The Washington herald., 1911-06-07
AN EAST INDIAN PRINCESS.

IN south Germany, Just now boasts Of
the presence OF one of the most remark
able women of the whole world, who has
gone there for treatment for heart trou-
Bile. She is the Begun Bhopal, other
wise the Sultan Of Shah Jehan, a petite
aged Indian princess, who for the sec
pnd time in her career has left her ma
tive land to pay homage TO King George.
who, as Emperor of India, is her sover-
eign. She has been invited to attend
the coronation.
Upon reaching London she was ordered
to the little German watering place for
cure. She went there, but soon rebelled
and was about to return to England
when her physician insisted upon her re-
naming II ever she expected to get we'll
Until within the past few weeks, since
leaving her domain in Central India,
the Occidental world had scarcely heard
of the Begun of BhopaL Now her feats
and traits are the gossip of every Eu-
ropean capital through which she had
passed and she bids fair to become al
most the chief attraction of the London
season. In Indian her highness is one
of the great potentates, for she is sover-
eign over a million people. and the area
Of her domain extends 1000 square miles.
Her highness has the unique dlstirc-
ton Of being the only woman ruler IN
the world to command and ride at the
head OF her own troops in action. She
did this ten years ago. soon after her ac-
cession, when she was making pilgrim
age to Mecca, the first time she had ever
left her country Although the journey
was of a religious character, the Begun
was accompanied by a bodyguard of
nearly thousand men. In crossing
desert they were fiercely attacked by
strong bands OF mounted Arabs. The
Begun. then fifty years of age. at once
mounted a horse and the desert was
treated to the sight OF woman. with veil
drawn tight about her face-which had
never been gazed upon by man-but with
eyes blazing through peepholes in the
mask, leading a victorious charge against
the enemy.
At another time the chieftains Of her
army asked her to lead them TO battle
against a neighboring state in a cause
she did not consider just She promised,
and the soldiers prepared 10 start, where
upon she told them that if she led them
they must go unarmed This plucky act
the trouble was averted.
King George has taken the keenest in
terest in the BCgum's work among her
people, and in consequence she is the
only woman IN the British Empire to
wear an order of knighthood having
been decorated with the order of Grand
Commander of the Star of India.
The peculiar fact that the crown of
Bhopal passes from mother to daughter
instead of from father TO son-the rulers
husband being called a Nawab. a male
title she also bears herseh-may account
for the Begum's successful innovations
at home. At any rate. woman suffrage
advocates might well cite her as an ex-
ample OF womans might.
Here are some of the things she has
brought about in her portion of ''un-
enlightened India" State railways
throughout the length and breadth of
her domain, police in every community,
hospitals IN all the large cities, schools
II. every village. The hospitals use only
native medicines. which are part of the
religious belief, but in the city OF Bho-
pal, the capital, there are institutions
where the sick are hygienically cared for.
In addition to affairs of state. her high
ness has found time to get an excellent
knowledge Of English and other Ian
guages and to become a real artist in
oils and water colors.
On her. way TO London the Begun
visited Paris, where she astonished the
boulevards with the rich costumes of
the party of twenty-four persons COM
prising aer suite, including physician.
astrologer, and two priests. The ladies
of her personal suite attire themselves
in magnificent robes of gorgeous Eastern
colors, and all wear headdresses with
long wells enshrouding their forms. The
princess is usually clad in beautiful white
silk
On arriving in England. the Begun es-
teblished herself at the beautiful estate
of Patteson Court, Redhill, Surrey, which
she has leased for the season. The next
day she had a private audience with
King George and Queen Mary in Buck
iDgham Palace.
While the Begun is in Europe her OBJ
servance Of the purdah, or yelling Of the
face. will be as strict as in her own
country, and as one of the royal guests
at the coronation she will have a special
guard to prevent the scrutiny Of all men.
Americans who have tried to make
places for themselves in English society
have found TO their cost that vast sums
must be spent in entertaining. A num-
Der of them have decided to give Paris
henceforth the preference. For one thing,
at Paris there is no court to give estab-
Hshed precedence to social aspirants.
One may choose ones own friends. OF
course, there also Americans are ex-
pected to spend money, but they are re-
ceived whether they are entertaining law
ishly OF not, and. in the case of women,
as long as they are beautiful and charm
ing, the money question does not enter
into the attitude at all.
Still, though many members OF the
French nobility are attracted to the resi-
dences of Americans in Paris by good
dinners or elaborate entertainments,
there is a small circle OF the ancient
aristocracy into which few Americans,
IL any, may enter.
Mrs. Potter Palmer's controlling reason
for removing her European residence
from London to Paris is that English
society requires that Americans who are
received into exclusive circles shall ex-
pend fortunes each year IN entertaining.
She may have other reasons for this
change but Il has been said by
an intimate friend that this deter
mined her action. After passing sew
eral seasons in London Mrs. Potter
tired of the heavy expense, and now has
given up her big mansion on Carlton
House Terrace, removing her furniture
and art treasures TO where socletys de-
mands are not so exacting.