Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-04
,rhe New King of swcdcn.

The number of eccentric monarchs in Europe
has been increased by the accession of King Os-
car ii. OF Sweden and Norway. Like nearly
every member of the ilustrious house from
which he has sprung, the new Scandinavian
ruler is a highly gifted man, and in spite of the
stormy youth through which he has passed, and
OF the peculiarly hayward temper which he has
exhibited on many occasions, the p 3ople Of the
two northern kingdoms look forward to his
reign with the confident expectation that the
liberties of the country will be safe in his
hands, and that he will perform his arduous
task as successfully as his illuStrOus grand
father, Bernadotte. They remember gratefully
that Oscar always lent his influence to the liber
al party during the political struggles in Swe-
den of the past two years, and they recall an in
cdent to Illustrate this fact. During one Of the
most important debates on the reform of the
election laws in the Swedish honse of lords he
related with pride the remarkable answer which
his grandfather had given to the French hsto-
rian, Ampere, during a visit which the latter
paid him at the royal palace in Stockholm.
Ampere had expressed his surprise at the sim
plicity of his reception at the bands of King
Bernadotte. ooh" replied the latter laughing
"that is nothing! What am but a republican
on the throneP
The history of King Oscar up to the present
time is full OF the most interesting incidents.
He was precocious child, and would have been
the pride and delight Of his teachers but for his
hayward disposition. His father, Oscar l., was
a great disciplinarian, and insisted that his two
sons should be treated by their teachers with
the same severity as ordinary schOolboys He
himself would examine their compositions after
school hours, and when he found that they were
not satisfactory, he would administer with his
owD hands the required correction Having
received several rather painful caStgatiOnS in
this manner, the young Prince Oscar, in his
twelfth year, ran away from home, and succeed
ed in finding his way to Copenhagen, where the
emssarieS of his distressed parents found him
playing in the street at marbles with some little
ragamuffins. No European prince ever present.
ed more ludicrous aspect than young Oscar
when he was thus found, barefooed and his
clothes soiled and torn. But he asserts 10 the
present day that he enjoyed himself goriousy
during his brief absence from home.
In the seventeenth year he was sent to the
university of Upsala, where he took part in all
the practical jokes, of which the students at
that ancient seat of learning are SO fond. After
remaining there about six months he shocked
his royal father by coollv informing him that
he had fallen desperately in love with the daugh-
ter of one Of the university professors, and was
determined to marry her.
As a matter of course, King Oscar would not
permit this; and the young man was recalled to
Stockholm, where he was not long in becoming
very popular by his unaffected manners, and bv
the simplicity of his conduct. He delighted in
walking through the streets of Stockholm after
nightfall in an humble suit OF clothes; and
many an act Of brutality on the part of the DO
lice was prevented by his gallant and timely in
tervention. He was also invariably present at
fires in the capital, and nothing could prevent
him from working on such occasions with the
utmost vieor at the engines.
In 1852, he and young friend of similar dis
position made an excursion to Christana in
Norway. They Travelled incognito, and reris-
tered assumed names at second class hotels
Strolling after dark through the streets of the
city they unfortunately were attacked by a gang
of robbers, who knocked them down and rihed
their pockets. Without cent in ii cir pockets
the two distinguished gentlemen returned to
their hotel. Next morning the landlord pre-
sented his bill to them. They confessed that
they had no money, owing to their mishap the
night before. The landlord utterly refused to
believe their story and threatened to invoke the
interference of the police. Vanly did they try
to dissuade him from his purpose, hut, rushing
from the room, he not only locked them in, but
placed at the door a stalwart porter armed with
a club.
The position in which the future king of
Sweden was placed was so ludicrous that he
could not help bursting into peal OF laughter.
Wheu the lrate landlord finally reappeared and
brought two policemen with him, the two gen
tlemen explained who they were, but they had
some difficulty in establishing their identify
When the court OF Stockholm selected Ger
man princess as consort of the Maynard Oscar,
the latter went secretly to Lubbock, and in dis.
guiSe, Travelled with her on the steamer that
conveyed her from that port to Stockholm,
watching his intended bride with the closest at
tention, What he saw of her satisfied him that
she was an excellent young woman, and lie has
has ever since proved an attectionate husband TO
her. ~
The people Of Stockholm know many other
amusing stories about the eccentriclies of their
Young king; but they know, also, thar he warm
ly sympathizes with the people, aud they are
convinced that his reign will be prosperous aud
beneficial to the countrywide York Post.