The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-13
TRAGIC FIGURES
IN PRESENT WAR
Gloom Of Great Conflict Settles
Upon Anxious, e-Marked
Women in Royal Palaces.
SEEK TO SHOW BRAVE FACES
Sons, Brothers and Close Rela-
tives Arrayed Against Each
Other in Battle.


tho cots OF tho peasants, has tho gloom
OF tho greatest war in history settled.
In many splendid abode sits an anat-
GUS care marked Queen. or princess. or
grand duchess, her eyes rod from wecp-
ing, eagerly reading the bulletins of
slaughter which arc brought to her
and going forth only to endeavor to
show a brave face before her people
ard to comfort and encourage tho In
termtnablo lines OF wounded in the
hospitals.
1t IL mistake to represent tho auto
cracfcs an sending their common peoalo
Into tho hell Of schrapncl and rifle fire
while themselves sitting In safety
Such picture Is often drawn b. the
hatcr Of tho monarchical idea, hut
whatever the faults Of kings, this Is
not ono OF them.
The young mon OF royal birth are
In the thick OF the flghting 10 family
but has many representatives who are
officers In tho army or navy. And the
casualty list among the officers of the
armies In tho field are much heavier
In proportion than the dead and wound
ed and missing Of the ranks.
traveller just arrived from Berlin
tells An appealing story OF royal sor-
row. 1t was in the grand dining room
OF the Hotel Cumberland. one of the
finest hostelries Of the Prusslan capt :
tai. The Princess Berthe Won Lippe
WAS seated at one OF the tables. a
telegram was brought 10 hei and she
broke the seal and read cagerly. The
mask OF royalty dropped from her.
Forgetting she was a princess and in
a public place. she threw her head
and her arms on tho table before her
and sobbed aloud as any peasant
mother would have done.
Only one word passed her lipa
Dead
TWO SONS OF PRINCESS
FALL IN BATTLE AT LIEGE
The telegram had informed her that
herttwo sons had fallen a Liege. Later
she was told her two younger brothers
had been killed at Charleroi A dread
full toll to pay to war! But IT may not
be all-the Princess Berthe still has
numerous other relatives in tho
Kaiser's army. She can only console
herself with the tales OF tho bravery
OF her lost ones.
Here is the story she heard from one
OF her sons men. He was Prince VIII
helm of Lippe, e colonel In the Prus-
sian army, who fell in the assault on
Liege, August s.
after fierce fighting at close quar-
terH. we proceeded successfully toward
Liege." narrated the private. "on the
morning OF tho 9Th. va succeeded In
getting on the northern walls of Liege,
where. however. we were completely
surrounded by Belgian troops. who
drew over closer around us and pressed
US hard amid hail of bullets.
by order of His Highness. our de-
tachinent formed a circle. and we de-
Tended ourselves stoutly for some time,
till at length we saw strong reinforce
ments coming 10 our aid.
In order to enable them to locate
tho exact spot where we were, the
prince rose to n knee1ing position.
pointed with his sword 10 the APP
preaching column. and gave me. who
lay hands breath away from him, on
top OF our flag. the order to raise the
flag. SO that we might DO recognized.
II raised the flag and waved II IN Il
circle. which at once drew an extra
hail OF bullets from the enemy. The
flag was shot out OF my hands. while
the same volley wounded tho prince
last two words were: Remember
THOUGHTS
IN THESE woMEN's MINDS
But added to the horror OF having
near relatives in the shambles OF Ar
rnageddon arc two other depressing
thoughts, which harrow the women SO
unfortunate to be OF royal birth. There
Is first the ever constant realization
that their allegiance Is mixed. that.
while most OF those In whom they are
interested are fighting on the side OF
their own army. relatives nearly as
dear arc leading the cause OF the
enemy. Kin fights again kin. This is
due to the constant intermlngling Of
royal blood. which has gone on In Eu-
rope for centuries.
Then there is the disturbing real
tzation of the precarious position OF
the throne. Not a dynasty OF the solid
ity OF which does not tremble In the
balance. The Queens realize fully
that the future of their houses depends
upon the outcome OF the vast conflict
Defeated they will be overwhelmed by
the indignant forces OF democracy or
socialism or reduced to impotence by
their countries conquerors.
Perhaps the CZarina of Russia Is the
most tragic figure In the whole -tre-
mendous world-drama. Tho saddest
face in Europe" she has long been,
and now the lines of her face must be
deeper than ever
She sees Slnvs and Germans locked
in q death struggle. All her blood
relatives battle against her husband.
She was the Princess Alix OF Hesse,
and became the bride OF Nicholas H.,
because he fell in love with her and
refused to marry the daughter OF the
Slav King OF Montenegro. as tho Rus
sian statesmen wished. She came to
Petrograd (St. Petersburg) to find many
currents to combat. but
nothing compared to the present abso-
lutte blotting out OF eevrything with
Teutonic t!nge, going even to the
change of the name of the capital. The
hostility undoubtedly extends even to
her person. The Russians hate their
Germanic Queen, despite Gear Mich
olas now mingles freely in the street
with his people and feels sa fe from the
assassins hand.
She knows that II Germany crushes
Russia, there will be no pity for her
husband. His throne will go md even
she will not be welcome In Berlin. And
should tho tide OF battle go against
the Kaiser she knows the Gear and the
ring Of grand dukes will be equally
in their repression OF every
German ruling family
QUEENS DAYS AND NIGHTS
ARE FULL. OF ANXIETY
Tho Slav princess, whom the Czarina
overthrow in the affections or Nicholas
Is now Queen Elena Of Italy. Islcra's
days and nights are also full OF anx-