The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-12

Queen Wilhelnina of the Nethor anis vii
Choose Her Own Husband.


Queen WilhelmIna, OF the Netherlands.
declines 20 accept the husband her moth
err and her mothers advisers have chos-
IN for her Although She has not SAID DIT
IN so many words. she evidently thihhf
that her cousin once removed, Prince
Bernhard of SAKE emar-llke curfiu.
the Irish OratOr-carrlcS man pflFl-
lege Of being ugly a little too fari ana
rather than mate with him. She prefers
20 remain single for another couple pl
years. Even then she intends 10 follow
the dictates OF her own heart. This claim
of the girl sovereign 90 stand ON am
equality with the humblest of ner SUBJ
jects has raised quite uulicr OF sur
prise among the courts or Europe ana
a feeling stronger than surprise among
the Dutch themselves. but luaHmunh ia
one Of their own and greatest OF princes,
William. the Sllcuts eldest son. tpld lnch
nearly three centuries ago that 'it takes
two to make either a marriage or "a quar-
rel" they win have no alternative but
TO abide by their young queens decision.
We are not prepared 90 say what would
happen in the event OF queen W uhclihl-
mas premature death. or lu the event
OF her marriage without ISSUE ile qur7-
ton is too complicated 20 Doe treated DID h
few lines. II is sufficient, however 20
state that the kings or Prussia nave
never abdicated their right 20 the Duieh
crown in default OF lneal SUCCESSFUL
and that the attempt 70 enforce lnl'
right would unQueslonaDly SET Europe
ablaze Queen Wllhcimlua. who Us rec
ported 20 be highly intelligent and who
has moreover had the advantage OF the
best masters, Is no doubt aware or an
this. vet one cannot blame her Tor Zee
fusing 10 link her lot with youth ior
whom she feels no sympathy, ana, Delus
Young and I'm the best OF health, for WISH
inx 10 wait until the right prince APP
pears. Young as she is. her exalted po-
sluon has afforded her an opportunity or
learning much Of the inside u European
courts-an advantage denied 10 3aser
born mOrtals. Sne Is likely 10 know
where the shoe pinches' in royal mar
rlages contracted either Tor reasons or
state or because the contracting paflta,
having been unable 20 marry ln07e Wh0ih
they loved, endeavored To- love uio5e
whom they married. She mas pfpntDly
no wish 10 enact the "Nlrglu queen IN
the sense that Elizabeth OF England ana
Elizabeth Of Russia enacted the chafac-
ter. but she has equally no Wish To MAKE
her name a byword Ga history in lmlta-
ton on Catherine the Great Christine OF
Sweden. Mary Stuart, and, ll the truth
must be- told, Isabella OF SPAN. nor
does she aspire 20 become the supJect
OF q tragedy Ike Matilda or Denmark;
our own George HIS unfortunate ana
deeply WrOnged sister.
The sOvereigns OF Europe. n they DO
not contract absolute love matches, mar
~ at any rate with their eyes VIDE open
as 10 tho physical charms OF tneil iuldi
partners. and they need not drop Win
astonishment at their plainness ne the
first sight OF them as Henry VII felt
ready 10 do when ne beheld Anne OF
Cleves or demand a glass OK brandy as
the future George w did when he caught
sight OF his Caroline OF Brunswick. oven
the future Wilhelm III, on that memora-
BILE morning when his mother and his
grardfathor forbade him 20 return 10
Carlotta Grossl. singer for whom he
wished to renOunce his rights 20 the
throne. had an album shown 90 him con-
tanning twelve royal Processes. Car
Nicholas was giyen his choice between