WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 May 1916, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD.

PERSONAL ITEMS. Mrs. Ansted (Mangorei) has gone on a visit to Rotorua. * * * » Mrs. R. C. Hughes has left on a visit to Duuedin. * * « » Mrs. Candy, Manaia, paid a snort visit to New Plymouth this week. * * * » Mrs. Newton King is visiting her daughter, Mrs. Sydney Allen, at Dunedin. Mrs. W. H. Moyes has gone on a visit to Nelson and Christehurch. Miss Bertha Matthews left this morning for Feilding where she will be the guest of Miss Atkinson. * # * # Jiirs. Dodshun, who has been visiting relatives in Wellington and Cliristchurch,has returned to New Plymouth. I,»* * » ■ Mrs. N. K. NcDiarmid, who has been holiday-making through the North Island, has returned. Mrs. A. J. S. Thomson left last week for Wellington, to be present at the wedding of her sister, Miss Cara de Castro. Mrs. C. H. Drew left last Tuesday for Wanganui, where she will spend a few days before leaving for England. Mrs. Jenkins, with her daughter, Mrs. P. Birdling (Waitara), are at present in New Plymouth. Mr. and Mrs. Hollis, Wellington, have been holiday-making in New Plymouth, but have now returned.

Mrs. Pat Fitzherbert left New Plymouth on Friday by the s.s. Rarawa for Auckland, where she intends meeting hor husband on his return from England. Mr. and Mrs. Enderby, who have been visiting New Plymouth, 'have returned to Wanganui. Mr. and Mrs. Corbett-Cooper, who have Been staying at the Da\v*on Falls House, are now on a visit to New Plymouth. Miss D. Bayly has returned to New Plymouth, after a pleasant 'holiday in Wellington. * « # # Mrß. J. Paton has left on a twomonths' .rip to Eotorua, having let her house to Mr. and Mrs.' Wilkinson, Palmeraton North, during that time. Mr. Kennedy, Mrs. Taylor, Mr. Smith and Misa Hamlin, of Pegasus Bay, Wellington, are on a motor tour through the North Island, and paid a short visit to New Plymouth this week. The engagement is announced of Miss Olive Arobury, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Ambnry, to" Mr. C. V. E. Stainton, local manager of Messrs J. C. Spedding and Co. Mr. Stainton joins the reinforcements shortly. THRONE OF SERBIA. GERMANY'S CANDIDATE. (San Francisco Chronicle). The Thousand-and-Second Arabian Night has come! Centuries ago the Thousand and One Nights were completed and the wise men said that the world's romantic tales were done; that all of mystery and wonder and imagination had been told. But now another tale is being told, . the story of George Cristiez, who will probably receive the crown of Serbia. It is a true story, a piece of actuality that cannot be told too well. In fact, it makes no difference how it is told, the real adventures of this beggar-caliph make exciting reading. George Cristiez, cabaret singer, chauffeur and wine agent, is about to inherit the Uneasy Crown. Germany and Austria, having conquered Serbia, profess to do what they please, and it is their pleasure to force this notorious illegitimate upon the conquered people. Up until the present time Wastrel George has been an exile from Serbia. It was perfectly natural that he should have been an outlaw, despite the fact that he, personally, never offended the Serbians. He is the son of the profligate King Milan of Serbia, who abdicated the throne in 188!). His mother was the unfaithful Artemesia.

KING THREW AWAY SERBS* LOVE.

King Milan, a handsome, swarthy, fiery man, was not content to cherish the idolatry his people gave him when he mounted the throne, but wilfully threw their respect away by becoming a roue and libertine.

He was married to the beautiful and good Natalie of Roumania, who, for her graciousness, her warmth of expression, her devotion to her little son Alexander and her superb charms of person, was the toast of all Serbia. But Ma restlessness was .insatiable; he could not 1)e content with Queen Natalie. The demons within him drove him on to excess upon Kind and indulgent to Natalie and their child, he could not remain true to the one or maintain a fitting paternal standard for the other. The passioimte pleadings of Natalie could not make him forego his liaisons; her tearful claims that his attachments were bringing irreparable upon her made him sob, but could not make him forswear.

Finally Milan met Artemesia Cristie?,. Artemesia was the daughter of Johannides Bey, a Grecian arcliiteet wlio was high in the favor of the Sultan and who designed some of the most stately edifices in Constantinople. She married young Cristicz, a Serbian, who eventually procured the position of private secretary to Kin? Milan.

