Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-03
.EL|zABETH OF ROUMAN|A.
CARMEN SYLVIA" IS DEAD
One or Most Charming Figures In
Courts OF Europe Passes
Away at Bucharest.
CALLED THE LITTLE MOTHER"
After Death of First and Only Child
Much OF Her Work Is Published,
Skilled as Pianist and Gifted as
Artist.


LONDON. March "a Bucharest dis.
pa'ch received by Reuters Telegram
company. by way of Amsterdam. SAYS
'hat the Queen Mother Elizabeth of
Roumania f"Carnen Sylva') died This
morning.
The pen name. Carmen SILVA" nv
which the Queen Mother Elizabeth or
Houmania was most widely known was
CHOSEN ny her in expression Of her
love for song and the woods She was
one or the most charming figures in
.he courts or Europe. and practically
me only one of recent generations TO
gam fame as u poeteSS.
IN her own words. she was born far
from Il throne" for. although she was
a princess OF Wied. one Of the many
Tiny personalities with which Germany
abounded, her youth was that Of an
ordinary, robust. country girl. who
learned To cook and sew. and who
ioinpcd in tho open with her COM
panions at the village school She was
born on December 80. ls.3 and in hcT
childhood she showed predilection for
the poettcal fancies that had such an
Influence on her later life She alb.
sorbcd innumcrablci fairy stories. and
with some OF her own imagination
added she delighted her playmatcs
with her fancies. AT home she received
spartan training, and, with n father
Il
brother who was incurably ILL., she
experienced many sorrows and hard
ships.
Upon the death OF her brother. the
princess was sent away to visit her
aunt. the Grand Duchess Helena Of
Russia. VINO took her travelling TO va
ri"us parts or Europe. 1t was during
this tour. however. that the princess
herself was stricken with typhus fever.
and when she recovered It was to learn
that her father had passed away She
was deeply affected by the sorrow in
her family. and music and poetry he
came her only consolation Must all
love on earth he borne 10 the graveY'
is the burden OF a mournful poem that
she wrote at the time Of her fathers
death.
ENINCED ALMOST SAVAGE
DISLIKE TO NSTRIMONY
Among her friends about her home
on tho Rhine, the little wild rosebud
OF WED had evinced an almost savage
dislike TO matrimony. and had often
excla lined: Il do not want to marry
unless 7 can he Queen OF Roumania"
Tho principality OF Roumania had at
that time just been founded and there
was no sense in tho young princesss
remark except that she believed II n
sufficiently safe way To say that she
didn't want to marry at all.
There is remarkable romance at
taChcd TO the fact that some years
later her sutton became Prince Charles
Of Hohcnzollern, who was refused on
tho same fanciful prctcxt that the prin-
cess would not marry unless she could
he Queen of Eoumania. IN 1865, Prince
Charles was chosen ruler Of Roumania,
and in the autumn Of the next year
he returned to Wicd to remind the
Princess Elizabeth of her desire to rule
over that kingdom.
Married. and settled in the palace at
Bucharest. the princess threw herself
with great ardor into the life OF the
country. She learned 10 read and write
ftoumanian, made herself acquainted
with the needs and requirements of
the land. and became so beloved that
the people called her The Little Moth
cr.' out Of her own private purse she
founded schools. hospitals, and art gal
leries. and devoted practically her