The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-03-03
IOYALTY's CLEVER WOMEN.
Roumania's Queen q Licensed Public
Lecturer.

Lecturer.
The Queen of Portugal Probably the
Only Royal NJ. D.--Besides She IL an
Expert MiIIiner--Germsny's Dowsg-
err Empress n skilled sculptor. Must-
clan and Painter.
The Queen of Roumania is probably the
only ons among royalties who is licensed
as public lecturer. For several years
her Majesty has given talks on subjects
oil Interest to young women In her ralace,
to the daughters of the Koumanian aris-
tocracy.
These lectures have. however, recently
become so popular and attractive and the
requests to attend them SO many and SO
persistent, that the QueeL now lectures
In the:public high school for girls and has
obtained the necessary official profess
ional diploma, which is signed BY the
King and by the ::Minister Of Public In
| struction.
But Queen Elizabeth Is rs deft with her
fingers as she is clever with her brain. AT
| doll show recently held In Berlin under
| the direction of the hereditary Princess of
WED. to dispense Christmas charity to
| the poor the leading feature was cotlco.
ton Of dolls exhibited "by the Queen OF
Roumania, every article Dof dress and
decoration OF which was made by herself.
A gem of the royal handiwork was
| charming reproduction In miniature OF
| the carriage used at the Rouma nian coro-
N hy ut.tht hnr
whose silver harness Is a marvel Of work
manship. The group is valued at 10000
frances, and Is to be sent to the Paris ex-
hibition in 1900.
Queen Amalie Of Portugal is another of
the clever and good women who are on
the throne. 1t Is well know how. to be
able personally to attend to and treat the
King, who suffered greatly on account of
his great obesity, she entered the univer-
sity and studied medicine. Sh 9 attended
lectures faithfully, took her degree, and is
touay the ony royal NJ. ID. in tho world.
She visits the poorer sections of Lisbon
and practices her profession inoognito,
being known as the good lady doctor"
But Queen Amalie has another accom-
plishment She Is an expert at millinery
and la the royal residence there is an
apartment In the seclusion of the Queen's
quarters, where hats, bonnets AMI toques
are being fashioned and modelled after
her own designs
1he Empress Dowager Friedrich Of Ger
many Is an excellent musician and talent
ed above most women both in sculpture
and painting. She is, moreover, able to
from her knowledge of floral and kitchen
gardening. She Is. especially fond of
iaieinR choice roses for DEF orative Pun
poses, and owns u large nursery garden at
Friedrichshof, In the lodge of which are
many diplomas Of merit and quite few |
prizes won at flower shows. Quite a lit |
tie oommotion and consid rable amuse- |
ment was caused last summer when 1t be- |
came known that the fruit supplied for |
the banquet breakfast given to the EN- |
peror by one OF the swell regiments OF |
the guards had been purchased from the |
Empress Friedrich's head gardener and |
probably from the Empress herself.
The Grand sDuchess serge OF Russia,
who is the eldest sister Of the .Czarina, Is |
"a superbly beautiful woman, with deli
cately cut features. graceful carriage
and a commanding presence. She pos
sesses many accomplishments, which |
is fortunate, for her domestic life has |
been an unhappy one. she is great |
mimic and actress, and those qualified to |
judge, who have seen her as an amateur, |
declare that in any rank OF life she would |
have won fame and fortune on the
stage.
AS the W lie of Grand Duke Sereius AL
exandrovitch, uncle of the Gar, and the |
Governor General of Moscow, her salon is |
one Of the most brilliant in Europe, AID |
private theatricals, often for char liable |
purposes, are leading feature OF the
seasons pleasures. Boreign actors, sing
ers and artists are welcome guests of the
Grand duchess. A few winters ago "a |
famous actress, with whom the Duchess
was particularly friendly. was EplsyiDg at
the Moscow theatre when she was sud
denly taken i'll only few minutes before |
the beginning of the performance. It was
absolutely impossible for the actress to
appear. ana the management was in de-
spalr. At that moment the Grand Ouch |
ess Serge arrived and was told of her
friends illness and that there "ould be
no performance that evening. Fastening
to the stage, she visited her friend, and
then, after IA brief consultation, an
nounced her readiness to take the leading
part If a different play were substituted,
and upon the management pledge that
her identity should be kept secret. The
leading motor was q particularly hand
some man and the audience was soon
enthusiastic over the unusually fervent
of the hero and heroine on
the stage.
Some police or military officials. how
ever, recognized in the ardent actress the
wife of their Governor-G eneral and hast
ened to inform him of the fact. In few
minutes he was at the theatre. Upon |
seeing bin the Grand Duchess tainted,
The curtain was rung down and his Royal
Highness, never very mild-mannered
man, read the riot act In unmeasured
terms
Another royal amateur actress IL the
Queen of Holland. A few years ago
uaen WilhpImina had q perfect little
theatre built for her own use at her resi-
ience. Here plays are performed under
her direction. with herself and friends in
,he leading roles.