Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-06
KING OSCAR OF SWEDEN.
Man of -. IL Philosopher, Poe
Musician md Author.

MuSicfnh hhu huthoT
An important figure in the Venezuelan
controversy is one Of the most respected
monarchs in Europe, says the San Francisco
Examiner. Oscar III, king of Sweden and
Norway, is a man of 67, with a benevolent
countenance, a full gray beard and a stall
wart figure. In his youth he was a sailor,
and he still retains the bluff manners OF a
follower of the sea.
He is the fourth sovereign of the line OF
Charles Jean Bernadotte, who, by a slngu-
lar accident, was raised from the station Of
a simple burgher to that of a marshal In
Napoleon's army. At the death of Charles
XIII the Parliament of Sweden, acting under
orders from the all-powerful conqueror,
chose Marshal Bernadotte to succeed him,
and he assembled the throne under the
name of Charles XIV. He had wit enough
to cut alocf from the emperor when the
latter rushed on to his doom, and thus at
The reconstruction which followed he re-
tanned his crown and bequeathed 1t to his
| son, Oscar /. That polite monarch man
aged to keep out OF the Schleswig-Holsteln
dispute, and retained the good will of both
Prussia and Denmark; so he died at peace
with all men, though sorely stricken In
body, in the year 1859. He was succeeded
by his son, Charles XIV, who united Sweden
and Norway, and reigned until 1872, when
| the present sovereign assembled the throne
The duties of ~reigning are not congenial
| 10 OStdT L Il ID q poCN' "a es'S'
man of science. He has written many books
some of which are as good as If they nae
not been written by a king. lie wrote !
drama in French, which has been played Il
full houses. He is al corresponding membei
of the Frankfort Academy of Sciences. Hi!
memoir of Charles XII holds a high place II
historical literature. His inaugural address
to the Rigsdag contained some stirring
passages. -,
II am deeply penetrated" said he, witt
" -. 49, ,ba naval ornIun which ha!
fallen to me as heir. is not lent to me 10
mere outer splendor; rather, l know and ad
nit that my responsible royal mission, o
which the crown is a symbol, has been lal'
upon me to promote the welfare OF tn
brother nations. May these words Dc III,
motto, Brodrafolkeno ValH'
The task which fell upon his shoulder
was, indeed, one which might have appalle
a less intrepid soul. He had to adminlste
the government OF two nations which ma
been artifcially put together in harness
and whose aims and temper are as far apar
az the poles. He had to contend agains
such political foes as lbsen and b1ornsei
The latter once actually challenged the KIN
to mortal combat. He had to handle tire
houses OF parliament-two in Sweden, on
in Norway, There has hardly been a day !
his reign when he did not need to remin
himself of his own apothegm-'a KING mu'
ever know how to subordinate all the II
? clinations Of his character, however leglt
= male 10 lie GAlEClilNS vi ICFAAANNA I1''N
0 Whenever he could, Oscar has sought r.
I lief from the cares of public business In h
country house in the Sound OF HelsingborI
a There. with his wife, the beautiful and giftt
I Sophia of Nassau. and their four stalwa
d boys. he has led the life OF a studious coul
try gentleman, working out problems
: arctic navigation and writing verses on pa
g toral themes. There they sit at an opt
window, breathing the strong air OF q
c north. inhaling the summer breezes and lie
e ting the sea vapor fan their brows, An aw
n ing covers a veranda, bordered with Howe
: ha1bed In sunshine, from which a loI
e stretch Of sea rolls under their eyes. He
S the king tells his family the old, stranI
sagas of Sweden's past, and carries them pa
To- the days of Wodin and the Northme
7 He has a well-chosenD library, tull OF u
fayorite authors. Here he loves to ia
n poetry and science and legend with a que
n A brother of Oscar, Eugene. Is study
to be a painter, and proposes to establish
s studio in Paris. His aunt, the kings sist'
Eugene, Is the Lady Bountiful OF Swede
when she failed in obtaining from the ~
stad an appropriation for a work house whi
was badly needed, she sold her damon
y and put up the building. When the XII
saw ii, he cried: But, Eugene. where
i earth did you get the money to crafty yo
= whim?" =.
When II was agreed to submit the A
a bama controversy to arbitration, 1t was su
- gested by Great Britain that 1t should
,,e LETT 10 a European sovereign, or to the pc
- or TO the emperor Of Brazil. The Uni
States offered to leave 1t to the president
Mexico or Switzerland. An agreement v
Is finally reached that several powers sho'
choose each an arbitrator learned in the Ia
and that their joint verdict should be G.
Re elusive. The arbitrators were hye In nu
s; Der. and were chosen by the United stat
n Great Britain. Italy, Switzerland and BRA
to II is this precedent which has been follow
ne In the Venezuelan casa.