One night at a court ball the new secretary brought his wife to he introduced to his king. Artemesia was slender and glowing-oyed, full of the eastern beauty which women of that night blooming land develop in fullness and intensity almost before their girlhood lias begun. lung Milan with consummate daring had brought several of his women favorites to the ball and was forcing the good wives of his Ministers to mingle with them. DAIKCED ALL EVENING WITH HER, When he bowed low over the hand of young Mdme. Cristicz and thumped his young secretary on the shoulder with rough and ready assurance of his being the most fortunate man in the world, these good wives of the frowning Ministers and these painted favorites of the king all opened their eyes. Still wider went their eyes when the king danced all evening with Artemesia. The eyes were not opened wide from surprise, but from wondering just who this new conquest of the king might be.' For Artemesia was a conquest of the Icing. It it to be feared she was ao

easy conquest, too, for many women before her and after her were unable to resist the laughing, black-eyed monarch. At any rate, Artemesia was soon the choice of all the chosen. She became an issue in the nation. She caused the divorce of the king with Queen Natalie; she finally was the factor which brought about Milan's abdication, and it was the germs of disaster sowed by her attachment to the king which brought about the catastrophe of Belgrade when Alexander and were assassinated. When Artemesia bore Milan a son Queen Natalie had been outraged once too often. The camel's back was brfi?:en. She procured a divorce. At this juncture the King moved into the house of Artemesia, and maintained his residence there without pretence of living otherwise. His secretary, Cristicz, with a truly remarkable philosophy, accepted the situation, and was appointed to high posts abro<i«.

PROMISED TO MARRY ARTEMESIA. In those days when Queen Natalie was planning for the divorce, Milan promised Artemesia that he would marry liev upon the first opportunity, and that Oristiez would he divorced, and that they two would reign, with little George Cristicz, their legitimatised son, and heir to the throne. Poor Government Official Cristicz threw up his hands and got his divorce with much lamentation, but with enough self-control to hold his job. ( King Milan even went so far as to put in writing his intention of placing George higher in the line of succession than little Alexander. This pledge now lies in the hands of Germany and AnsVia, and is the ground upon which George Cristicz, of cabaret fame. i» about to come into his promised kingship. The wedding day of the King and liis mistress approached, but before it cmvld be consummated Russia and Austria fell to playing politic with the little kingdom, and, presto—King Milan was overthrown, and forced to flee to Paris. Suddenly plunged into penury, the indulgent ex-monarch fell to pleading with Artemesia and her father for money. Artemesia's father had grown in wealth through his intimacy with the Sultan, but he refused to permanently endow those activities of King Milan which both he and Artemesia suspected were tinged with infidelity to Artemesia.

ALEXANDER DIRECTED WISELY. So the scandalous pair fell to quarrelling by letter, and finally the liaison was broken off.

Artemesia had taken little George Cristicz with her to Constantinople, where she reared him in the belief that soon he would be made ruler of Serbia.

Meanwhile young Alexander was growing up. Tlie regents who had stood sponsor for him after his father's abdication directed his rule wisely. They taught him to respect his exiled father, arid to give him the filial regard which his father's unselfishness in abdicating the throne justified.

George Cristicz was soon left in the care of his grandfather by the death of his mother. The old man lavished wealth upon the lad. and practiced him in the arts of kingship. So the two young men turned into manhood. Alexander quarrelled with his mother, Queen Natalie. He was always quarrelling. The quarrels of his father and mother, coming with such frequency and violence in those days when he wis young and plastic of mind, had soured him. He had something of his father's independence of spirit, too. He met Draga Maschine and married her. Draga's character was not of the best. Instantly Serbia accused her of betraying the nation. Vicious accusations were made against her character, but so completely was the King in the thrall of her beauty that lie made, no response to the proof of her guilt which lay before him. Finallv she proposed to make her own brother, Nicodim, heirapparent. Serbia immediately became a hotbed of plots. Finally, on June 10, 1903, the conspirators entered the Palace bedroom of the lovers and murdered them.

King Peter, of the rival House of Karageorgevitch; assumed the throne. All this time George Cristicz wandered over the face of Europe. Once when Alexander insulted his exiled father some Hungarian friends of Milan, wko wit? then living in Vienna, plotted'to put Cristicz upon, the Serbian throne. Count Zichy undertook to have the Austrian and German counts recognise the lad. The Sultan stood ready to sponsor him against Alexander.

