Show HULER A one of the worlds most interesting monarchs nicholas of montenegro affectionately known as the father of his people literally worshiped by his subjects vienna one of the most interest ng monarchs in europe perhaps anywhere Is prince now king nicholas of montenegro who has recently cele berated the fiftieth anniversary ot of his reign during this half century he ha has been to tho the people a father and a friend anil and it Is asserted that he knows every one of his subjects by name which probably Is an exaggeration ile he spends his summers in and his bis winters in Ant Anti ivari varl down on the adriatic coast but has bas residences in the principal towns of the kingdom and occupies each for a few weeks meeks every year in order to keep in touch with local affairs lie ile Is very veri demo erotic cratic in his manners man neis and although he dresses in the national costume of his country which looks fantastic tor for a man of his age his tastes are arc simple and his habits and manners are those of a country gentleman nicholas was born at the little village ot of a nest in the moun bains in 1841 ills his uncle cantlo the late of montenegro designated him for his successor ire was edu cited in vienna trieste and parts paris an and was not quite twenty years years old when he be was elevated to the throne in 1860 a few months after he was crowned nicholas married a monte alonte girl At milena ileria daughter of peter president of the council of state who was also a farm er cr and one of the largest land owners in the country and she has been a congenial companion and valuable help bell meet the princess Al bellena ellena Is as popular as her husband and presides ov over er the tha palace with simple but graceful dig anity she wears the native nathe costume when she Is in Alonte montenegro negro but has haa a V 3 L 0 v M S f 0 e ia s I 1 nicholas of montenegro paris outfit when she visits foreign countries she insists upon her daughters in law lav wearing the same dress as her subjects when they are at home and encourages the people to continue the ancient customs and practise the old fashioned arts arid and accomplish ments of past generations nicholas usually rides around in a little pony chaise drawn by a diminutive animal like that queen victoria us used e to us uso in her garden at osborne and in the park it at balmoral the pony Is led by a page and the prince sits back in the cushions and talks to everybody he meets on the street in a most condescending and fatherly min man ner the women come out front from their houses and kiss the hem of his cloak and the little children worship win him as it ho he were a deml god in the eyes of 0 these simple people he Is the author of all the good that they enjoy the protector of their lives and homes their guardian and benefactor in every sense from 1460 to 1851 the executive au dhority in montenegro was exercised by or prince bishops as they were called the same man being the head of the church and the head of tho the state lie he performed the ecclesias eccle functions of a patriarch of 0 the orthodox greek church as well as the civil duties of a king at first the were elected by ballot but about 1696 a powerful and progressive leader named babylas founded the present ay dynasty nasty and as the was not permitted to marry the crown has baa descended from uncle to nephew in the same family ever eer since king nicholas Nl cholis the present ruler of INI monte onte negro Is the second who has not been ordained as a priest lie ho simply refused to assume ecclesiastical authora ty and the people who idolized him as a n young man unanimously sits aus talked him in his violation of prece dent ecclesiastical authority Is there fore fora exercised by a regular bishop elected by the clergy the daughters of king nicholas are uncommonly ben beautiful dutiful and accod and those of them who have married have done well princess princes helena married tho the RIM king of italy anna became the wife of prince faran els cis joseph of battenberg mar ried grand duke peter brother of the czar and stena wed ved grand duke nicholas Nicola cousin of the czar of the sons crown prince danilo married daughter of the grand duke of Aleck lenberg and marko took for wife natalie constan tin daughter of a russian grand dulie there are two daughters left and 1 a son prince peter I 1 |