The Washington herald., 1911-06-11


written her autobiography, and it is a
book well worth reading. 1t is the most
remarkable tale that ever came from the
pen Of a royal parsonage, male or female.
II has nothing tc record of heroes, wars,
statesmen, or court intrigues. 1t is the
plain, simple annaI of a queens private
life. 1t is not every woman OF her rank
that dares let the public look behind the
people curtains Of the too often Gmbit-
tered life at court. The austere up
bringing Of children who some day may
become rulers and the strict discipline
maintained in nurseries and in school
rooms OF castles are related without any
effort at disguise.
Her father, Hermann Prinz zu Wied,
was silent, scholarly man, who spent
half his life fighting tuberculosis. Her
mother, who was Prinzessin Marie Won
Nassau, was an invalid many years. suf-
fering from commissions. younger
brother, Otto, was born with a malforma-
ton. which finally caused his death in his
twelfth year. Thus. while reared in the
beautiful Rhineland. the Little princess
grew up among many shadows. which
threatened to darken her young life. Her
first lesson was that Of self-control. Yet
she tells the story of her strict discipline
without any bitterness.
So the lives of Elizabeth and her broth
er were lonely enough at best in those
days. for once out OF the nursery they
saw little of each other, not even having
their meals in common. Each child was
brought up quite apart, with special
tutor or governess. with whom the meals
were taken in somber solitude. and to
whose tender mercies the little pupils
were ruthlessIy abandoned.
A young savant named Sauerwein was
her last tutor instilling in her girlish
mind a curious combination of classic
literature in various languages, history,
English constitution, and the art of COM
position.
Only once was Elizabeth permitted to
study with other children, and this was
in Paris, for a brief period. On her re-
turn to the paternal castle she was OBJ
sessed by the desire once more to at
tend a real school She thus describes
her adventure:
so one morning l actually managed
to steal out OF the house unseen, and,
running away as hard as I could, Joined
the children from the home farm on their
way to school Oh. how 1 enjoyed my
self. / sat on the bench between the
farmers little boy and girl, and Joined
in the singing with the whole strength
of my lungs, though the small girl kept
trying to put her hand before my mouth,
for she thought it highly improper that
a princess should be singing with peasant
children. It was a glorious day. but the
most glorious day must come to an end,
and this one ended sadly for me, for
when l was missed my parents were
frightened to death. and a hue and cry
was raised, and servants and game keep
ers sent out in all directions, till at last
was found seated in triumph in the
midst of the village school and putting
my whole heart and soul into the sing
ing. l was shut up in my room for the
rest of the day as a punishment for the
alarm I had given, and 1 was in such
disgrace for some time afterward that
1 was ashamed of my escapade and hardly
liked to think of II any more. much less
to plan another.
Princess Elizabeth was a great ad-
mirer of Nine Clara Schumann, widow
of the composer. and it so happened
that her betrothal was interviewer with
her friendship for this gifted woman.
She details the story OF her formal be-
| trothal, which occurred on a day when
she was attending concert given by
Nine Schumann at Cologne, as follows:
When we rose to leave all three came
up to US, and we recognized Herr Won
| Werner, whose acquaintance we had
made at Prince Hohenzollern's, while his
! two compahions were the young crown
prince of Roumania and the latter S
! representative in Paris. the last men
| toned being the gentleman who had
! Just been observing me so closely. But
| | was glad to meet the young prince
again, for I had seen much Of him in
Berlin, and was full of admiration for
the adventurous spirit and strong sense
! of duty in which he had entered on
| his task in his new country. So well
| coined with pleasure the opportunity OF
talking with him again, and walked on
| ahead with him, discussing all sorts OF
| things, my mother following with the
| two other gentlemen.
when we left there was only just
time to dress for the concert. My
! toilette was very hurriedly made, in
spite of the satisfaction I felt in the
very pretty and becoming dress-a white
| howered silk over a pale blue under
skirt-which I was to wear. for my one
| fear was of missing any of the music.
But while / was dressing the prince of
Roumania had been announced, and he
stayed and stayed, and 1 could hardly
control my impatience. until at last I
heard him leave, and rushed to my
mother to hurry her. But the serious
look with which she met me checked
| the impatient exclamation on my lips.
Taking my arm in hers, she began to
pace the room with me, saying, The
prince of Roumania was here just now
to ask you to be his wife
"She stopped and looked at me, half
expecting the decided refusal with which
ali such proposals had hitherto been
met. But instead, Already was the
only wor1 1 brought out. I said to my
self-he hardly knows me, he cannot love
me, he only happens to have heard how
well and carefully I have been brought
up, and thinks / may prove suitable
companion, the fittest helpmate for him
in the work he has set himself And a
! thousand similar thoughts flashed like
| lightning through my brain. But through
| 1t all I heard my mother telling me OF
| the high and noble mission awaiting me
should / accept the princes hand, OF
| the wide field in which my energies
might find scope, and the honor she ac-
| counted IL that his choice should have