The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-25
Love Matches Are
Made by Tom
boy Princesses.
Primitive Ruler Is
More Absolute
Than Gar.

foreign traveller to Prince Nicholas.
Monsieur" replied the reigning
monarch Of Montenegro, you forget
my daughters"
The retort was justified, for queer
little Montenegro has supplied two
monarchs and three other important
royal personages with wives. One
Montenegrin Princess is the present
Queen Of Italy and another now would
be Queen Of Servia but for her pre-
mature death, while three other
daughters of Prince Nicholas are the
Grand Duchess Militia of Russia, the
. Duchess Anastasia Of Leuchtenberg
and Princess Anna Of Battenberg re-
spectively.
The number Of brides which
Montenegro has supplied to the courts
: Of Europe is altogether disproporuon-
ate 10 the size and importance Of the
little country. Montenegro has an
area Of $500 square miles and ppou-
lation OF a quarter Of million Inc
capital. Cettinje, is a village with
population Of 5000. The princely pal
ace in which so many distinguished
royal brides were born and brought up
IS a modest structure in which a mod
erately successful American trades
man would never condescend to dwell
Conditions of life in Montenegro are
primitive in the extreme. The reign
ing Prince is more of an absolute
ruler than the Car Of Russia and at
convenient intervals he erects a trib-
unal under an immense tree in front
OF his palace and there administers
justice TO his subjects in partriarchal
style The Princes income from the
public excheQuer does not suffice TO
supply his needs and he supplements
il in various ways. He lets out the
royal horses on hire to drag loads
from the two Montenegrin ports to
the interior. is part proprietor Of the
Grand Hotel at Cettinje and possesses
the monopoly Of picture postcards in
his country.
The Princes partner in the owner
ship Of the Grand Hotel, who man.
ages that establishment, is also Min
lister Of Commerce and has a seat IN
the Nontenegrin Cabinet. The Min
lister Of Foreign Affairs goes about the
streets of the capital in the pictur-
esQue native costume of many colors
with two huge revolvers stuck into his
belt and a recent visitor to Cettinje
found the Minister of War sweeping
the floor Of the arsenal in which
Nontenegro's artillery is stored.
There are no railways in Monte
negro and the majority Of the people
can neither read nor write. On the
other hand, although some Of the rea-
lures Of Western civilization are want
ing, Montenegro is almost free from
both drunkenness and gambling.
Prince Nicholas. in his benevolent
absolutsm, has decreed that any
Montenegrin found drunk shall be de-
prived Of his right Of carrying arms,
this being the most humiliating pun
ishment that can be inflicted on these
Balkan warriors. A severe penalty IS
also imposed on those found gambling.
ENJOY GREAT LIBERTY.
In these delightful surroundings the
Processes Of Montenegro grew up to
be splendid specimens Of womanhood.
AS children they enjoyed the greatest
liberty and escaped the restraints of
court etiquette, which are the curse
of most royal boys and girls In the
severe winters which are experienced
in the country of the black hills. as
Montenegro is called in the Balkans.
the Princesses were encouraged to
harden their constitutions by sleigh
ing, running in snow shoes, skating
and INDUCING in other cold weather
sports and pastimes. At the warmer
seasons Of the year they made long
excursions into the wooded and noun
famous interior and paid frequent Wis
its TO the Princes villa on the shore
OF the Adriatic Sea By the time they
were in their teens they could ride a
bareback horse, drive a four-in-hand.
hunt and shoot, swim and sail or row
boat to perfection.
While thus enjoying childhood to
the fun the royal girls were educated
by French and German tutors and
governesses, who polished off the
roughness which might otherwise
have become apparent in their char
acters. Prince Nicholas allowed each
OF his daughters 10 run wild in Mon
tenegro until Is years Of age. after
which the Processes were sent to vi
emma and Paris to gain a knowledge
Of the western world with its totally
different manners and customs. After
attaining her seventeenth birthday
each Princess spent six months of the
year abroad and six months in Mon
tenegro ana this plan proved to be an
+. effective education. The Montenegro
Princesses developed from tonaboy
girls into women Of unusual grace and
beauty. OF exceptional personal dis
tinction and Of remarkable talent in
many directions.
shortly after New Years day in
1889 the Grand Duke Peter NichoI
aieVitch Of Russia. cousin of the
Gar. was paying a visit to Paris. He
was then 81 the impressionable age of
IS and on the boulevards one day his
eye was attracted by a young lady
whose style Of beauty was something