The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-01-08
QUEEN ELENA OF ITALY,
40 TO-DAY IS MOST DEVOTED
OF ROYAL WIVES

Queen Elena of Italy, whose for
tieth birthday will be celebrated by
ner loyal subjects today, is perhaps
the most devoted and domestic wife
and mother that ever sat upon
throne She is the daughter of Memo
las L.. King of Montenegro, the old
warrior who has lately been hurting
his stalwart soldiers against the leg
ions Of the Turks. Italians were vast
" surprised when Vittorio Ernanuele
III chose Elena as his queen, over
sixteen years ago, and the press OF
Rome INDUCED in much ridicule OF
the zotherd princess" The Queen
is a full head taller than her spouse,
and they present truly ludlcrous
appearance when walking together
For the matter of that, all European
queens, with one or two exceptions,
tower above their husbands, although
the difference in height is most pro
nounced in the case of the italian
rulers. Emperor William OF Ger
many has always refused to have his
photograph taken standing beside the
Empress, on account of the disparity
in height Queen Mary is apprecia-
ply taller than King George, while
Queen Victoria is several inches the
physical superior of Alfonso, and the
Czarina is much taller than the Gar
of all the Russias.
In irntes of stress and terror, when
stricken Italy has been shaken by
upheaya1s OF the EARTH Queen Elena
has shown herself a real heroine.
When southern Ca1abria was last de-
vastated by an earthquake, Elena
donned the uniform of a nurse and
worked as vaIiantly as any in caring
for the injured. Elena and Vittorio
spent four years of bIissfuI honey
incoming before the latter was called
upon to assume the cares of state
They lived to and for themselves, and
they have continued this devoted at
tachment to such an extent to dim
the brilliancy of the Italian court. The
king and his spouse and children.
nearly always dine together en- ia
mile, and they give as few public
functions as possibles This domestic
felicity is a source of annoyance to
the hangers-on of the court who hold
that such devotion is in bad taste
when displayed by soverigns- It has
often been said that Vittorio's love
for his queen is so great to in
volve a Iudfcrous jealousy, and that
are not permitted to go near her ex-
cept on formal occasions.
The girIhoOd of Elena in Montene-
gro was spent amidst the simplest and
most primitive surroundings. AT
that time Nicholas had not assumed
the title of king, and was merely the
prince of a little mountain country. 1t
was his cusutom to personally. pass
on all disputes between his subjects
and even to act as judge in criminal
cases, holding court beneath a tree
in the courtyard of the royal ''pa1-
ace" at Cettinje. Brought up in
such a democratic and primitive at
mosphere, Elena has never learned to
like social functions. and her pre-
judice against the pomp of royalty is
fully shared by the King.
Former Senator William Andrews
Clark, of Montana, whose magnificent
mansion in Fifth Avenue is pointed
out by the 'trubberneck'' guides to all
visitors to the American metropolis
will celebrate his seventy-fourth
birthday to-day. Mr.. Clark, now one
of the richest men in the world, was
born near ConnellsviIle, Pa, was edu-
Gated in Iowa, and as young man
taught school in Missouri. At tWen-
ty he went to Colorado, and two years
later to Montana, where the basis of
his immense fortune was laid. AS
copper magnate, manufacturer bank
or. railway president and newspa per
owner he acquired the money which
enabled him to build a. little old s3,-
600. 900 shack in New York and fill
it with paintings and other objects of
art worth many millions more.