Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-03-10
MERELY THEOPHILO
BRAGA'S GOOD WIFE
First Lady of Portugal"
Very Modest, Unassuming
Woman.
From the Literary Digest.

Inc 1eeIlngS OF the mig and mighty
grandees of Portugal who now ind
themselves ruled by a college professor
who rides to his wsrk in a trolley car
have not yet been csnflsed to the pub
Tic. We may be sure, however, that
their indignation In a pale ana feeble
affair in comparison with the rage Of
the duchesses. ceuntesses and other
noble ladies who nnd themselves out
ranked by the college professors wife
Mrs. Braga recently told the tfskop
correspondent OF the Lonsen Daily
Mail that she actually married Braga
purely for love and that she had no
Intention Whatever of living in a pail
Gee like q queen" She impressed the
correspondent az being simple In hei
tastes, kindly and exceedingly hospit-
able. What he noticed IN particular,
however, was the extreme pride she
displayed in hsy husband. We read:
l called this morning at the country
new Portuguese president, a long, one
story building on a cliff overlooking
the Tagus at Cruz Quebrada. seven
miles west OF Lisbon. Senior Braga
had left for the capital, but his wife,
q frail, sweet-faced old lady with white
hair. advanced and insisted that ]
should enter. She led me by the hand
In motherly fashion to a long, low
! room more than modestly furnished,
| the windows OF which overlooked the
wide eXpanse Of blue, serene waters,
put lately seething and smoking under
shot and Sr1s1E.
She expressed her regret at her hus-
bands absence and said that he was
delighted to speak to English people. !
congratulated her on her husbands
new dignity, adding that she ought to
feel very proud.
Proud" she exclaimed, smiling
doubtfully, perhaps; but above all /
regret the interruption of 43 years of
peaceful domestic happiness"
In the conversation that ensued she
said man things Of an adorable SIM
plicity from which ! choose but a few:
w married for love. We have al
ways been Door and always happy with
one another, except for our great sor-
row that we are now childIess, for we
are ever mourning the loss of our son
and daughter 20 years ago. My girl
would ave been 40 now, and I should
have a 'grown-up grandchildren
around me-" she added, with eyes full
of tears. But we Gun comfort, my
husband in his books and I In my
household work near him."
l suggested that the change would
Involve a change Of habits and prob
ably of residence.
mo, MOI exclaimed the old lady. al
most terrified. II have told Theophilo
mat 1 will never leave my little nome
and pretty garden, where I have lived
for 20 years. If we are forced to have
q large house for meetings n recep-
tions, we will keep our little home to
1--we in always.
we have had Just enough 70 live
on. My husband has always been per-
secuted because OF his opinions, but
although he cannot forget, he is incap-
a H. nnUy ~ ~ An W. hN~NnAlA
on his enemies.
II, too, am a republican, but l
adored your late King Edward, so just,
so good. so courteous to ALL" She
referred to his visit to Portugal and
co~ntrasted the enthusiasm Of the peo-
ence toward their own King Carlos.
Speaking OF a visit Of the COM
mander OF the English warships last
Thursday, Senhora Braga added proud
ly: And he knew my husband quite
well by his books Theophilo is so
pleased with the good words In the
English newspapers" h continued.
1.-The monarchists always held up the
bogy Of English intervention, but only
ignorant people believed that great
England, so just, n clever, would act
thus oward another country" With
simplicity she added: One does not
give orders In another PERSONS house"
theme, home life, she exclaimed, laugh
ing: "Oh, but I scold Theophilo some
times! Our men folk at home have to
be kept under a little"
l rose to take leave Of this dear. IN
assuming old lady, whose partner for
43 years has been suddenly taken from
comparative o~bscurity to the highest
position in the country without bring
Ing a vestige of vanity to her bright
old eyes. 1 bent to kiss her hand. ''Oh,
don't!" she exclaimed, covered with
combustion. kissing her hand, / only
answered, '~'Thsophilo Braga's good
wife!"