Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-11-21
An Interesting Letter.

Harpers's Magazine for December contains
the following interesting description of per-
sons and things at the Swedish Court, written
by Miss Grace Stevens, daughter of Hon.
John l.. Stevens of this city. 1t is found in
an article upon 1.-THE Bernadottes," by Zadel
Barnes Gustafson, who says 'The following
extracts are from a letter written by the
charming and exceedingly intelligent daugh-
ter of our American minister to Sweden,
Miss Grace Stevens, in answer to some quer-
les had occasion to make after my return
from Stockholm :"
"USITED STATES LEGATION,
STOCKHOLM, March,6, 1881.
THE cabinet meetings with his Males
ty are generally in the mornings, believe.
In the winter he is always out walking after
lunch, when it is too cold or two bad weather
for skating. The King and the PRICES are
all very fond of the Skating Club, and are as
free and unrestrained there as the simplest of
his subjects. When Christmas time comes,
his Majesty may be seen making the round
Of the shops, purchasing himself the presents
he intends for his family and the servants,
choosing dresses and toilet articles for the
maids of honor to the Queen, etc. The
Crown Prince is very fond of dancing, and is
called the best waltzer in Stockholm. 49,.
There are no ladies dinner parties now given
at the palace, and at the other dinners the
Mistress of the Court receives the guests.
Owing to i'll health and absence, the Queen
has, think, been visible only on one public
occasion during the last four years and then
she formed prominent part of a very pretty
scene year ago last May it was announced
Of, do. md
court would ride out as they do in fairy
stories, and give the people a view of them
in all the pomp of royal grandeur, according
to an old Swedish custom, not observed for
some years. All society, including the d.
plomatic corps, put on their best dresses,
white bonnets, white cloaks. and with the
Lest carriages that could be obtained drove in
all possible state to the Djurgarden, where,
and on the road leading to it, all Stockholm,
literally, had gathered. The people from the
country had also swarmed in. making such
crowd as is rarely seen, and never before by
me. After waiting-as one always must for
royalty-more than an hour, the police clear
ed the way. and amid immense cheering. the
King, in fnll-dress uniform and floating fea-
Tiers, rode through the lines of carriages,
bowling right and left. He was attended by
the Princes Oscar and Carl, also in uniform,
and an escort Of thirty or forty officers, max
ing very brilliant little band. Then fol-
lowed half dozen open barouches, each con-
tanning two chamberains, very gorgeous,
each carriage having four horses; then the
carriage of the Countess Piper aud the
Queens first lady waiting, both looking
lovely in snowy white draperies; two more
carriages with ladies-in-waiting similarly
dressed: then came the Queens carriage.
drawn bv six horses. AT her side sat the
Youngest prince, Eugene. Her Majesty wore
a white bonnet, and a long white mantle COW
cred her dress. Before we saw her the
amount of flowers that had been thrown into
her carriage as she passed testified to the
happiness of the people in seeing her again.
She was smiling, and great shout OF vel
come greeted her all along the line You
know now we are quite without King. Qneen.
or princes except the young Prince Eugene.
The King is expected back from Norway to-
morrow. As soon as he returns we are to
have grand fete at the Skating Club, hav-
ing waited only for him, as he likes these IN
formal festivities so much