The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-14
HER MAJESTY OF HOLLAND.
Fond of Fun and n Hard student,
WilheImina's ImperiOus VIII.
From the Woman at Home.


Queen Wilhelmina is more than com
mon tall' for a girl of l6. She has grown
very rapidly in the last year or two, and
she is not so robust as Dutch maidens
usually are. Her health is good. though,
and her complexion, is delicate and clear;
her hair is yellowish-brown, her eyes are
blue, and rather nearer together than
beauty demands. her features are pref
~, and her expression is always animated.
II you think the Dutch character Is very
stolid and heavy, you will be much sur
prised by the specimen of it In her maj
esty's possession, for the young queen has
lively sense Of fun, fair fountain OF
wit, and she is anything but stick or u
girl"
Het Loo. in Gelderland, is Queen VIII
helmina s faVorite home. 1t Is lovely
country estate not far from Apeldoorn.
on the edge of a wood, and the home-park
is her young majesty's special playground.
Here she learned to ride, and to drive, and
to row. She does all these things with
skill. Here she has a truly royal play
ground, for portion of the park IS hedg-
ed OF for her particular diversions. she
has here "A miniature farm, which she has
learned to superintend for all the world
as If she were destined To be model
Dutch housewife. She gives the produce
of this little farm to the poor and TO neigh
boring hospitals She has a flower garden
which she tends herself during the resi-
dence term at Het Loo. But chief OF all
she has her chalet pretty little house
in the Swiss style, completely equipped,
and serving partly as plaything and
partly as a training school for its lucky
mistress. The chalet is well stocked with
the toys that have accumulated during the
last dozen years, and which are now laid
aside. Here, too, the young queen has
learned to keep house." and nowadays
she manages her little "chalet estate" on
! her own responsibility, receiving her
friends there, and cooking for the most
favored ones some delectable Dutch dish.
The young queen Of the happy Hollander
has, as the saying is, an old head for
her years. BY far the greater part OF
her time has been spent In the company
of persons much older than herself. For
two OF three years past Wilhelmina has
devoted a good deal of time to studies
which are hardly known to any other
young girl in Christendom-cOnstit utlOnal
| government, international law, the legal
and moral relations of the sovereign to-
ward the several estates of the realm-and
| other themes of the dry-as-dust order.
| How much she knows of these matters
is another thing, but there they are in
her list Of studies, and she has to grind
away at them.
The queen regent, a practical minded
! German woman, has caused her little
| daughter 20 be carefully trained for the
| responsibilities Of queenship, and the girl
! is beginning to realize what ii means to
! be- as she will be four years hence. the
| head of the state. The girl has had to
work regularly and persistently ever
since she began her studies. There has
| never been any favor shown her for rank
! when the requirements OF pupilage nave
| been concerned, and, indeed, almost any
| other girl in Holland has had more free
| dom and fun and young companionship
| than she has known.
! ing in the year, and she never has to be
| reused by her maid. At she takes break
! she goes for a drive; an hour later she
lunches with her mother, and after lun-
cheon she has another drive, or walk,
after which her lessons claim her until
4 o'clock For the next two hours she
amuses herself as she likes A $50 din
ner is served. When there are guests
Queen Wilhelmina takes her part in the
conversation, without appearing IN the
least precocious, and as she Is a shrewd
observer, she can cOntriVe to interest any
one who talks with her even though the
other person be no courtier. In addition
to Dutch she writes and speaks French,
German and English and of these foreign
tongues she likes English best, probably
because ever since she learned the use
Of speech she has had an English lady,
Miss Winter, for companion, goVerness
and friend History is the study she likes
best. For music she cares but little. She
plays and sings rather mechanically; and
She is too young to know or care much
about other arts. But whatever pertains
to outdoor pleasure she is fond of.
Wilhemina Is a fervid little patriot,
and she says that when she comes to.the
throne she will do all she can to encourage
the DerDetuation of the picturesque Dutch
WAYS and customs. In the big towns the
droll old style of dress has almost dis
appeared, but the country folk still cling
to it fondly, and when the young queen
goes among them she delights the rus
| ffics nv wearing the characteristic dress
| Of Friesland, Gelderland, ICELAND or Mar
ken. as the case may be, and every loyal
Dutch woman has a photograph of her in
| one of these curious and quantity becom-
She is a very affectionate girl. Her de-
votion to her mother is, up to now, the
most marked trait in her character. One
! day she said to the queen regent:
IT don't want to become queen II It
means that must take the first place and
you the second"
"Oh, my dear" replied Queen Emma,
that will be only natural and right.
| Mofhers have always sooner or later
| to stand aside for their children Besides,
it will not be 50 hard to lose the first place
IN the state as to lose the first place In
my daughters heart. But that, too, will
happen some day when husband comes
along"
mo, my dearest, dear mother" excIain-
| ed the girl you shall always have the
first place in my love. / don't want a hus-
band! ] shall reign alone, like Elizabeth
| of England"
But the Stats General will have some
busybodies are rolling their tongues over
| a possible alliance.
'Do you know where my mother is?''
asked Wilhelmina one morning in her
| eleventh year.
swered the instructor
Eyes, your majesty Your mother the
| queen regent, is now giving audience to
| the minister Of war.
1 "Then l will go and find her"
| Pardon me, your majesty, but madame
| the regent-your mother-is,as l have said
| particularly engaged"
| pardon me, Mynheer, but the Queen
| of the Netherlands can 90 to her mother
whenever she pleasesP' And with that the
| child went out Of the room with her chin
| In the AR