The Irish standard., 1891-12-26
SWEDISH SOVEREIGN
King Oscar a Superb Specimen Of
Manhood.
A Queen Who Was Compelled to Do the
Work of q Menial In Order to
Preserve Her Health
Gigantic Princes.


ment is undoubtedly King Oscar of
Sweden, says writer in the New York
Recorder. Unlike the ex-emperor of
Brazil, whose knowledge, although en-
bracing a vast amount of different sub
jects, is of the most superficial nature,
that of his Swedish majesty is of far
more serious and profound character.
He is singularly graceful poet and
has written quite number OF plays
which have been staged with consider
able success in Germany and Austria.
Astronomy, ethnography and psychol-
ogy are among the sciences to which he
devotes much of his time and intellect,
and he finds relaxation in playing upon
the organ, an instrument on which he
is a past master.
Nor shall forget the exquisite mel
ody which pealed forth from the organ
loft of an old Norwegian church of the
fourteenth century, situated in the
grounds of the country seat of the king
near Christina. He sat up there and
played to us for almost full hour, af-
ter which he took us to a quaint old
peasant cottage such as they have up in
the wilds Of Telemarken and treated us
to a typical Norwegian peasant repast.
On long table were spread fat bread,
goats cheese and all the delicacies Of
the Norwegian cuisine. His majesty
then seated himself at the table and,
taking the huge loving cup, which was
filed with mead, drank to the health Of
his guests, kissed the hand of his fair
neighbor on his right and then passed
the cup to her.
Although far more of student than
soldier, the king of Sweden and
Norway does not possess in any way
that peculiar appearance which we are
wont to associate with the possession
of much learning. He towers head and
shoulders above every other monarch
in Europe, being taller than the car,
and, unlike the latter, is n1agnifcently
proportional, without one ounce Of SUI
perhuons tissue upon his body. He is
indeed a superb specimen of the
stronger sex and a worthy incumbent
of the throne of the ancient vikings
who ruled Scandinavia. He bears him
self with wonderful dignity and males
ty, and presents the most striking con-
trast to Emperor William Of Germany
that it is possible to conceive. For the
latter is the very impersoniication of
restlessness and seems forever in a
hurry, which although permissible on
the part of an ordinary Individual be-
comes undignifed in the ruler Of forty
millions of people.
King Oscars wife but rarely appears
at the entertainments which he gives,
for she is a confirmed invalid, her all
ments being of nervous character.
Indeed, for time her mind was affect
ed and her physicians were forced to
adopt all kinds of devices in order to
check the course of her malady. Thus
for time they insisted that she should
perform all kinds of hard and mental
labor, such as sweeping, scrub bling,
washing and busting, their object being
to counterfeit by bodily fatigue the alb
normal and unhealthy excitement of
her nerves. Like the empress of Aus
tria, Empress Eugene and several
other royal and imperial ladies. she is
patient of the famous Dutch special
ist, DR.. Metzger, and spends a number
of weeks each year at his sanitarium.
The sons of King Oscar, although
every one of them giants in stature,
their average height being six feet three,
are far from possessing the magnif-
cent constitution and physique of their
father. They are extremely short
sighted, aud the eldest two, at any rate,
are afflicted with what is known as
barred teeth, which renders necessary
constant attention on the part of their
American dentist DR.. Evans of, Paris.