The Washington herald., 1910-10-02
SOCIAL GOSSIP OF
FOREIGN CAPITALS

Seldom have so many European thrones
been occupied at one and the same time
by monarchs whose offspring still are in
or near the nursery room as they are at
the present moment. This lack Of mar
riageaDle princesses no doubt is one OF
the causes that the youthful Manuel OF
Portugal still Is In the market. But then
the deplorable double tragedy at Lisbon.
which cut short the lives of King Car
los the Fat and his son and heir by the
bullets OF assassins. while returning
from church in an open barouche, per-
haps also has something to do with a
seemingly pronounced aversion on the
part of prlneely demoiselles TO wear a
crown as thorny as that or little Lusi-
tania. with a prospect of an untimely
and violent death. They are a rum lot,
these latter day Portuguese OF the two
largest cities OF the land Lisbon and
Oporto. where the struggle 10 throw OFF
the hated yoke of the foreigners" (the
reigning house at present through inter-
marriage. is German 90 SAKE COburg-
though II cannot be said truthfuIlS
that the former dynasty (Braganza) was
a whit better-rather far worse) But
the primitive tiIlers OF the soil have been
brought up In unwavering loyalty 20
their former rulers. who were stanch
Catholics. and not only so by adoption
upon ascending the throne. Not to speak
Of the wastefulness Of the late Carlos.
who stopped at nothing to get much
needed cash from the state treasury for
his favortes at the cost of the public
veal. the land well nigh being ruined by
exorbitant taxation.
There is a scarcity OF royal brides IN
Europe. that is true, and were 1t not
for the newly-made kingdom OF Monte
negro. the natives call their eraggy noun
tain fastness Czernagora. meaning Black
Mountains. or In civilized language Mon
tenegro, there would be still less. As Il
Is there are eight of them among the
eighteen principal courts, Of whom, Of
course, the most ennobled is the Ger
man Emperor's only daughter. Princess
Victoria Louise just turned eighteen. But
she is hardly for Manuel. More likely
her father has his eagle eye upon the
heir to the Austrian throne. Archduke
Franz Ferdinand. whom the Kaiser is 10
visit shortly at his Alpine estate, Cron-
berg. That both courts are silently agreed
upon the union. Is well understood In the
inner circles al Berlin and Vienna
Denmark has two princesses Of kingly
degree. Tyra, aged thirty, and her TWEEN
ty-yeaT-Old sister. Dsgmar. In England.
Trfvaaua d. - L N0rg-
cess Alexandra OF Fife are the only two
Of sufficient age 10 contemplate matri-
mony. Patricia's name persistently IS
coupled with that OF the Marques OF
Anglesea. Carl Of Uxbridgel. Of the Ia
mouse house OF Paget- Alexandra, the
grandchild OF the late King Edward. has
been prevented from making her debut
al buckingham Palace by her grand
fathers death
There are three more manageable
ladies' to be accounted for. but neither Of
them Of very noble lineage and where
Portugals king is hardly likely 10 look
for his queen. Princess Helene Of Ser
via is rather plain and twenty-slx. while
Xenia and Vara Of Montenegro are both
getting on in years There are some Aus
TRAN and German princesses but not
kings daughters, though of the same
family. but il looks as though Manuel
would prefer, il allowed by his cortes.
to wait for the budding generation which
will have grown Up sufficiently before he,
himself, reaches the age OF twenty-five
Baroness Moncheur wife OF the Belgian
minister to the Sublime Porte. IS visiting
America. The baroness IS the daughter OF
Gen. and Mrs. Powell Clayton. and has
been at the Turkish capital only a year.
since the transfer Of her husband from
Washington where for a number OF
years he had been Belgian Minister.
The beautiful girl caught the eye Of
the baron when her father WAS our Am
bassador 10 Mexico and NJ de Mon
cheur was secretary Of the Belgian le-
cation there. Baron Moncheur whose
first wife was a Miss Hoffman OF Balti-
more then was a widower and had the
care OF his three daughters. small and
helpless Miss Clayton met and charmed
him. learned that his title was old and
aAoiibl Gb4tt anu Has lFtdltttiS Win Ming
Leopold. his liege lord. of the most favor
able nature. and so ii took but little
time for her 10 encourage his ardent suit.
The wedding was celebrated with splen-
dor, for Gen. Clayton afforded the hest
possible setting, and in course OF time
the cherished ambition OF their being ac-
credited TO Washington was achieved. 8
The baroness proved a thoughtful step
mother TO the MOncheur girls. and things
ran along domestically so serenely that
another daughter was added TO their
family
She was even more beautiful as ma
iron than as maid. and artists begged
for sittings Many Of her portraits
adorned the salons. and the fame Of the
baroness spread Before leaving this
country Baron Moncheur received the con-
gratulations of his friends on the birth
OF son and heir 10 his tile, and the
fine little fellow and his sister are with
their mother in this country now
FLANEuR.
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