The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-06-15

VI Lnt NlNnNnA mis- fAANNahANAf IT'S
low tastes. reckless extravaganza, ami
dissolute habits were his ruin. and in
1889 he was forced to abdicate in fav-
or OF his son. Milans death Is a mat
ter of recent history, as the marriage
Of Alexander to Nine Draga Maschin,
who had been a lady-in-waiting to his
mo her. ex-Queen Natalie
While hardly of age Alexander
shocked ali Europe and upset the
plans Of many royal matchmakers by
pu' ting aside a number Of matrimon-
ial offers. and announe his inten-
tion Of marrying Ns. Maschin.
There was q terrific stir over this af-
fair, and The powers used every man
ner of persuasion to break of the
nuptials. Alexander stuck to his in
tentions. and married Draga who was
ten or fifteen years his senior. The
Serbs at first cheered their young
king for his independence Of action.
but soon grew to bitterly hate queen
Draga..
The king went So .ar as to fall in
love with Dragas younger and pret-
tier sister and had her brought to the
royal palace, which now became the
scene of god old fashioae three cor
nered rows. exactly such IS occur in
the households Of common citizens
Meanwhile the people been to muir
mur. Some factions supported ,te
young king others stood OH agaiast
him. All parties cem5iHec to hate
Queen Draga, and the h-sedy now
reported from Gelgrade is the appar-
ent result Of the dissatisfaction.
There was only one thing on which
ex-King Milan and Green Natalie
we're agreed, and that was on the
question of Alexanders marriage to
Nine. Draga, King Milan declared the
marriage should never be consum.
mated. With this opposition Queen
Natalie vehemently agreed But the
young king was supported by the Rus
sian emperor. who sent Lis represen-
tative to aid to the pomp Of the nup-
tials. The frontier was guarded by
troops and grand celebration was
hel dia honor of the new queen.
Then Servia expected an heir to
the throne. for upon a possible heir
depends the stability Of the dynasty.
King Milan renounced a return to
the throne in his abdication, and no
heir to Alexander's regime meant the
remuneration of King Milan's citizen
Ship.
The turbulent expectancy of an heir,
and violent disappointment. has had
much 10 60 with the peoples grow
ing disfavor, as well as with serious
troubles between the king and queen.
For year this disappointment Of the
people has been verging into an in
nammable rage. ready to be fired into
insurrection by political manipulators,
THE king has been surrounded by enc
mics in his household and among his
peasant subjects, as we!l as among
his political advisers.
An old servian prophecy condemn
ed the eighth anointed king to reign
but brief period, and declared that
the regime should end in violence.
King Milan refused to be anointed,
whether as a shield from supersti-
tious doom or personal stubbornness,
is not recorded. But alexander. the
last descendant OF the Obrenovitch
dynasty. was anointed, and as the
eighth monarch who was so conse
Grated, stood before his kingdom as
ne victim of the old tradition.
Queen Natalie. mother Of the murd
cred king had an unhappy career as
queen Of seryia In 1875. when she
married King Milan. she was young
and beautiful. Her husband was a
brute however, and domestic troubles
hegan almost Immediately, until the
IServian court became the laughing
stock of Europe. A divorce was OBJ
tanned by the King. and Natalie anC
young Alexander went into exile.
The boy was forcibly taken from his
mother in Berlin and carried back tC
the father at Belgrade
In 1893 there was a sort of recon
ciliation between ex-KIng Milan anG
Natalie. but the breach was soon re
neved Estranged and exiled, Queer
Natalie went to southern France, re
turning at times to servia for brie
periods.
Natalie was a daughter Of Russian
colonel.
servia a Small Kingdom.
Servia one of the smallest mon