Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-01-09
CHILD RULERS.
HOLLAND, SPAIN AND SERvIA IN
LITTLE HANDS.
" hy Their Lot Is Not an Enviable
One-A German to Marry Queen
Wilhelmina-Natalie Letter
TO Her Young Son.

health of Emperor William and Dom
Carlos have any foundation, it is posi-
BILE that the number of infant sovereigns
will shortly be augmented by a nine
year-old Kaiser of Germany and four
year old King OF Portugal.
In the case of the little Queen OF Il.
Netherlands, as in those of the baby King
of Spain and of the boy monarch of
Servia, the happiness and welfare OF
their respective subjects and the tran
guilty aud peace of Europe are staked
upon thei, existence. For the death of
any one of the three before the attain
ment of their majority would result
in certain chaos Mt home and
in probable war both within
and beyond the frontier. A painful
feature of tie situation is to be found
IN the fact that although the majority of
people are thus impelled by considera-
tions Of self-interest to express wishes
and to offer up prayers for the continued
safety aud health of the infant sovereigns,
yet there are many VINO yearn and hope
for their death. Several dastardly at.
tempts have already been made at Bel
grade to take the life of young King Alex
ander of Servia. In Spain both the Carlists
and the Republicans made no attempt to
disguise their disappointment when the
little King began to recover frtm his Sc
we're illness year ago. and they make
no pretence of concealing their conviction
that they have everything to gain by his
departure for another world. With re-
gard to the Netherlands, the disappear
ance of little Queen WilheImina would
result in the accession to the throne o.
the wife of the reigning Grand Duke Of
SAKE Weimar, and Holland, with all its
enormous trade and magnificent colonies,
would become to all intcnts and pur-
poses German province, endowed with
about as much autonomy and independ
ence as the cities Of Hamburg aud Bre-
men,
Although little Queen With elmina Is
exceedingly frail aud delicate, and, like
the majority Of Albinos, suffers greatly
from anaemia, yet the Germans are de-
tcrhined to take no chances and to
secure themselves against the improbable
eveutuality of the girl living to the
attainment of her majority. With this
object ia view, the Court OF Berlin has
arranged with the Regent Of Holland,
who is q German Princess, for a match
between her daughter, the little Quccl,
and the second son of Prince Albert o.
Prussia. The lad is about fifteen years
of age, and instead Of being educated
like the other members OF his family in
Germany, is passing his boyhood at the
Hague, where he resides permanently in
house purchased for his use. lIc
attends Dutch schools, receives mis- mill
tary training from Dutch officers, and IS
being fitted in every conceivable manner
for the somewhat delicate and difficult
position Of King Consort of the Neither
lands.
The poor little King of Servia is pass.
ing his boyhood in solitude No mother
is permitted tosmooth his pillow, to greet
him with affection in the mornin., and
to kiss him good night. He is left alone
to face the dangers which surround him,
and they are many in number. His
fathers predecessor on the throne Of Ser.
via was murdered in cold blood by the
Karageorgewitcy pretcnders, WHO are rs
eager for the crown to-day as they were
then, and who have even far more to gain
now by the death OF Alexander than by
the assassination OF MiIosh twenty-five
years ago. Moreover, the kidnapping OF
Prince Alexander, of Bulgaria, in the
middle Of the night from his palace by Rus
sian emissaries affords another demonstra-
ton of the peris 70 which Balkan rulers
are exposed. The domestic troubles
which led to his parents divorce aud to
his fathers abdicalion in his favor have
resulted in his being debarrel from see
ing his mother, except on rare occasions,
notwithstanding the fact that she resides
within a hundred yards Of his palace
gates. Every effort is made by her eHe-
mics in general aud by her husband 10
particular TO influence the lad against her,
and only the other day he was Induced
| Dy DIS iatiAtI 10 NfiNS ittt q ittbti III W hl'H
he declares that be will break off all re-
lations with her if she persists IN submit
ting to Parliament the disputed question
IS to legality of the divorce which Milan,
by improper methods, secured against
her. Queen Natalies ssply to her child,
10 whom she is deyotedly attached, is
worthy Of being placed on recorl. 1t
runs thus:
~ would give much if you had not
written that letter, my boy, But as
know who made you write ii excuse
you. For twelve years taught you 10
love your father, and to honor him, and
concealed the misery Of my life from you.
Had King Milan seen the situation clearly
ho would have done as much for me.
This must show you how different aro
your parents characters. II appeal to