Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-25
PENNILEss ROYALTY.
Kings and Queens Sometimes Abroad
Without Even Cab Fare.


There are probably few people who,
| at one time CT another, have not ex-
perienced the embarrassment and an
| noyance of finding themselves penni-
| less at a very awkward time; and even
royal personages and millionaires with
all the wealth at their command, not
| infrequently find themselves in this
humiliating predicament.
| Not many weeks ago Queen Maria
Christina, mother of the young ..ing
Of Spain, when passing through Paris
on her way to Baden Baden, attended
mass at the Madeleine. At the close
of the service, when a priest presented
the aims box to her Majesty. she felt
for her purse and, not finding it.
flushed. and turned in embarrassment
to her daughter, the Princess of Astu-
rias.
| The princess, however, was IN the
same penniless plight, and the two roy
al ladies were on the point OF despair
when, fortunately, the Duchess dAlbe,
who was sitting near, came to the res
cue and handed a piece of gold to the
queen, which. with a smile of relief,
she dropped into the box.
| A similar misadventure befell the
| Crown Princess Stephanie some time
ago. The princess and her daughter
| were rambling in the country near
| Vienna, when, wearied and heated with
their long walk, they called at way
| side inn and purchased some fruit and
milk. When the Crown Princess felt
for her purse she found to her dismay
that her pocket was empty, and the
little Princess Elizabeth was equally
| impecuniouS.
The landlady, seeing the position of
things, waxed wrathful and refused to
trust her unknown visitors; whereupon
the little princess exclaimed indig-
nantly, with flashing eyes and stamp
of her foot. How dare you! We are
honest people!"
The late Queen of the Belgians,
| whose pathetic life ended SO recently,
had the very unpleasant experience of
reaching her husband as literally
penniless bride. On her journey from
Austria to Belgium the archduchess
and her suite stayed for a short tir-
at Aixla- Chapelle. where the officer
in charge of her purse lost every franc
of his MISTRESS money at the gaming
table, afterward blowing his brains out
| in despair.
The archduchess thus found herself
absolutely penniless, and unable even
to pay the hotel bill she had incurred.
| During the remainder of her journey
she was dependent on the hospitality
| of strangers to whom her identity was
| revealed, and she arrived at Brussels,
as she used to say, ''as destitute as
| King Cophetua's beggar BRIDE
| Curiously enough, some years later
her royal spouse himself was reduced
to similar straits. During one of his
many long rambles incognito he found
| himself, when darkness was setting in.
near Enghen, in Hainault and he
sought shelter for the night at a small
wayside inn, where he was Hospitality
entertained.
| When, however. his host presented
his very modest bill of three francs on
the following morning, the king found
to his horror that his purse had either
been lost or stolen. The landlord was
furious at what he regarded as an i'm
position. and threatened to hand over
his guest to the law.
But l am your king" Leopold ex-
claimed.
But that is very unlikely" boniface
answered, with laugh of derision:
kings don't wander about the coun-
try with empty pockets. All. no."
The matter was finally arranged by
the king depositing his watch with his
host; and for long afterward he would
humorously speak of himself as the
King without franc"
The late Jay Gould, the American
millionaire, used to tell with much hui
NOR n story of one of his London add
ventures. He had taken a hanson
from the west end to the City, where
he wished to transact some business
and was Mortified to find on leaving
the cab that he had not brought his
purse with him. He explained the
state OF things to the cabman. and
asked him to wait a moment while he
entered the adjacent office and Dor
rowed the fare.
"Oh! that won't do for me-" cabby
answered, with determination. I've
been had that way before and the
party has slipped out at the back
But l am Mr.. Jay Gould, of whom
you may have heard" the millionaire
protested.
Mr.. Gold, are you?" cabby asked,
sarcastcally. Il don't want gold, sill
ver's good enough for me-" and the
matter only ended by the millionaire
being escorted into the office by his
cabman, who did not lose touch of his
convoy until his fare was in his pocket.
| London Post.
|