The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1892-05-18

pAs
MWtt OF little import
|. sMIt \ ance, but as q
family celebra-
tion it will command the attention Of the
world. Americans care little for kings
and queens, but brave men and true wom-
en- are more admired and better appreci-
ated in the United States than in any
other part Of the world. Under such cir
cumstances ! do not much care to write
on this particular occasion Of Christian
TX and Louisa, as king and queen Of Dem
mark, and all the Wendes and Cloths
They are only very small potentates
among the crowned heads of Europe,
and their country is not much larger
than Ohio and has less inhabitants than
that state; but ] like to write Of their
standing as man and wife, as father and
mother. As such they are entitled to
our highest esteem and have set shin
Ing example to all the world.
De la Bruyere once said of kings, "Je
ne manqne rien un roi qui Ia douceur
dc la vie privee," which means that
kings have everything except the sweet
ness Of family life. In King Christians
case history very emphatically contra
diets this utterance of the great French
moralist. The kings public life has
been one constant trouble ever since
he ascended the throne on Nov. Is,
1868. As matter of fact he has been
one Of the most tried sovereigns Of Eu-
rope. The war with Austria and Prussia
cost him Sleswick- Holstein and Lauen.
burg, and he has been in chronic feud
with his parliament, and ministerial
crises seem perennial in the little king
dom. He detests democratic ideas, bui
his subjects adhere to them and conse-
quently as ruler they do not love him.
As man and father, however. they adore
him. The popular ditty OF which the
refrain runs, ut is fine family, that oil
King Christian" had no derisive mean.
ing when the populace sang it beneath
the royal windows on a raw November
evening in 1883.
As husband and wife tine royal Danish
couple are among those fortunate par.
ents whose children are q credit and
honor to them, settling in life and adorn.
ing exalted positions with grace and
dignity which would be recognized even
in republic, where honesty, frugality,
temperance and virtue are regarded as
the qualities which befit noble charac-
ter. Among the daughters of the royal
couple we think first of the beautiful
Princess of Wales; then Of the czarina
Of Russia, whose stately lot involves SO
much solicitude that no simple American
wife need envy her crown and throne;
Of Thyre, the duchess of Cumberland.
tall and handsome rs o lily. The sons
are Prince Frederick, heir apparent to
the throne of Denmark; George, king
of Greece, and Prince Waldemar, the
sailor. The latter also could wear a
crown like his father and brothers and
sisters but he did not care to. His king
dom is the seas. and when the Bulga-
rians asked him to step on their throne
he wisely declined.
The private lives of the king and queen
have been blameless and irreproachable.
As parents the Danish sovereigns have
been blessed with all the happiness that
heaven can bestow on mortal beings.
The king is the fourth son Of Duke Will
liam Of Sleswick- Holstein- -Sonderburg
Glucksburg and was born April 8, 1918.
Like many other German princes he had
little Of this worlds riches. As q poor
princeling he chose his wife, notso much
for her beauty as for qualities which
would insure happy future. He mar
ried Princess Louisa, daughter OF the
Iaandgrave Of Hesse-C Cassel, on May 90,
1842, at Copenhagen, she being his senior
by one year. They were handsome
couple and much admired. He manly,
tall, erect; she fair and sweet like o
precious flower of womanhood.
Many tales are told Of how their
daughters, now sovereigns themselves,
made their own dresses, trimmed their
own hats and took their turns in keep
ing house, SO as to relieve their royal
mother. At that time twas not unusual
to see them driving out all squeezed in
one. carriage father, mother and six
children. The king was then superior
officer in the Danish army, and lived
SE ~a0ep.. 1rsnh