Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-10-11

Charles J. was Rumania's first king.
Tho story of his career, spanning seventy
five years, is that Of a German prince
elected to govern Latin people, out OF
which experience Ruman ans or those who
have followed the fortunes OF that buffer
state, will recall much that is stirring If
not romatic.
Prince Charles was born a Hohenzol-
lern, an older branch OF the family than
that of Emperor William of Germany,
but nonetheless proud Of its blood. He
was the son of Prince Charles Anthony
of IIohenzollern-Si -Sigmaringen, who vol
unfairly resigned the Hohenzollern re-
gentship in favor of the Prussian crown
and subsequently became prime minister
OF Prussia.
It was while Charles was serving, at
the age OF q years. as an officer of high
rank in the Prussian guard, that the
Turkish provinces Of Wallachia and
Moldavia united to call themselves Ru-
mania. and, casting their eyes about Eu-
rope for foreign prince to govern them
since no native prince had been success
ful--took the advice of Napoleon III, and
invited young Charles to be their prince.
Makes secret Journey.
With Austria at that time preparing to
fight Prussia, young Charles. departure
for Rumania was such perilous under
taking that he made IT secretly. He dis
guised himself as a Russian merchant
bound for Odessa and sailed down the
Danube, jumping ashore on Rumanian
territory on May 20, 1866, and made his
way to the palace at Bucharest, where
he was proclaimed prince three days later.
Napoleon III had told him that nothing
was more difficult than to govern Latin
race. The young prince soon found that
he had been well advised in this respect
He was homesick and beset with in
Vulnerable difficulties, growing out OF the
fact that the country was struggling with
new constitution that gave the people
an unaccustomed liberty. and that he
made no secret of his purpose to plant
among them the civilization of Germany.
though he sincerely desired TO become the
best Rumanian Of them all His great
confidence, in the virtue Of IIohenzollern
blood, brought him energy and patience
which later won the hearts Of his people
In the meantime, at the age of 90, the
young prince paid court to Princess Eliza
beth OF WED with whom he fell in love
at first sight when he met her in Cologne.
and the marriage was celebrated on the
banks Of the Rhine in the fall of 1869. The
queeh has since become beloved among
her people for her devotion to good works
and famous throughout the world as a
poet, with the pseudonym of Carmen
sylvia"
Alliance with Russia.
A boy was born to the couple, but it died
at the age Of g and they had no further
children. In 1876 when there arose the
question OF participating in the Turko-
Russian var, Prince Charles stood firm
for ~Tality but when the Russians
/ were az the point Of being crushed at
/ PlevnO e7d Grand Duke Nicholas sent
his fsncus call for help, the Rumanian
forces were led to battle and with
Charles at their head decisively defeated
/ the great Turkish army.
/ The renoWn Of Prince Charles spread
I and four years later, out OF cannon he
! had captured at Plevns the Rumania1
people cast him an iron crown With
consent OF the powers they placed IL on