Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-14

attractive Pen Picture OF the Person
aiity of Helene

Correspondence the London Pail Mall Gazette.
Naturally the whole town Is Sill entirely
taken up with the royal family. The
M1nza pacpIe are very sorry for them
selves They recognize the fact that by
no fault of their own they are about to be
deprived of what constituted their chief
pride and source of wealth, the presence
every year for several months Of the court.
They acknowledge that il Is imp oss.hle TO
expect King Victor Emmanuel III to come
yearly to a place Of recollections so tragic.
And what shall we do them" they ask in
chorus "Oh, he villaIn!' Such ia their
evaporation that really. without exagger-
alton could they lay hands on the regic.de
his life would not have a moments pur-
chase.
Besides its unhappy memories. the royal
villa Of Monza Is not adapted fer the sum-
mer residence Of the young king and queen.
1t is fiat and. except an ample park with
magniIcen. roads FIR Bicycling. has no at
fractions for an active person The tastes
Of Vio.or Emmanuel Ii. and especially
Of his queen. ara all OF a Sporting kind.
as the Italians say. using the English
word. First ard remest with her comes
the sea. After that shoe tng and climb ng
are her passions. No N II;enegrin lives
who does MT l1yc climbing and cannot
shoot 1t is IN the blood ard the 1'alians,
who consider queen MaTgherita a marvel,
are likely % see feats Of endurance in
their present queen hat VIII strike them
with awe. The las. time the Prin-
cess of Naples was In NOntene gro she an
nounced her in'en ion Of TeVsiting on foot
the mountains alb Jut CeIt gne Her Italian
ladies in waiting glanced at each other IN
CONSERVATION and all. with one exception.
begged - be excused. the request being
good-natUreGly granted. one. however.
young and lovely. ambitious for the favor
If her mis-
and go, too The next morning at all
had gathered except the venturesome lady,
who at last appeared in a gown with "A
train, which. however, had been all care
fully pinned up scent be tie IN hand ana
In high heel=d. thin Kid slippers. The prin-
cess took IN his vision and remarked. srnil-
ingly. that she looked pale, that evidently
she was not feeling we'll and had better
not undertake 50 arduOlis climb. The
hint was accepted she stayed behind. but
lost no hing. she has since been prime
tavorite. and often laughs over the Incl
dent with her royal friend who says.
Never forget again that you are orna-
mental.
OF shooting the queen is past mistress
In land where every one shoots where,
II is said. the children, boys and girls. are
born with rifles in their hands against the
Turks, she IS considered an exceptional
shot. Her father. Prince Nicola is in
tensely proud Of her achievements. and
says he would willingly let her shoot an
apple off his head If she could only be in
duCed To try. III Is much easier for
Helene to hit than To miss" ne says. at
is instinct hat she sees straight" and that
Straight regard is one OF her characters
tics in Intercourse with people. No wayer-
ing. no roundabout ways: she looks you
straight in the eye addresses you a simple
question and expects. and usually receives
d direct answer. She employs perhaps
less of the suavi-y usual in courts, and is
rather terrible to moIal backsliders, bu.
she Is honest and, perhaps better, good.
My own opinion is THAI she will not be
very popular at first with the nation at
large. She IS handsome. but not of d
beauty 10 appeal particularly to Italians
Tall and graceful. with small head. she
has complexion almost yellow IN It's sal
lowness, with large eyes. round rather
than long. and of an exceptional beauty
of expression. But she lacks gracious
ness Of manner. her serious face as she
drives through the streets certainly not
adding 10 her popularity. Her position for
some time Will be of exceptional di.hculty,
taking. as she does, the place of Queen
Margherita, who smiles on the people as
though she were delighted with them, and
10 ever accessible TO the calls of mercy
Queen Helene Is so. too, l am sure but
she has yet to prove IL.