The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-29
SWEDISH SOVEREIGNs.
King Oscar O. Superb Specimen OF
Manhood.
"A 0ueon Who Was Compelled TO Do tho
Work OF II Mental in Order TO
Preserve Her Health
Gigantic Princes.

The most talented monarch on anv
european throne at the present mo-
ment Is undoubtedly King Oscar of
,Sweden, says writer in the New York
lNccorder. Unlike the eX-cmperor of
lBrazll, whose knowledge, although en-
!praclnS vast amount of different sub
igects, Is OF tho most superficial nature,
That OF his Swedish majesty is of far
more serious and profound character.
NE Is q singularly graceful poet and
mas written quite q number of plays
(which have been staged with consider
able success in Germany and Austria.
Astronomy, cthnography 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 l forget the exquisite mel
ody which pcalcd forth from the organ
loft of an old Norwegian church of the
fourteenth century, situated in the
grounds of tie country seat of the king
near Christina. lie sat up there and
played to us for almost u full hour, af-
ter which he took us to quaint old
peasant cottage such as they have ND in
Viz "iANih Va IClclldIh anu treated lis
to typical Norwegian peasant rcpast.
On long table were spread fiat bread,
goats cheese and all the dclicacies of
the Norwegian cuisine. His majesty
then seated himself at the table and,
taking the huge loving cup, which was
filled 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 moro of q 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. lie towers head and
shoulders above every other monarch
in Europe, hcirg taller than the ear,
and, unlike the latter, is magnificently
proportioned, without one ounce of sill
pcrfuous tissue upon his body. lie is
indeed superb specimen Of the
stronger sex ard Il worthy incumbent
of the throne of the ancient vikings
who ruled Scandinavia. lie bears him
self with wonderful dignity and maies-
.ty, and present, the most striking con-
trast to Emperor William Of Germany
that it is possible to conceive For the
latter is the very approximation of
rcstlcssncss and seems forever in 4
hurry, which although permissible on
the part of an ordinary individual be-
!comcs undignifcd in the ruler of forty
millions of people.
King Oscars wife but rarely appears
at the entertainments which he gives,
Tor she is 81 confirmed invalid, her all
mcntS being of Il nervous churactar
Indeed, for time her mind was affect
cd and her physicians were forced to
adopt all kinds of devices in order to
check the course of her malady. Thus
for a time they insisted that she should
perform all kinds Of hard and menial
labor, such as sweeping, scrubbing,
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
list, DIR. Metzgcr, and spends u 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,
arc far from possessing the magnifi-
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.