The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-17

az ATtOIBt Stlu III n p'S0i~
mistic moment the happiest wo-
men are those who have no his-
tories. then must pretty Princess
Irene OF Prussia live in state Of
earthly bliss Who and what Is
she? We know she Is the wife OF GER
many's populas~ sailor prince, Henry,
that she Is the sister-in-law OF Emper-
or William. also of Car Nicholas, also
OF Grand Duke Sergius of Russia, also
that she was the third daughter of the
late Grand Duke Ludwig ~. OF Hesse'
who married the English Princess Al
ice, Queen Victoria's favorite daughter,
and that. therefore. besides being SIS
ter-in-law TO so many royalties Prin-
cess Henry e the granddaughter Of
Englands lamented queen, who-may
she rest in glory-had descendants
enough TO furnish on call "A husband or
wife 10 every ruling house OF Europe
when one was needed. Both the prin-
cess and her husband are therefore
grandchildren of Queen Victoria and
first cousinsi more than that even, for
queen Victoria herself married her
cousin. Prince Henry OF Prussia and
his wife are consequently by blood al
most as much English as German.
old. but looks very youthful That
must be because she has no history
and is therefore happy. She was mar
ried In 1883. three weeks before the
death OF her illustrious father-in-law.
Emperor Frederick OF Prussia. Henry
was the favorite son of 10th his father
and mother and married with the dy-
ing emperor's blessing Frederick was
unable TO speak his fatherly blessing
because of the terrible cancer that was
eating out his throat and his life, but
ne wrote his congratulations upon a
slip of paper and pressed It feebly into
Henry's hands, and il contained these
words, inexpressibly touching: You at
least have never given me a moments
sorrow and will make az good hus-
band as you have been a loving son"
To his credit II is recorded that
Henry fulfilled the prophecy and from
that day to this has been as good q
husband as II he were just "a plain.
common laborer living in a cottage
and not prince at all. IL is pleasant
to think there is at least one good hus-
band among the royalties of Europe.
showing that the thing is possible aft
er all. Then, too, Princess Irene IL SO
fair, bright and sweet a woman that
Americans like to think she is happy.
A German paper tells us that she, first
as the betrothed, then as the bride of
young Henry was his only stay and
consolation in the troubled days in
which, very close together. Emperors
William l. and Frederick died, or
when, quoting the words of a German
paper. our hero kaiser and his glori-
Gus son closed their eyes forever"
Prince and Princess Henry have
three sons. Waldemar. Sigismund and
Henry. Baby Henry was born I'm 1900,
while his papa, who is now admiral of
all the German fleets. was still in Chi
ma. Prince Henry betook himself To
China at the beginning OF the disturb
ances there and remained two years.
There his wife paid him a visit at the
German settlement on the coast. and
an English paper I'm it's toadyish anx-
iety to pay compliment TO a relative
of British royalty said
The presence OF the gentle princess
in the German settlement OF China,
where their royal highnesses were inn
mensely popular, did much toward
reconcilng the Chinese for the loss OF
territory"
Which statement this being America
and free country may be safely TAX
en- with allowances. The princess eld-
est son. Waldemar, twelve years old.
has been lately appointed by Emperor
William a lieutenant i'm the First Prus-
sian footguards. Sigismund. the second
son. was born I'm 1895.
Now we know whose wife daughter
and sister-in-law Princess Henry 10
and how many sons she has and how
oil n
be all anybody would care TO know