another occasion her hus-
band was shot at while driving with her to
church, and with much devotion she threw
herselt in front OF him in order to protect
him from injury. Fortunately the bullet
flew wide of it's mark. But the act was
nevertheless, one of great courage.
Queen Charlotte deserves the credit for
having caused the removal of the ban that
prevailed for so long at the court of Wur-
temburg, as well as at those of many other
German sovereigns, against waltzing. She
is passionately fond of dancing, and resent
ed so much being debarred from dancing
her faYorite dance, namely, the waltz, at
her own court balls that she induced the
King to repeal the rule against this par
tcular form of the terpsichorean art. 1t is
difficult to understand the objection to the
waltz when polkas and galcps are tolerated
at court balls. The ban seems to have
originated in the early sixties with the late
Empress Augusta, who was so Mortified by
the present Empress Frederick being
tripped up by her partner and precipitated
with him at the feet of her mother-in-law
while dancing waltz that she insisted on
the waltz being banished from the court.
She was terrible despot on the score of
etiquette; could not bear the idea of a dance
which could have the effect of placing
princess of the blood in so undignfed II
position, and turned a deaf ear to all ar
guments on the subject.
A popularity about the court of Wurtem-
burg is that the royal kitchens are still in
are carried in sky-blue filters, carefully
locked and guarded through the streets to
the new palace, where the King and Queen
reside.