THE EX-QUEEN OF NAPLES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9307, 6 August 1908, Page 2

THE EX-QUEEN OF NAPLES.

+ . OPENS SHOP IN PARIS. Her Majesty Maria Sophia, Duchess of Parma, Grand Duchess of Bavaria and of Tuscany, the widowed Queen of Naples, has sent a shudder through the Royal families of Europe by turning Socialist and opening- a shop in Paris. The former Queen of Naples is an old woman now. She reigned over Naples for less than two years and fled, with her huisband, from the red-shirted troops of Garribaldi. But, though her reign was short, she was always an autocrat, and for years, as she wandered over Europe an exile, was bitter in her hatred of democracy. By birth and marriage she is connected with all the Royal houses of Western Europe. It was about* fifteen years ago that she took up her residence in Paris. She lives in the Boulevard Maillot in a humble- way, almost alone, save for an occasional visit from the old Baroness de Rothschild. . Of late she has pondered a great deal over the revolution which drove her from her kingdom. Finally she met a young Italian Socialist. He visited her day after day, and while the old Queen sat in an easy chair making lace he read to her the books of Karl Marx and Lassalle. In May she announced that she had been " converted to Socialism." An interview with Jaures followed, and she was "accepted"' by that great chief. And now the former Queen of Naples and the Two Sicilies frankly declares it is her duty to show to the world the sincerity of her "conversion." She has stopped making the pretty lace fancy work that served to while away the idle hours. Now she' makes woollen stockings and petticoats. In conjunction with other women Socialists sho has opened a shop in the Rue Sflinr-Roch, a few steps only from the Tuileries, for the sale nf clothes for women and children. »n addition to the useful garments in the shop windows, there are also many dainty confections in silk and frills and ribbons, for the Socialist Queen belif,vo« the tw>t»lg have a« """^d a right to the beautiful thins* of life as any ot th<Mr richer neighbours. You may see the Queen in liw wiop. any morning. She is quite willing— nnd oven proud— to admit pho is a Socialist: but she dops not think the world is interested in knowing how she became one. ■ "I thousrht and read. nn'T t-ben o*e r*n- I found I was a Socialist," she An' 1 then— with "Royal finality— she turned awn find beean to bang nut bnbv caps in the shon wVdowi.. Hor Mniestr is "■ weazened little ■ w-tnim of "sWt^ix. "Iw^s f^^d— -*■• l«»«i«* i' 1 her «bop — in dingy W»ffc. She-is loved in tho quartier of Saint-Roeh because she distribute-s uennics in the street.