PRINCESS DONS JEANS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 69, 6 March 1914, Page 6

PRINCESS DONS JEANS.

It's a far cry from a sumptuous palace and vast estates to a shack in a cold and barren country, and usually only in story-books are, princesses subjected to such extremes. But as truth in many cases surpasses fiction so the case of Princess Beloselsky transcends the inventions of romance' (states the 'New York Sun'). This princess gave up her luxuries willingly and faced the hardships of a mining region with a brave heart. She is an American girl, a fact which accounts for many amazing things in her life.

Twelve years ago Miss Susie WJiittier, a Boston girl, was married to Prince Serge Beloselsky in Paris and all her friends were deeply impressed and she was called a lucky girl. Now they are pitying her and saying, "One more titled marriage followed by misfortune."

But this was a love match, Miss Whittier having brought the Prince no dowry. The Prince and Princess got deep in .debt, as they lived beyond their means. When the recokoningday came it was found that a change must be made and at once. The Prince gave up his palace and moved with his family into a shack in Siberia, whero he had received a mining concession, and in working clothes he got l down to work.

The Princess gave up her gay life in St. Petersburg without a murmur and! has accepted her lot with a light heart. She lias two children, and though her mining homo is of the simplest she has taken up her new life with the adaptability of her race. They will be obliged to live there many years before the Prince's debts are paid off. The Princess has had a suit of jeans made like her husband's and in this she goes out to the mines every day and watches the work. She is "deeply interested in it.

The Princess' mothor was before marriage Miss Lily Chadwick, of Boston, a sister of Dr J. R. Chadwick, and the Boston physician kas said of hie niece's action:

"I was not surprised to hear it, for Susie .was devoted to her husband, Prince Serge. Some of the stories about the affair are erroneous. It ha.s been stated that the Prince met Miss Whittier in Newport. That is untrue. "He has never been in America. She met him at Pau, France, where she was spending the winter, about 11 years ago. Later thoy were married in Paris. It has been stated that General Whittior was opposed to the marriage. Ho wasn't, but the family of Prince Boloselsky was opposed to the marriage'. It certainly was not a case of fortune hunting, for the Prince knew full well there would be no dot."

In St. Petersburg Prince Serge and his wife led a life which was one long round of social pleasure. The Prince's uncle was the famous General Skobeloff, who was noted for his courage and bravery. He always rode a whit© horse, dressed in white and headed his troops. He evidently had a charmed lire, for lie was never even scratched in battle.

The Duchess of Leutchenberg is the 'Prince's aunt, his father is an aide-de-camp oE the. Czar, and he himself was an aide-de-camp and master of the horse for the Grand Duke Vladimir. One of Prince Beloselsky's estates is a beautiful residence on the Island of Kristovski, in the Neva, at St. Petersburg. It was there the couple went to live. At once Princess Beloselsky became an interesting figure in the most fashionable suburb of St. Petersburg, mon saying in St. Petersburg that when she entered a drawing-room she attracted no particular attention, but as soon as. ska began to talk crowds gathered about her.

When first married she spoke good French and she soon acquired Russian, and as she was simple and unaffected in manner, tactful and graceful she became very popular. Everywhere in St. Petersburg the action of the Prince and Princess has bean commended. A long time ago the Beloselskys intermarried with the" Romanoffs, and. because of this the Czar has shown favor to the Prince and bis American wife.

let when Prince Serge learned that he was in debt he did not try to gain aid or position from any power behind a throne, but manfully decided to work out his own salvation.