Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1913-11-13
CHG I
HAUNTED
BY DEAD
WIFE ala


Konak at Sofia of which King Ferdi-
nand alone has the key. 1t contains
no precious documents, no costly Jew
elry, no bullion chest, but only the
full-length portrait of a princess long
since departed. The gentle Marie
Louise gazes sadly out of her gilded
frame, and though Ferdinand in mo-
ments of exhilaration passes by the
room with head averted, in days OF
stress and trouble he seeks to hide his
misery in the silence Of the locked
and secret chamber.
During the last ten months mys-
FERROUS rustlings have been heard IN
the National Museum and the horror
stricken palace as of some one wan
dering unhappily from room to room
seeking something that could never
be found. On these occasions, when
King Ferdinand bethought himself OF
leaving the chapel door open, his dead
wife's shadow has been seen to pass
the portals, and he has himself knelt
at the altar there, his face buried in
his hands, as though awaiting SUI
pernatural visitant. No alluslon to
these vigils has ever passed his lips,
for Ferdinand confides in no one
Over her children the spirit of
Marie Louise also broods as fondly
as in her lifetime, and the people be-
.-~Itevevshe visits their bedside when
ever they are Ill. The nurses who
cared for Princess Eudoxia during her
long illness last year attributed her
almost miraculous recovery to the
prayers of the dead mother, who was
seen in spirit form in the chapel
nightly, always kneeiing in the same
place slowly lingering her diamond
rosary beads.
Owes Success 70 Wife.
King Ferdinand, who has had an ex-
traordinary career, owes his most
solid successes to the dead lady who
even now watches over him, as he be-
lieves, to restrain the impulses
against which she vainly warned him
when alive, and concerning which
even from the other world she has
given signs of sorrow and disapproval.
He was the pet son of his mother,
the cleverest daughter, of the late
Louis Philippe, king Of the French.
She never ceased to plot for the re-
storation of the Bourbons to the
throne of France, but in the mean
time did not disdain to pick up any
possible crown for her sons Her
plans we're mostly foiled, as in the
case Of Philippe, older than Ferdi-
nand, who married Princess Louise OF
Belgium in the hope of succeeding the
late King Leopold But the marriage
was so ill-assorted, and Princess
Louise showed such violent antipathy
to her husband, that speedy separa
ton was the result.
With Ferdinand, Princess Clemen
tine had no such trouble. He was the
most docile and obedient of her sons
inheriting her own subtle disposition
and tenacity of purpose.
When Prince Battenberg of Bul
garia had displeased the Russian EN-
peror by his Independent attitude, anc
was consequently forced to leave the
country in the dead of night, with
only time to throw coat over his
sleeping attire, the yalace at Sofia re
NAMED vacant AS soon as Batten
berg's friends recovered from the
shock of his being kidnapped they Sc
off on tour of Europe to search TO-
a princeling who would undertake thu
difficult job of governing Bulgaria.
Quietly Becomes Sovereign.
This quest came to the ears
Clement:ne, who, learning that faV
orite haunt of these big game hunt
ers when in Vienna was a fourth-rat
restaurant, sent her son to make thel
acquaintance After some friendl.
conversation during which they oil
not suspect that he was anything blu
what his uniform proclaimed him t
be-a simple lieutenant in an Austrian
regiment-he declared himself thei
man. Without further preamble h
took them round to his mothers pa
ace and thus proved to them the rea
ity of his claim to high birth and hi
connection with two great roya
houses. There was no reason why h
should not start dynasty of his owl
and the bargain was quickly cor
cluded. In a few days the citizens c
Sofia were greatly astonished to Sc
the flag flying once more over tn
ro3al palace, and a young man wit
a prominent nose and serious fac
driving through the town in solitar
stateliness. There was no equerr.
no display, no reclamation, no rejoi'
ing. People were still asking then
selves, How long will Russia allo
him to stay?"
Royal Wife Finally Secured.
AS soon as Ferdinand felt his thron
to be little more Steady, Princes
Clementine began to cast matrimol
tal nets on her sons behalf. Bl
there were few aspirants Royaltit
held aloof and nothing but blue bloc
would satisfy Ferdinand and his mot
err. 1t was by working on the stror
religious sentiments of the Duke
Parma that the prize was at last 9
cured in the person of an eide
daughter, the Inflated Marie Louis
to whom was entrusted the mission
further1ng Catholicity in schismat
Bulgaria. Thus was the gentle, fr
gile idealist. tender offshoot of Il
pious House of Parma. mated to