The Washington times., 1902-10-01
OLD WORLD TOPICS.

embarrassment to their recipients. Thus
the late King Humbert's popularity
among his subjects was graveIy inn
paired for many years by his accept
ance of colonelcy in the Austrian
army on the occasion of his visit with
Queen Marguerite to Vienna some twen-
ty years ago. The very name of Austria
is execrated in Italy, and the idea that
their King should have donned uni
form the aspect of which revived mem-
ories Of Austrian tyranny and despotism
In Italy was deeply repugnant to all OF
Humbert's lieges. Indeed. for several
years following his visit to Vienna he
was frequently subjected to hissings and
to cries of either down with or ito
death with the Austrian colonel"
The late King Alfonso of Spain. too.
was not only hooted. but actually pelted
by the mob in the streets of Paris on
his arrival in the French capital for the
purpose of paying state visit. the in
dignation of the populace- having been
aroused TO the boiling pitch against him
by his acceptance of the coloneIcy of a
Prussian lancer regiment from old EN-
peror William.
or all the German troops who figured
IN the invasion of France in 1870, there
were none that left more feared and
consequently detested name than the
Lancers, or Uhlans. and the fact that
King Alfonso should have accepted the
colonelcy Of a regiment belonging to this
particular branch of the Prussian army
seemed to the Partisan mob a sort of
additional insult. Yet neither King AL
fonso nor the late King Humbert was
In position TO have declined the hon.
orary colonelcies offered without deeply
ahronting the sovereign by whom the
compliment was paid.
While there are any number Of hon.
orary colonels in petticoats, every ?rus-
sian and Russian princess of the blood
being the titular commander Of some
regiment or other. there is but one fem
mime admiral. namely, Queen Olga Of
Greece. who, partly on account of her
love of the sea. partly by reason OF her
skill in handling a boat in all kinds of
weather, but mainly on account of her
kindness to Russian sailors in the great
hospital which she has established at
Athens, was appointed by the late Car
% the rank of honorary admiral Of the
Muscovite navy.
Talking of petticoats serves to recall
he strange idiosyncrasies of some Of
The royal princes Of Europe, several Of
whom. mentally unbalanced, carried
heir eccentricity to such an extent az
o decline to wear anything but petti-
oats.
Thus Prince Alexander of the Neither
ands, stepbrother of the prrsent Queen
If Holland, and who after the death OF
,oor "Citron'' succeeded him as Prince
If Orange and as heir apparent t0the
Dutch throne, not only insisted on wear--~
ng feminine garments throughout the
losing years of his life, but likewise
ave explicit directions that ne should
e buried wearing an orange quilted
ClliCOtty SoA DCd III AiS dWdAtS thS
of the recording angel on .Iudg-
nent Day.
The Saxe-Coburg great grandfather of
King Edward, who died in 1872, was pos
essed by the same species of craze, and
sed invariably to appear at breakfast
ressed in full feminine garb. with a
ainty little lace cap perched on the
londe wig with which he adorned his
cad. He was far from good-looking,
nd squinted horribly, so that the spec
acle which he presented was ludicrous
q the extreme.
Great preparations are being made in
ussia for the celebration next year of
lie 200th birthday of st. Petersburg.
hich was founded a couple of centuries
go on the dismal swamp at the mouth of
lie River Neva by Peter the Great. l
ear that invitations are 20 be ad-
ressed by the municipality of st. Pc
,rsburg to the mayors of the leading
ties of Europe and America to take
art In the festivities.
MARQUISE DE FONTENOY
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