The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-02-06
The Truth About
Queen Draga.......

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Draea - Queen Nathalie's Dame
D'Honneur."
Ny sister Draga received her ed
ucation in the Institution Of Frau
hermann, the best school for young
ladies in Belgrade at that time. A
year after she had left the school
her parents (while she was still
very young and almost q child) ar
ranged, without her consent, her
marriage with the mining engineer,
Svetozar Mashin. That marriage
was not happy, more especially be-
cause her husband was addicted
hopelessly to intemperance. Hell
family discovered that fact when 1t
Was too late. That marriage last
cd two years and few months. l:
was childless.
As a young widow she lived a
very retired life with her mother
and her younger sisters and broth
ers. Their income was very small
and poor Draga, the future queen
Of Servia, was obliged to undertake
literary work to improve the fami-
lys material position. She trans
lated for a Servian newspaper Xavier
Montepin's novel, THE Cats Eye
Much later on. as Queen of Servia,
she said on one occasion, In the
presence of all the ministers: Il
am not ashamed of having been once
poor woman, and having tried to
neIp myself by literary work"
In such circumstances she lived
up TO the autumn OF the year 1891,
3hen Queen Nathalie invited her to
come to Biarritz to act as her dame
d'honneur, or court lady. From that
time to the autumn OF 1897 she lived
at the court OF Queen Nathalie. For
all that time her life was perfectly
pure and her conduct absolutely
honorable. Queen Nathalie can, and
must, confirm that fact If she fears
God! She was even considered as
strange creature" and irreproach
able character. On one occasion d
Spanish Infanta was dining with
Queen Nathalie, who was describing
to her royal guest the character and
manner of life Of her dame d'hon-
neur. Whereupon the Spanish prin-
cess exclaimed: But is that pos
sible? And is she in a normal state
of health?"
In this connection 1 may mention
that my sister Draga was always well
received at the court of Spain, and
she was the subject Of much gra-
cious sympathy on the part of the
Queen Regent Christine and of the
then little boy. King Alfonso. By
special desire of Queen Christine she
accompanied Queen Nathalie twice
to San Sebastian. When General
Franassovich went as Servia's special
ambassador to Madrid Ton the occas-
ion Of King Alfonsos coming of age)
lnfanta Eulalia spoke to him of the
sympathy which all the members of
the Spanish royal family had for
Queen Draga.
Queen Nathalie used to laugh at
Dragas ideaistic notions of love. y
Things do not happen nowadays
Draga. as you would wish them to
happen" Queen Nathalie used often
to say to her. Don't expect anyone
to come to play mandoline under
your window" On another occasion
she said, You, Draga. seem to wait
for wonderful Prince of Folk.
Lore!"
Queen Draga was then only TWEEN.
ty-eight or twenty-five years old
She was daily in the company OF
handsome, elegant, AID witty French
and Spanish noblemen. There Is nc
man who could boast that he dared
say an equivocal word in Draga's
presence. Her conduct was abso.
lutely correct, dignified and proud
She knew well that her future was
not at all secure in the service OF
Queen Nathalie. Six weeks after
her arrival in Biarritz she had reason
enough to weep over her destiny
1t was bitter life which my sis
ter had to lead at the side Of the am
bilious and heartless Queen Natha
lie. Always delicate in health, she
was not always able to hold gu
during the famous long AMI fatigu
ing walks" Of Queen Nathalie. L
was due to Draga's unsatisfactory,
strength in walking that the frs
disagreeable scenes happened be
tween Queen Nathalie and Draga
Besides, she could not comply will