The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-03-12
QUEEN SOPHIE POPULAR.
has Taken Opportunity to Endear Her
self to Greek People.

Athens, Greece, March l0.--The block
adc of the ports of Greece by the allied
powers has furnished Queen Sophie her
opportunity TO endear herself to the
Greek people. She was already the head
Of all the more important charities OF
Athens. but her work has always been
very quiet and generally very little
known or appreciated. During the %
wears that she has been first crown prin-
cess of Greece and then queen OF the Hell
lenes, she has been rather a negative
figure.
On the declaration of the blockade,
however, she took up the active organ
ization of the relief work among the
blockade sufferers TO do this she had
nj command the committees OF all the
numerous charities she has established in
the Greek capital as well as the central
committee of the National League OF
Reservists. the mutual benefit organiza-
tion OF the veterans Of the two late BAL
kan wars.
The committee of the reservists' league
set about collecting subscriptions under
the patronage of the queen tapping
every well.to-dc Athenian family and
even approaching the neutral diplomat
lists for funds to assist the blockade sui
ferers. The distribution of the funds SO
collected is being conducted by the hos
pital committee to the sick and by the
committee for the assistance OF working
women to the needy. Queen Sophie her-
aclf personally follows and directs all the
work and makes large contributions to 1t !
from her private purse.
Outside her little known charities, the |
kaiser's sister has never before occupied |
much of place in the hearts OF the |
Greek people. The king, as personal
commander in chief of the army, the vic
tor in two successful wars and man OF
great personal magnetism, has complete
ly overshadowed his royal consort While
in every shop. cafe and office in Greece
there hangs portrait OF King Constan-
tine, portraits of Queen Sophie have hith-
crto been rare. 1t has only been since
her active work in behalf OF the block
AIDE sufferers that there have appeared
generally in the Athens shops calendars
with the queens picture on them, as
well as the familiar ones bearing the
kings picture.
Nor does the kaisers sister take a
very active part in the social lie OF
Athens. The king and queen dine once a
week regularly with the kings brother,
Prince Nicholas, and his wife, the Prln-
ress Helen. After dinner there is usual
" party at which the diplomatic corps
and the best Athenian society are gath
cred The king remains all evening, even
in the busiest times; but the queen rare
" stops after dinner or takes any part 7
N the gaities. She receives no one, save .
where official etiquette renders an au-
Hence imperative. Her last formal au- I
Hence was given TO the German minister ?
md his staff just before their leaving r
,reece on Nov -, last. When they had "
departed she wept. as the German diplo- II
matte mission in Athens constituted the g
ole remaining link connecting her with
lcr brother, Emperor William of Ger o
many.
The royal family of Greece is very Il
lannish and there are frequent family Il
eunions at the houses of the kings nu-
nervous brothers. Queen Sophie seldom
ttends THESE, her peb charllv ~ her
hop in which the home work of Greek
women is sold. But her sister in law,
he Princess Alice of Rattenberg, the wife in
t the kings brother. Prince Andrew, hi
uns shop of the same character, in cl
with the queens just across
constitution square from Queen Sophie's. hi
In the Princess Alice shop all the mod in
Is are American-for hats, fine women's lie
dresses and other feminine
lex nacks. The American fashion pa bt
ers set all the Princess Alice styles, ma
nd it is source of great pride to her DIT
nat every article sold in her shop that T,
not reproduction of characteristic nc
reek costumes or peasant women's en-
roideries is made after American de- d,
gins. TO