Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 82, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 June 1903 — STORMY LIFE OF ALEXANDER. [ARTICLE]

STORMY LIFE OF ALEXANDER.

King's Career Has Been a Scandal in One Continuous Performance. From his earliest infancy King Alexander’s life was a stormy one. When he was a baby Alexander was alternately kidnaped by his wicked father and beautiful mother. At 1* he was accustomed to throw grown men out of the window. At 17 he personally kicked his regents out of the palace and took the government into his own hands. At 19 he was wrecking homes. At 21 he .wns drinking himself to death. At 24 he forsook alcohol and devoted himself to romance. There were many reasons why King Alexander should have married at tjm time he did, but there were also many reasons why he should not have married Draga Maschin. He was but a boy, While she‘was a widow of pearly forty. The Servian throne at this time was insecure. Mme. Maschin was not a Queen who would give stability. Site was not of high birth and had many euemips. Many high families felt offended because she was raised abpve tfiem. A foreign wife of royal birth was considered necessary to the peace of Servia. A year before King Alexander had started out in search of such a wife. He visited all the courts of Europe. His experiences were' highly discouraging. Draga Maschin. who became Servia’s Queen, was the daughter of a Servian cattle dealer. She was comparatively poor, but waa very beautiful. She was married to King Alexander in the latter part of 1900. He bad assembled his whole army and told them that he would marry the woman of his in spite of all opposition. " He placed a guard of faithful followers around, his sweetheart's house to' prevent hit enemies from stealing her and carrying her away to some secret dungeon in the Carpathian Mountains. lie had given orders to seize his father, ex-King Milan, if hie attempted to cross the 'frontlet'!» 1 ’’ t: , Drags Maschin the Servian throne by a series of sacrifices and Intrigues more sensational than had ever occurred outside of fiction.