The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-30
FAMOUS WON EN-,
Italy's New Queen Is Fond Of Common


Italy's New Queen Is Fond Of Common
Flowers.
The woman is yet to be found who
has no fondness for flowers be she ever
so rich or so poor; so accomplished or so
ignorant; so practical or so lacking in
taste.
Flowers. the beautiful and fragrant gift
of Nature, appeal TO all-the strong and
weak alike. as music appeals to and
soothes the troubled soul. Thus it is not
strange that every woman with a decided
partiality for flowers should single out
one variety from the rest as ner special
favorite.
Even Queen Victoria in her declining
years worships at the shrine of one love-
ly blossom. Place a bloom Of every spe-
cies of flower that's blooming and
growing before her and she would push
them all aside and select from the gor
geous heap white heather The little
flower has associations which no other
possesses for her. It brings back the days
of her youth; so nothing pleases her
Majety better than an Offering OF white
heather. and in the season her apartments
are plentifully decorated with this same
blossom.
Mrs William Mckinley, wife of Pres:-
dent Mckinley, like Queen Victoria, al
so loves one of the simplest flowers.
costliest specimens of exotics, the greatest
novelties in pure blooms and the latest
horticultural discoveries, it IS said
that she always turns to the simple wild
rose as her choice among flowers.
The lily of the valley enjoys the hon
ored place in the affections OF the Prin-
cess of Wales. In fact she is said 70
have a greater weakness for simple flow
ers than her royal mother-n-laW, the
Queen. She has a great distaste for the
florists huge bouquets and, respecting
this, the simplest and most unassumlng
floral tributes are always presented to her,
even AT the greatest Functions. She has
devoted great deal Of time 20 the cul-
tiva ton of the lily Of the valley, and the
beds and hothouses at Sandringham are
well supplied with these fragrant blooms.
That unassuming, yet rare flower Of the
the Observation-Disclosures beloved by
the Empress Of Germany and many rash
attempts, even to the risk OF life, have
been made to procure an offering for
her; indeed 1t has been stated that the
law in Germany torbidding the pluck
ing OF eidelweiss was suggested by the
Empress herself. Next to this rare flow
er the marguerite claims her preference.
The Duchess Of Marlborough, who was
Miss Consuelo Vanderbilt, Of New York,
has passion for the beautiful nalmaison
carnation and the tables at her dinner
parties in Blenheim are always radiant
with these blossoms, relieved with the
pale green OF their own foliage and the
most delicate sprays OF maidenhair fern.
Next in Her Cfrace's favor are the beau
tiful variegated begonias OF Japan, a rare
collection Of which she has recently
brought to Blenhe.m al fabulous expense.
Queen Helene, the consort of Italy's
lately crowned King, is also devotee to
one particular flower, her fayorite being
the family perfumed gardenia. She sell
dom wears flowers, however, but con-
tents herself with growing them and rem
dering her apartments in the palace at
Rome beautiful with their fragrance.
Roses OF every shade and variety are
the favoritss OF the American Countess
Castellane, whom we remember as Miss
Anna Gould. On any special occasion her
palatial home, near Bots de Boulonge In
Paris. Is always a bower of the Queen Of
flowers.
The Countess sister, Miss Helen Gould,
loved by every American for deeds of
kindness, bestows her affections upon
this country. Next to these exquisite
blooms she cherishes the simple marquee
rite.
Leaving society for the beauties of
the stage. we learn that Miss Ellen Ter
~ has a weakness for wild flowers the
brilliant scarlet poppy in particular. When
staying at her English cottage In Win
chelsea, she often trespasses among the
corn to pluck them for herself, and only
regrets their tendency 10 fade. Miss Ter
~ quite frequently wears bunch of
peoples on the stage and in Godefroi and
Yolande," the effect of her costume fes-
TONED with punches of scarlet peoples is
striking enough 10 excite perpetual re-
membrane, if any such addition were
needed.
Madame Sarah Bernhard cherishes the
violet-the small, sweet-smelling English
vartety-above all other blooms. Her rooms
are always fragrant with them and they
are the only flowers she permits herself
to wear OUT of doors. There is a story that
when Madame Bernhard was once over
whelmed with floral gifts at the conclu-
sion of one of her great successes in her
own country, she neglected the most
costly for a tiny bunch of violets thrown
from the gallery. It was long time be-
fore the young man from whose coat they
had been torn in the excitement could
be convinced that it was for the sake OF
the flowers and not the giVer that she
picked them up and smelling them, grace
fully placed them In her BOSOM
Flowers of all descriptions are loved by
Mrs. de Nevarro, formerly Mary Ander-
son, from the humblest TO the costliest,
but for her favorite she has chosen the
simple little riverside forget-ne-not
There can be no doubt that in her choice
OF her favorite flower woman quite un-#
knowingly afford u.s. in measure an IN
s dex to her character, and as WeshaVe5
seen. the rich and great are more ap-a
pealed to by the simplest blossoms OF nelda
and forest than by those cosby ana i, rare
productions of the horticulture $ arts