The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-10
~ JAMES o.DoNNELL BENNETT.


BELGRADE. Serbia. Dec. 1.-Two kitchen
chairs now occup the throne Of Serbia
The throne room Of the royal palace
In Belgrade shows other evidences OF
feverish packing. hurried flight and
subsequent bon-bardment. The mezsa-
nine floor at one end Of tho long and
once splendid apartment has been blown
to pieces and the besns that supported
II project from the walls like fallen
trees which a mountain torrent has
rolled to the edge OF a precipice.
Room after room has been stripped
bare Of all portable objects. Even the
bathtub In the kings private apartments
was ~removed-a fact that ought to dis
pose Of the Islander that a Serbian never
takes q bath.
The two Kitchen chairs that stand on
the throne probably were used by ser.
wants when they took down the coat OF
arms and the hanginss above the throne
dais. They did their work so thoroughly
that they left the throne Of Peter a
mockery. and It stands amid the shat
tered crystal and torn tapestry as a mute
but desolatinE satire on n theories as
to divine right that may have come
down from medievalism. The aban-
doned throne of Peter II not even pa
thetic. 1t is merely ridiculous.
Enemy's Flag Over Palace.
Above the bronx grih,ns and the gilded
two headed eagles n crowns adjoining
the domes Of the palace the Austrian and
Hungarian flags are flying. M build
ing is old, Wit al overlay OF yellow
stucco. Its interior II ornate and taste
less. It's exterior shabby. II now forms
one wing OF the palace GROUP. for on
the other side Of a eOdded court and
paved driveways King Peter was build
ing a new palace when the war broke
out.
From every window Of the chill. al
lent rooms overlooking the patch OF
grass and shruboery between the two
wings one could see the site Of "das
Mordhaus." as the Germans and Aus
TRANS call 1.-THE little pavilion where
King Alexander and Queen Draga were
murdered in 1903.
For reasons not difficult TO fathom.
King Peter had the pavilion pulled down.
The few rods OF ground Il covered
perhaps two rods by hve-is now sodded
over. The spot IL screened from the
street by a row OF stunted evergreen trees
and they are said to mark the place
where the half clad bodies Of the royal
couple were thrown. The turf that
covers the site OF the house II faded.
Even the grass. II would seem. Ian
suiahss on that dreadful spot.
A few yards from II. on the side not
shielded by the ruw of evergreens. Is q
one story colonnaded half circle OF
stucco buildings comprising the quarters
Of the palace watch. executive offices
and storerooms.
Royal Library Remains Intact.
The only apartments In the old palace
which have not been cleared OF their
contents are the two rooms containing
the library OF the roya, family. One
liz a long. lofty chamber devoted 10 the
larger part Of the library. the other a
small semicircular room used not only
for the storing OF books but az "a liz
brarian's office,
In charge Of these apartments. which
are on the ground floor OF the palace.
were a librarian who had been sent from
Vienna and three Austrian soldiers TIL
librarian was a specialized. bushy. busy
busting individual. intent upon his task
OF sorting. reclassifying and c~ataloguing
the collection. That task he obviously
regarded as one Of large Importance
and he loved to talk about 1t.
SERBIAN women lie said. seem to
have nothing to do but write" and with
that showed US an armful OF manuscript
volumes containing poems either adj
dressed - or dedicated TO Queen Natalie
or 10 Queen Draga.
These are mostly verses of love and
tribute he continued. "and few OF them
possess any literary value. In truth
most OF them are preposterous."
There we're quantities OF love songs adj
dressed to Queen Draga especially and
II seemed TO me that a great deal OF
light was shed on her much discussed
character by the librarians statement
that mos; of the songs in her praise were
simple. ama,eurish and obviously by
humble people"
And here" he said. taking NJ another
armfrl Of manuscripts, ARE many
marches and war songs dedicated 10
King Alexander. He had a passion for
military music and when a Serbian
wanted "A decoration the surest way 20
get IL was to dedicate a march TO the
king Sometimes his people did not take
the trouble To be original. hut merely
transcribed and signed an Austrian or
German march and sent /, along, but
they got the decoration just the same
and the honor o: Il prompt performance
OF the piece by the court band"
The librarian acknowledged that much
OF the collection was excellent. hut he
thought It was "A great pity that the court
had apparently never taken any interest
In collecting ancient Serbian books and
manuscripts.
Few Old BOoks in Collection.