The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-11-19
AN ANGRY KING.
Bitter Words of Oscar OF sweden and
Norway.

| Bitter Words of Oscar OF Sweden and
Norway.
| The dispute between Norway and
| Sweden, which has ragged with more or
less bitterness for the last decade, has
become more acute since the return of
| DR.. Nansen from his expedition to the
north pole. 1t has reached point. in
fact, that leads many people to expect
serious trouble. The radicals, one Of
whose leaders is the famous poet.
| Biornst iernc Bjornson, whose ardent
desire is to make republic of the west
ern part of Scandinavia, have used the
| explorer, in truth, as a means to their
end. and Nansen apparently has cast his
lot willingly with them. Leaving out
of consideration the merits of the politi-
cal question, it is pity that he should
lend himself at the moment of his
scientific triumph to political intrigue.
But this evidently he had determined
to do before his return to civilization.
for on the mast of the Fran as she sailed
away from the frozen north homeward
bound was the single flag of Norway,
and not the Swedish Norwegian ensign.
Nansen's fellow republicans in Chris
tiana, therefore, were not surprised
when, at the great festival in his honor,
he poured out his soul in plea for an
independent Norway. But there was
one man from whom every word drew
blood-King Oscar, the scholarly occu-
nant of the double throne. Although
the svmpathies of all Americans are
naturally with Norway n its longing
to become n republic. King Oscar, it
| must be admitted, had reason to expect
| less reactionary COURSE from Nansen.
His ma ajesty has not forgotten that it
was his financial aid vhich-after the
refusal of the Norwegians to appropri-
ate sufficient amount-enabled the
explorer to undertake his hazardous ex-
pedition.
The king has been obliged to submit
TO Sights on many occasions in Norway
in the last ten years, and has hard tiEle
in preventing the Norwegian storthing
from appropriating its part of the royal
salary. or appanage. But nothing that
has happened heretofore has so excited
him or led him to express himself so
openly as have the incidents subse-
quent TO the return of his protege.
The reception in honor of Nansen in
Christiana, in fact, was at the same time
almost a demonstration against the
king. Although the explorer was re-
ceived as a returning victor, the king,
upon his arrival at the station to take
part in the welcome. was hardly noticed.
But he did not let this prevent him from
giving gala dinner at the castle in
honor of the returning traveller. He
used the occasion, however, to express
in no uncertain way his opinion of the
> course things had taken. Only one toast
was given, and this was by the king him.
self, for Nansen. But the toast became
: speech OF unexpected bitterness.
} After referring to the fact that it had
often been said that be was no Nor
wegian, but a stranger. the king turned
) defiantly to the radica. leader, ex-Min-
lister Steen. who sat at his side, and
shaking his finger significantly he con-
tinued: 81 look upon it not only as my
= holy duty, but also consider it my ire
vocable right, to he here as the inter-
prefer of the feelings of my Norwegian
, subjects"
No one replied to the king, of course,
end the guests were glad when the time
l came to leave the castle. But his ma j.
esty's remarkable assertion was soon
| under discussion from one end Of Scan
3 dinavia to the other. He had thrown
down the gauntlet to Norway.
! The Indignation of the king grew as
he reflected upon the course of affairs
and he decided to attend no more of the
9 series of entertainments in honor OF
Z. Nansen. On the morning following the
castle dinner he received several news,
paper correspondents, and spoke with
|, Il freedom and indignation seldom
. known in a monarch. To one of them
, lie said: 81 have a very difficult place
and admit that the future fills me with
:, misgivings. The Norwegians follow pol
i, itics more than any other people. Thai
has caused me many an unhappy honl
-, already-but with the help of Cod
;, land here the king raised his voice ant
:, his eye bore determined look) II shall
a attain my goal! lam, and shall remain
. king of Norway. 1t is a hard battle
shall conquer"
, In Sweden it has long been believed
- that Emperor William has won Kins
g Oscar as a secret member of the tripl
alliance. The Norwegian radicals ar,
:, bitter at this, as they see in it DANCE
/. for the expected Norwegian indepen
!. dence.
.- But the dispute, to which fire has bee1
added by Nansen's return, will like,
end sooner or later in the republic o
Norway.-N. Y. Tribune.
-, What Attracts Them?
. It has frequently been asserted tha
\ the brilliant colors of many flower
= serve to attract bees and butterflies t
:. them. Experiments recently reporte
to the Belgian Academy of Science seer
u to show that the perfume rather tha
nolor of tho Aoyyarc ic Tho ro,1 n,