The Washington times., 1901-09-29
ITALY'S MOUNTAIN QUEEN.
Hnmbert Loves and Sometimes
ScOIds His ReynI spouse.


| queen Helena of Italy is one of the most
attractive of the royal pensonages of Eu-
rope she has both youth and beauty on
her SIDE and is more than usually domes-
t'c In her tastes for one in her station.
She is not what would be called a strong
minded woman. On the contrary, like all
orientals and semi-OrientaIs. she learned
at her fathers court in Montenegro that
the woman is less than the man, that the
wife Is to be governed by the husband
But II not strong minded she is high-min,f-
ed-a woman who. as Crispi said of her,
VIII govern without seeming to do so,
Just by her gentleness and grace and
quiet dignity; and because she would gen.
orally be right in her Judgment and al
ways in her Intentions
Humbert used playfully to call her ''the
little mountain savage" an Illusion to
certain delightfully."- unroyal ways and
tastes which Helena had acquired at her
fathers curiously home-like, unpreten-
tious Court. Nil1ita, the old-fashioned
mountain prince of Montenegro. who al
ways wears the rich Oriental costume of
the mountain chiefs, his ancestors. insist
cd that all his sons and daughters should
Know some useful trade or profession
Helen& became an excellent cook. skilled
ooth IN preparing plain roast and boiled
anu III lnt connection of the curious
sweetmeats and articles of '.pdtisserie''
Tor which Orientals have so decided n
taste.
Helena is fond of bicycles and frequent
~ takes long rides. generally accompanied
by the King, but sometimes alone. One
DAY when the King was too busy with af
fairs of state to accompany her the Queer
went out cycling without him. accom-
panied only by a lady in waiting. AS
luck would have it. descending the steep
oilve-iined hill that leads toward the blue
way, the prlncess-it was before she be-
zane the eeueen-ran into an oNcart laden
win win barrels of wine and was thrown vio-
ientIy- AFTER suffering good deal of
apuse a. from the half-tipsy driver she had
Her companion rode Before her to the
palace; Arrived home she was met by
.he 1inee. with anger in his eye.
YOU do not look like the princess of
princess of Naples has the right to enter
IN bicycling dress by the grand stair
am very sorry" said the princess,
an covered with confusion, and brought
ner machine round to the servants en-
,ar;,, n,tnce, Wnen she made her way to the
III was stern lesson. She never again
went OUT on her machine without her hus-
Dd!id. another of the Kings little manias
is that he will not allow his wife to receive
any personal compliments. A Iady of the
Tpurt once expressed approval OF Queen
fielenas long and beautiful hair. of which
iei rs ctTlHlnly q little vain, The |
hople dame received her congo immedjafe-
rscai.ca ~ ana returned to her home. The Queen
q = sa slseu IN pubic dry recommendation
10 recognize that in her exalted position
perSohaI hattery was an insult
Inc Queen always had q passionate love
OF children. In Naples she was noted for
Her haplt OF making sudden descents upon
the biack-eyed little bambini playing in
the streets and tossing the bewildered
urchins in the air to make them crow.
~ IS chaTacteristic OF Queen Helena that
she should have decided to celebrate her
own paby's birth by presenting every
baby born in Rome or Naples on the |
same day with handsome cradle or 100
llre tsZol. Characteristic also, by the way,
OF the highly intelligent citizens of Ma
pies that some 400 local families put in a |
demand for the cradle or the cash: the |
ngures would mean a birthrate that II |
long continued, would rapidly make the |
old town the most populous centre in the !
world. Despite the manifest tri kerry. the |
royal present is to be handed over to the |
happy babies There could not be too |
many of them to please the kindly-heart- |
eo Queen of Italy. And this though she |
pays the bill out of her own pocket-she |
insists on that. sd