Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-04-12


fell in love with his sster-in-law'sl love-
ly attendant, who proved by no means
insensible to the marked attentions
paid to her by ayoung officer of ex-
ceptional good looks and amiability,
and Royal Highness to boot. Prince
Oscar, like a hearted sailor, wooed
the fair maid of honor pour te bon
motif; but grave difficulties stood in
the way of his honest and manly suit.
AS may well be imagined, there were
family objections to be surmounted;
but the chief obstacle to his wishes
was the formidable fact that the
Swedish Constitution prohibits any
Prince of the blood from marrying
outside the circle of royalty, under
pain of forfeiting his right of success
sion to the throne, his titles. predicates,
appanages and all his prerogatives
as member Of the reigning House.
OF this apparently insupcrable bar
to her union with the Duke of Gotland
Miss Munck, as member OF the Swe-
dish Crown Princess household, was
only too well aware. Obedient to the
dictates of what she considered to be
her duty she accordingly resigned her
appointment at court formally in
timated to her relatives that she had
made up her mind never to marry. and
assuming the garb of professional
nurse took charge of the large charity
hospitals at Stockholm. Prince Oscar,
however, knew his own mind, and was
resolved not to allow the felicity of
two young lives to be frustrated by
any act of remuneration, no matter
how magnanimous and praiseworthy,
on the part of the high-minded girl
whom he had avowed to make his own.
He sought her out in the hospital and
pleaded his cause SO eloquently that
he eventually induced her to confess
her love for him. Further than this
she would not go, but steadfastly re-
fused to marry him secretly, although
he passionately urged her to do so;
nor was it until he was able TO prove
that his royal mother had given her
consent that she at length yielded to
his entreaties.
Despite the Queen of Swedens ap.
proval, supremely important as must
have been that maternal concession to
her son and to young lady of such
lofty principles as Miss Munck, the
pair of lovers were by no means at the
end of their troubles. Ere they could
hope to reap the reward of their loyal
and upright conduct, the Kings sane
ton to their union had to be obtained.
To procure his Majesty's consent
proved IN enterprise of no slight diff
Guilty. Prince Oscars appeal was Mt
first met by fiat refusal. In vain did
the royal sailor plead that the sue
cession was fully assured by the lives of
his elder brother, the Crown Prince, and
of the latter's two sons, the issue of
the Duke of Wermerland's marriage
with Princess Victoria of Baden; that
his own chances of ascending the
throne were infinitesimally small, see
ing that Prince Gustavus was only one
: year his senior, and that the youthful
Dukes of Scania and Sundermania
were strong, healthy boys, with every
prospect of long life before them; and
that, taking all these facts into con-
, sideration, he, the Kings second son,
might with perfect safety to the State
be permitted to renouncc his contin-
gent rights and to become private
citizen.
For some time Oscar III. remained
t inexorable to pleadings alike; but
finally, finding that the Duke of Got
land persistently declined to take
"No" for an answer, his Majesty gave
g way. In so doing it appears that he
4 was chiefly influenced by the inter
4 vention of his august consort, Queer
I Sophia, who was dangerously ill ant
5 about to undergo surgical operation
e which she was not expected to sur
: vive. Fearing that he might lose her
or at the very least aggravate hel
e peril by thwarting purpose upor
which she had manifestly set her heart
S the King granted her request
S "Thus," observes our Vienna CORE
k spondent "for the first time for thre,
t hundred years Prince of Sweden vii
e espouse the daughter of a private gen
o tleman.' On his wedding day, in Writ
n ue of the constitutional prescription
g above alluded to, Prince Oscar Charlie
}. Augustus will be deprived of his pre-
It sumptive rights to the twin thrones o
h Northern Scandinavia, his title of Duk
/ of Gotland, his predicate of Roya
/ Highness, his appanage, with whicl
e he was endowed by the Swedish Die
It on attaining his majority, and statel
= palace at Stockholm. He will take tn
If family name of Bernadotte and wi
retain his position ip the Swedishnavy
}, in which he has already risen to tn
a rank of Commander, fairly earned b
o good service and conferred on him !
,, the order of promotion.
g 1t has been arranged that "Princ
v Bernadotte" and Miss Munck shall az
Re company the Queen of Sweden to En-
T. gland few days hence. Her Majest
y has rented house for some months q
Bournemouth, where, in all probabi
d ity, her sons wedding will take plac'
IN We learn, moreover. that it is th
T. young couples intention to reside pei
y manently at Karlskrona in Souther
Z Sweden. the seat of an important nav;
is establishment to which Prince Oscs
Of will be officially attached. Every bod
y in this as well as their native countr
y will wish bride and bridegroom healt
ID and happiness. and we may be SUI
m that throughout the sister realm Il
'n joyful conclusion of Royal r
e. nance" will be greeted with heart