The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-06-16
AND DRAGA
Anecdotes Of Servia's Late King
and Queen.
INCIDENTS OF RULERS BoYHooD.

I -
now Ne Rebelled ri Being Parted
From his Mother When she Was
naniSbed From Observation-Disclosures
of MS Courage and Democratic
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of queen Draga
and Her DISCRIMINATION to Rule
servia.
Henry W. Fischer, well known
newspaper writer relates the follow
ing incidents in the early life Of Alex
ander L, the late king Of servia:
Alexander was but twelve years old
when King Milan, his father, issued
the decree banishing the queen from
Belgrade and commanding that the
crown prince should be taken from
her. Mother and son were at that time
quietly living In wlesbaden, and, as
everybody knows, Prince Bismarck
backed up the servian government in
the dastardly attempt Of enforcing its
rulings on foreign soil
The boy was as much opposed to re-
turn to Belgrade without his mother
as Queen Natalie to separate from her
son. The Princess Mornssi, cousin to
the queen, tried In vain to argue with
Alexander.
Il will not follow papa's command.
| will stay with mamma" was Alex
ander's persistent reply to all her en-
treaties.
But" said the princess, 'the Ger
man government also demands your
departure
1.-THE German government has no
right to interfere with the crown
prince Of seryia,' cried Alexander in
return
"You must obey or they will take
| You by force"
Upon this announcement the boy
leaned back in his chair for a few min
utes in speechless establishment and
then, stamping his foot with a fierce
/ determination, strange in one so young,
sobbed:
II will never forgive Germany for
this.p
When later, the chief Of police Of
Wiesbaden arrived to read the imperial
decree to the queen, Alexander walked
up to his mothers side and declared.
/ with much dignity:
Your majesty must not permit this
/ insult! It Is debasing for us to even
listen to this man.
Alas. this brave face did not avail
much. on the following day he was
turned over to his fathers messenger
and conveyed TO Belgrade by special
| train.
During the journey. lasting nearly
three days. the prince spoke to General
I Proctics, his new governor, but once.
When Proctics asked him ON the sec
ond evening. "Why don't you so to
sleepfe he answered him in the sig
nlficant words. Because must pray
for poor papa"
Tho anecdotes bespeaking Alexan-
ders personal courage and his demo-
cratic tendencies are legion. When
scarcely eleven years old he spent the
/ summer with his mother In Baden,
near Vienna. His chief delight was
bathing at a public open air establish
ment frequented by the townspeople-
The customers of the bath We're, Of
course. divided in swimmers, for whom
d large and deep basin was reserved,
and monswimmers, who had to con
| tent themselves with wading round in
shallow water. Alexander hated shall
low water and at once entered upon
i swimming lessons. AS he took to the
element like the proyerbial duck bis
/ teacher promised to promote him to the
swimming basin after the tenth les
son.
When, however, on the ninth day the
teacher was preparing to tangle tht
crown prince on the pole and line the
boy gave him the slip and jumped of
the boards into deep water, where b.
at once began sporting with the othel
boys Or. Dokics, his tutor, who was
responsible for his person, ran up anc
down alongside the basin entreatine
his royal highness to at once return t
terra firma. The only satisfaction h'
got was. ooh, yes will come out a
soon as | feel tired.
II win inform her majesty Of YOU
conduct" cried the doctor in despair
ooh, you will, will your gave bacl
/ Alexander, sticking out his tongue a
the same time as far as II would g
and turnington his back TO let himself
float down the stream while he en-
couraged his playfellows to join in Bit
impudent jest.
4 On another occasion, when BE wa'
already king in name, Alexander show
ed his true democracy even in more
pronounced form He had been on /
lonely drive in Budapest. Gettins
thirsty, be babe his eoachman TO hal
in front Of one of the open air beer gar
dens on Andrassy street. There the
young King alighted, handed the cabbs
cigarette and then sat down at ia
bic near the sidewalk. He ordered
two glasses Of beer, and when th'
waiter brought them told him to TAKE
one beer to the cabby.
- ~