The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-05-24
UNEASY CROWNED HEADS.
Yet Few OF Them Willingly dispense with
the Gilded Bauble.

Yet Few OF Them Willingly dispense with
the GiIded Bauble.
However uneasy may lie the head
that wears a crown, the owner OF that
head seldom evinces any desire to put
away from him the splendid cause OF
his disquietude. Even in these con-
stitutionai days, when royalty, shorn
of its ancient powers, prerogatives and
privileges, is TO a great extent become
u mere titular and ornamental dignity,
there are few more troublesome and
unthankful offices than that of a king.
In the first place, the occupant of
throne is compelled by the intrinsic
exigencies of his exalted position to
lead an almost entirely artificial life.
He may not ut any time, even when
''off duty" so to speak, be absolutely
himself, to the extent of yielding to
the impulses or indulging the tastes
with which nature has endowed him.
Privacy is all but unattainable to him;
for, when he is not engaged in trans
acting state business, or i'll playing his
prescribed part in court ceremonials
| or public celebrations, he is still sur
rounded by officials and attendants
who closely watch his every action
and gesture, and are eagerly alive to
| the lightest word that falls from his
| lips. 70 be natural in his behavior or
spontaneous in his utterances is to be
| guilty of dangerous imprudence, see
ing that all he does and says is pecu-
liarly liable to misinterpretation. The
pleasures, comforts and consultations of
friendship are denied to him.
| oh l.
friends, when his daily and immediate
encourage is necessarily composed Of
persons who desire his favor in order
to turn it to their own profit and adj
vancement, and whom he himself has
been sedulously taught to regard as SO
UNNECESSARILY his interiors that be-
tween him and them, from his point
of view, there can be little in common
save mortality2 A king is man who,
by the accident of birth, is continu-
ously constrained to control his feel
ings and repress his emotions; to guard
his own speech and discourage frank
ness in that of others; to follow advice
which is frequently repugnant to him,
and publicly indorse opinions with
which he secretly disagrees; to as
sumo an immense superiority to those
whose puppet he is in reality; to set
an example of physical "tenue" and
moral decorum to his subjects; in
short, to play part throughout every
hour of the day and every day of the
year, so long, at least, as he shall
reign. His time is scarcely ever his
own; if he entertain likes or dislikes,
he is bound to conceal them; even
with respect to his matrimonial ALI
ances he is seldom allowed to choose
1 for himself, international and political
considerations, in his case, mcrcilessly
taking precedence Of personal inclina-
ton. He is constantly-almost inces-
santly-"cn evidence" exposed to the
fierce light that beats upon throne.
The wonder IS, considering how
heavily the pains outweigh the pleas
ures of regal Office, that men OF genial
disposition, cultivated intelligence and
strong individuality can be induced &c
accept it nowadays, or at any rate tc
burden themselves with so oppressive
an incumbency for a lengthy term OF
years. OF that incumbency Milan
Obrenovich has ridded himself, let us
hope to the advantage of Servia ant
her neighbors No one in his owl
country or any other will regret him,
for he was an eminently unsatisfac
tory monarch. What may be in store
for his son, godson of Gar AleXan
der Nicolaievich, and reputed to be 6
youth of shining parts, time will
show.-London News.