New-York tribune., 1919-06-15
Marie of Rumania Whirls
About Floor at Party
Arranged by Y. Nj. C.. A.
i'll Honor of Royalty
Queen Enjoys Program
Boxing and Other Sports
Amuse Visitors; Ruler
Praises Organization

A1X-LES- BAINS, June IA. For a
mere buck private to dance with a
princess and swap opinions with q
queen may seem unusual, but now that
the world has been made safe for de-
mocracy even stranger things than that
may happen.
1t all happened at Aix-les- Bains,
when the Queen Of Rumania, her
daughter, the Princess Marie; the
Queens sister, the Infanta Beatrice of
Spain; Miss Kennedy lady waiting,
and General Baillief, of the Rumanian
General Staff. came to AK recently to
visit the Y. NJ. C. A.
The Queens invitation to visit AK
was given by John B. Howarth, of
Detroit, divisional secretary for the
Y. NJ. c. A, who heard she was inter
ested in Americans. She was asked to
come to see not only the boys but the
method of keeping them contented so
far from home.
The first glimpse the boys got of the
royal party was at the formal re-
ception arranged in the gallery over
looking the gardens of the Casino.
The Queen and her encourage and the
Y. M. c. A. host and hostesses were
seated on dais. Beside the Queens
party there was Mrs. Helen B. Wrenn,
for the "Y' ladies; Colonel Samuel
Reber, for the army, and Mr.. Howarth,
for the Y. NJ c. A
Regular Woman to Boys
AS the Yankee lads crossed the gal
lery in columns of twos, and gave the
snappiest salute, with eyes left, you
could almost hear the eyes click For
each couple that passed the Queen had
a smile and bow. Some of the BOYS
may have been disappointed because
the Queen was not wearing crown,
but that disappointment quickly gave
away instantly to admiration for a
charming woman.
But the formal reception only began
their acquaintance with the Queen.
She had heard of Yankee "pep." She
wanted to see the boys in action in
their American games. So they called
for the athletic director, Chester G.
Murphy, a Portland, Ore, man, who
forgets he's lawyer when any one
grows reminiscent about football at
Yale twenty years ago.
With the Queen and her party seated
on balcony overlooking a huge cage,
Murphy put on his trough house
games. There was indoor baseball for
d starter. The Queen was so interested
that she called a soldier to her side to
explain it to her.
"You see it's this way, ma'm-your
10 L. 4
gets three swings. If he wallops the
pill and beats the throw to first, he's
safe. See?"
"How interesting" murmured the
Queen.
Amused by Blindfold Boxing
The whistle blew and a new game
started blindfold boxing eight men
in the ring each with a glove on one
hand and bell in the other. Directed
by the sound of the bell, any man
punches wildly wherever he thinks
there is an opponent. The Queen was
vastly amused at the wild swings and
lunges.
Then came the game which the
doughboy, in his mastery of the French
Cognac Zigzag," the funniest of all
Four men placed hands and foreheads
on top of a baseball bat, turned in a
circle seven times around. The obiec,
then was to proceed directly to given
point. and return. Cognac in it's most
evil moments never sent boys so far Off
the path. 1t was a scream. There was
thrilling game of Murphy ball -
there's Chester G. again-an invention
of the boss athlete himself, which
combines volley ball and push ball. 1t
was lively and held the Queens in
terest.
ImprCmptu Dance Arranged
All during the games the soldiers
were ranged on the hillside, some of
them but a few feet from the royal
party. During the games the Queen
remarked that she had heard about the
dancing at AK and thought it fine to
have American "Y" girls over here to
dance with the boys. Would it be pos.