The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-12


had a higher reputation for managing
her husband. and bringing up her chill
dren well, than the Crown Princess of
Y. She had one son, Prince Hector and
three daughters. the Princesses Paul
ina. Etheldreda and ThOmasina; all OF
whom, from their earliest years, were
educated on a system OF almost Spar
tan simplicity and rigor These four lit
tie royalties spent their young child
hood In nursery uncarpeted and un-
curtained a nursery of spotless clean
liness and constantly open windows
being therein accustomed 10 endure the
cold tub without remOnsirance anc the
scrubbings ana cUmiSngs OF nurse with
out complaint, 10 be putfto bed meekly,
at the appointed evening hour: 10 rise
with alacrity as soon as called in the
morning; To live on the plaincst fare, 10
amCse themselves with the simplest
games and toys. to be unsel1sh 70 cach
other; TO be considerate and courteous
10 all but especially TO Interiors: TO
speak the truth always; TO tell no tales.
To be seen aud not heard: in fact. to
do everything that the maNims OF the
wise have agreed TO be behtting and
prooer-fef -rret4-eeffdtieted children.
such was there bringing up IN the nur-
sery.
from the control of nurse the same aus
tere system was followed with them.
Prince Hector, indeed Was sent To a
military academy, wherein spite or
The strongly expressed wish OF his
mother that he should be treated exact
ly the same as any other pupil-he did
receive some extra indulgence on ac-
count OF his rank. which was practi-
cally inevitable. But his sisters. pro-
ceeding to the schoolroom. had their
education continued on the same strict
and exemplary lines
Lessons began for them i'm summer
at Q, and In winter at T. Not "A minutes
loss was allowed. They had TO be IN
their places when the clock struck.
Their little fingers or toes might ache
with the cold, but there they had To
sit-whether at the piano, practising
scales, or at the table writing themes
in French or German. until the hour for
breakfast. That hour was s. Porridge
was the staple diet, followed by bread
and butter and weak tea. Ham or On
egg was a treat for Sundays and birth
days, so was marmalade, so was cof-
fee No pampered appetites in that
schooroom.
An 9 o'clock lessons were resumed till
IL, when the mornings walk was taken
with the governess. But even then the
Improvement OF the young princesses'
minds were not forgotten, for they were
encouraged, nay. expected, to take an
intelligent interest in the wild flora OF
the district, gathering specimens OF
this or that,an taking home with them
to dry and press. At 1880 the midday
dinner was taken, their mother presid-
ing when her engagements allowed. No
unwholesome dainties at this meal
either. Plain roast or boiled. milk
puddings OF stewed fruit toast-and
water to drink. The dinner over. half
an hour for digestion, then the after
Moons walk. Thereat more botany. or,
perchance a little natural history.
studied from the life. and home To read
IL up i'm the pages of Linnaeus, of Gu
vier Gin the French). of Gilbert White.
of Selborne in E(nglish. Then more les
sons until o'clock, at which hour came
ssa-the beverage again weak TO washi-
ness, the bread thick and sparcely but
tered, with vegetable variation OF let
tuce or watercress, according TO the
season. The evening was whiled away
with plain needlework or darning stock
ings the governess reading aloud from
some improving book. until the clock
struck :. Then dry biscuit and glass
-uf milk License To converse for 10 min
utes. After that, bed. Such was the
daily routine that, while they were i'm
the schoolroom. our young princesses
were called upon 10 follow.
Upon the two elder OF them the ef-
fects were all that could be desired.
Within a year OF their coming out"
i'm either case they dutifully married
the husbands selected for them-a Sc
rene hereditary highness (German) and
q grand duke CRussian)-and settled
down into exemplary. IL somewhat coll
orless, wives and mothers. But with
them we have nothing further TO
90. our attention is directed TO the
third daughter-the Princess Thomas
ina.
This young lady was the baby Of the
family, beins three years the Junior of
tha Princess Ethelreda, who came next
above her. From the first she had
been somewhat less docile than the
others-a result partly due, am afraid,
To the conduct of her father, who, as
far as he was permitted by his wife,
showed every disposition TO spoil her.
The influence and example of her two
elder sisters, >lle they remained with
her, had kept her from doing anything
opanly rebelious. When, however. they
had both hidden adieu TO the school
room, and she was left there alone. at
16, with still two years Of this mono-
toous tIf1-r+gOrous routine ta-plp,- and
no one to share IL with her. Princess
Thomasina began TO be fractions. She
kicked against porridge rice pudding.
toast and water dry biscuits; against
rising at $50 against going to bed at
S:15 against recreative botany and ng-
tural history. against making her own
underclothes ard darning her own
stockings. against being debarred from
the perusal Of newspapers and novels;
in fact kicked generally at being treat