The death of Milan fanned the flame of those loyalists who believed Cristicz to be Milan's rightful heir, and they exploited him in European court circles. Cristicz had lived too long in the laxity of Constantinople to be acceptable. He had been pampered, puffed and made so egotistical that his inanities militated against him to a disastrous degree, and Europe snubbed his aspirations. GRANDFATHER STILL BACKED HIM. His grandfather, old Johnnnides Bey, however, remained his chief backer and the Sultan maintained an interest in him. When King - ' Teter ascended the throne the Sultan established friendly relations with Serbia, and this reversal of attitude reacted upon George Cristicz's opportunities. Speedily he fell into disfavor with the Sultan, and, bavin;; offended him aged grandfather by his irresponsible actions, he was forced to leave Turkey, disinherited and without any income whatsoever.

Since that date lie has been wandering from cit> to city of Europe. Once he travelled with a circus as an expert rifle shot. He could not remain stable long and soon became a cabaret singer in Paris. Possessed of a pleasing voice and acquiring some little notoriety on account of his unfortunate birth, he commanded a fancy salary for a short time in the cafes.

He could not stand prosperity anil lost his position. He tried the vaudeville stage as both singer and actor, but in time surrendered that post, too. In Vienna lie drove a tax-i-cab fov a time. He journeyed all over Kurope in various other roles, sometimes selling small commodities or. a commission and at others depending upon his ability to command a week's wages as a cabaret singer for bis livelihood. CONTENT TO BE A TROUBADOR. Until the recent subjection of Serbia by the Central Powers and the flight of King Peter into Italy he was hopeless. The future held forth no prospective crown for him, but he did not worry; be was content to be a hobo troubador. . Then Germany and Austria happened to think of him. He was the man to rule Serbia (or, to be more exact, tinman through whom they could r>V Serbia). So the wires were pulled and (icursCristicz ticketed for the throne. K( close is he upon it and so far have tlip plans for his coronation been carrb that it will be strange indeed if he i .not soon wearing the Une»«y Crown.

George Cristicz is naturally elated. He stands to win either way. If the unforeseen should occur and lie be cast aside at the last minute, he is atill lucky, for the notoriety means that cabaret contracts in Budapest will be just so much the fatter and Viennese cafes collections just as much the heavier. Still another phase of the situation pleases Cristicz. When his grandfather, old Johannides Bey, disinherited him the heirs who then came into the expectation of the palatial estate hounded Me mountebank from the regions. Now with the royal house and spacious grounds of Serbia's capital stretched temptingly before him George Cristicz snaps his fingers at the owners of a miserable palace in Constantinople. A king need not envy the home of an architect. At least not a king in cap and bells such as George Cristiez. "I should be the happiest king in the world," he says.

A KAISER'S LOVE TROUBLES. ARCHDUCHESS v. ACTRESS. Mine. Schradt was an actress of great repute and beauty in Autria some years ago. She then fascinated the aged monarch, and for years the house of Mine. Schradt has been the one place where the Emperor has elected to take his ease and tea. A scandalised court has seen her wear the magnificent jewels which Francis Joseph once presented to his Empress, and they listen to-day with amazement to the stories of the card parties, followed by Viennese steaks, which "Monsieur Schradt," as the Emperor asks to oe called, daily enjoys. Every effort was made to wean the Emperor from his allegiance. His second daughter, the Archduchess Marie, is the chief factor, but she is crippled by the fact that she has heavy domestic responsibilities, her family numbering nine. Nevertheless, she does her best, and since the commencement of the war she has endeavored to interest her aged parent in other than worldly matters. But Madame Schradt is a most enterprising woman. When the Archduchess introduced a Jesuit priest into the palace to counteract his unholy thoughts, the actress replied by attaching to her domicile a full-sized prelate, which she proudly presented to His Majesty. The Archduchess went one better by engaging 28 beautiful nun to attend the military hospital. Not at all dismayed, Mine. Schradt has now gone many better by mobilising an entire congregation of 220 fascinating ladies to attend her hospital. This seemed final, but the daughter is not uismayed. To be near the Emperor she converted the palrcc of Vienna into a grand hospital, and she and her children took up residence there. Much wiser, Mine. Schradt declined to convert her residence into a hospital, "where Francis Joseph might never put his feet." But, to show her good intentions, she rented a palace, which she created into convalescent home for the officers of the Ist Regiment of Dragoons, of which the Emperor is the head. This so far is the last word, but it is not expected that the great "bataille des dames" will rest here.