Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-10
BORN TO THE PURPLE.
Bulgarian Children of the Blood
Royal.
From the New York Tribune

from the New York Tribune.
There is scarcely a throne i'm Europe
whose occupant is not directly or indirect-
ly related to the four little children who
race in and out of the big white stucco pal
ace in Sofia, Bulgaria, or, accompanied 10y
the royal guards in scarlet liveries ana
mounted on coal black horses, ride clatter-
ing up and down the wide, paved streets OF
the Bulgarian capital.
The boys-Boris, Prince of Tirnova ana
heir to the throne. and his younger brother,
Kiril, Prince Of Preslav-are beginning 10
ride horseback themselves but the little
maids, dainty Princess EudoXia and tiny
Princess Nadezhda, who was born only on
the day preceding her mothers death, oc-
cupy the royal coach with their German
nurse. While it is said the Bulgarian peas
ant folks do not like Prince Ferdinand,
whom they still count an aristocratic alien
and responsible for the deficit in their treas
ury, they are devoted to these children,
born among them and inheriting the sweet
face and gentle, kindly ways that endeared
their mother to them. She was always low
ingly called the Yellow Rose of Parma"
and at her death the entire nation mourned.
AS the children take their daily ride
through the paradoxical city, where ad
Turkish houses, with roofs tiled or covered
with flattened out Russian Kerosene cans,
are in sharp contrast to the fine new. par
Lament house the national theater, whose
name is Tears and Laughter and other
new state buildings, they bow right and left
to all the peasant children. who return the
salutation with broad grins OF delight ana
clumsy curtSeyS.
The native Bulgarian children are neith-
er pretty nor gra ceful. but they are good,
solid. notwithstanding little mortals-
Their high cheekbones and rather oblique
eyes bespeak their Finnish origin. and their
propensity to quarrel with each other when
flying their brown paper kites or playing
ball tells of the wild Illyrian blood of some
of their ancestors. Even their language is
harsh and unmusical. The feminine name
Grace, in the Bulgarian tongue, turns TO
Buggerdot.
their black hair pleated in tight pigtails,
while the boys have their hair cut square
In the neck, and wear clumsy black caps of
astrakan or sheepskin. Their stockings are
Of homespun wool, knitted in gay stripes
and never fastened up tight and trim.
tied about their ankles, although some have
adopted a heavy sort of brogan. All tho
clothing for the children is woven by their
mothers on the native looms, and does not
easily wear out. The boys have coarse
trousers coming nearly to their ankles, and
shapeless jackets of the same material,
while the girls have homespun dresses OF
Blue and aprons that look like strips Of gay
rag carpet.
The contrast between these children OF
the people and the little princesses in their
pretty European dresses is most noticea-
bic TO outsiders, but the children themselves
never seem to think of it. The princes,
Boris and Kiril, now wearing the regu-
lar uniform of Bulgarian officers. for Prince
Boris and Kiril, are now wearing the regu-
ment of Foot, the 4th Regiment OF Cavalry
and the Sd Regiment of Artillery.