Take Jonescu, an enlightened Minister of Education--“La bouche
d’or”--His personality--A true Roumanian in his almost Oriental
love of luxury--His town and country houses--Madame Jonescu as
an authoress--Her menagerie of pets--The love-story of Take
Jonescu--The meeting of the law student and the English girl--A
trip to England follows--Obstacles are overcome and a happy
marriage follows.
Take Jonescu, as he is familiarly known all over Roumania (Take
being the diminutive of Demetre) was a most enlightened Minister of
Education. He is an exceptionally clever man; gifted with powers of
oratory far above the average, and is known in his own country as
“La bouche d’or.” Although Take Jonescu has never yet been Prime
Minister, it is certain that he will one day be called upon to occupy
that position, which he is so well qualified to fill. He has held
successively the portfolios of Justice, Education, and Finance, and is
now rendering signal service to his country as Foreign Minister.
When the Conservative party is not in power, M. Jonescu follows his
profession. He is the most brilliant advocate in Roumania, and the side
that succeeds in retaining his services in a case is almost certain of
success.
It has been asserted that M. Jonescu is a rich man, but this is
scarcely the case. He has little or no _private_ means, being simply
dependent upon his professional income, which is, however, very large.
It is for him a very great sacrifice (from a monetary point of view)
to accept a portfolio, as the salary paid to a cabinet minister in
Roumania is only 30,000 francs (£1200).
In private life M. Jonescu has a charming personality. He is most
kind-hearted, and ready to take the utmost trouble to help anyone in
time of difficulty. His kind deeds are innumerable, and are always
performed in such a modest manner that they are very often unheard of
by the general public. The just cause of many a poor client has been
espoused by Take Jonescu without thought or hope of reward.
He is a true Roumanian in his almost Oriental love of luxury. His town
house in Bucarest is imposing. It is beautifully furnished, and always
hospitably open to foreign visitors. But it was his villa at Sinaia
in the Carpathians--where the present writer has often had the good
fortune to be a guest--which excited the greatest admiration. It was a
charmingly situated and perfectly appointed house, commanding a lovely
view of the valley of the Prahova, and was an ideal home in which to
recruit from the cares of professional or political life.
Many English guests were entertained there, and this is largely due to
the fact that the late Madame Jonescu was herself an Englishwoman. She
was possessed of great musical talent and was an authoress of no mean
repute, as those can testify who have read her fascinating book _Only a
Singer_. She was an able helpmeet for her husband, endowed as she was
with very real abilities.
Both husband and wife were great lovers of animals, and it may almost
be said that they possessed a small menagerie--dogs, deer, a bear, and
a monkey being amongst their pets. It was chiefly owing to the efforts
of Madame Jonescu that the “Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals” established itself in Bucarest, where the work has long been
carried on in a most efficient manner.
Of the ten dogs that Madame Jonescu possessed some years ago “Charlie”
was decidedly the favourite. A large retriever, with a fine head
and honest brown eyes, Charlie was made much of by everybody, and
consequently thought much of himself. He was very fond of driving, and
when the carriage came to the door for an afternoon’s visiting, Charlie
seemed to think it was there for his special benefit. He always jumped
into the carriage first, and there remained barking with all his might
till in desperation someone would place a rolled-up newspaper in his
mouth. Then perforce he became quiet, as he would not let go anything
entrusted to him until permitted to do so.
Poor Charlie suffered very much in summer from the heat, and therefore
at such times as his mistress was abroad, Charlie became a boarder at
the Hotel Joseph in Sinaia. As the favourite dog of his mistress, he
was treated by all the waiters with great respect, not one of them
even presuming to speak of him other than as Domnele Charlie, _i.e._
Master Charlie. Every afternoon he was taken for a constitutional,
either by one of the waiters or by a visitor who could be trusted. It
was considered quite a privilege to be permitted to take Charlie for a
walk. In spite of all this care, poor Charlie had to go the way of all
flesh, and he had many successors in his mistress’s affections.
Another favourite pet was a bear which had been presented by a
gentleman returning from the Caucasian mountains. This bear roamed at
will in the courtyard, his further excursions being prevented by a man
armed with a big stick, who was supposed to be always on guard.
If this man happened to be off duty for a short time, it was then
Master Bruin’s great delight to penetrate into the house, much to the
consternation of the maids. He proved such an adept at opening doors
that one only felt safe when they were locked.
One afternoon Madame Jonescu was seated in the drawing-room chatting
with some visitors. A slight noise was heard at the door, which slowly
opened, giving entrance to Master Bear. Great was the dismay among
the ladies, who completely lost their heads and fled to every corner
of the room. Fortunately Madame Jonescu retained her presence of mind
(she had no fear whatever of animals), took the bear by the collar and
gently led him to the door. Once there, a call soon brought the bear’s
attendant to the rescue, who took possession of his charge with strict
injunctions not to allow him so much liberty in future.
As time went on, Bruin became too great a burden, so was given over to
the authorities in Sinaia to place in the small menagerie that they had
established near the monastery.
Before leaving the subject of pets, I may just mention one other--the
monkey.
Armina by name and vicious by nature, this animal was not a favourite
with anyone but her mistress. Although confined in a very strong cage,
her fits of temper were so violent that she sometimes succeeded in
breaking one or two of the bars. Once out of the cage, she careered
up the trees and along the roofs of the neighbouring houses, and it
was a work of great difficulty to induce her to return. The policeman
who patrolled the street, and who had already made the acquaintance of
Armina--indeed he was a special favourite with her--had often to be
appealed to for assistance. It was very amusing to see how readily she
responded to his blandishments, and he would return in triumph with
Armina snugly cuddled up in his arms. The policeman was very proud of
his friendship with Madame Jonescu’s pet, and went so far as to have
himself photographed with Armina in his arms.
I am tempted here into a digression to tell a little story in which
this same policeman figured. I think I have not mentioned before that
Mr Alfred Richards, the brother of Madame Jonescu and a member of
the English bar, spent some years in Roumania, where he was a great
favourite in all circles. His health was delicate and the climate
suited him. Mr Richards died a few years ago in England.
On one occasion Mr Richards was entrusted by King Carol with a special
mission to the Porte. He chose to take with him as a sort of official
attendant our friend (and Armina’s) the policeman. Mr Richards was
decorated by the Sultan on the accomplishment of his mission, and it
was expected that the policeman would receive some acknowledgment in
accordance with his humble rank. I daresay small things interested us
in that distant land, but I remember there was much speculation as to
what Gheorgie would get, and what he would do with it. In the result
we learned that he received from the Sultan a very considerable sum of
money as a tip, and spent the whole of it on a splendid diamond ring; a
curious investment, but by no means always a bad one in Bucarest.
The love story of M. and Mme. Jonescu was of a romantic nature. He was
a young student travelling to Paris in order to finish his studies when
a very pretty young English girl entered the compartment in which he
was seated. Seeing that she was travelling alone, he gave her, as a
gallant Roumanian, every assistance in his power. Susceptible to beauty
as all Roumanians are, it was with him a real case of love at first
sight. He followed up his advantage so eagerly, that Paris for the time
was forgotten, and he crossed to England at once in order to make the
acquaintance of the young lady’s parents. There were some obstacles,
but in spite of them love carried the day, and that part of the story
ended in a happy marriage.