Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-30
W1LHELMINA OF HOLLAND
The Future Queen is the Idol Of All Her
Subjects.
She IL u Diligent Student and Ap-
preciates the Duty She Owes
the Nation.

From the Illustrated American.
Wiihalmina, the queen prospective of the
Netherlands, is the Idol of her subjects.
Her youth. good sense, charming ways and
rare beauty have won completely the SYM
pathfes of all the low country PROVINCES
and inspire more kindly regard for the
House of Orange than has been felt since
the days of her grandfather William II,
possibly since those of William the Silent
The pleasing anticipations of the Illus
trious and happy ,eign of the prospective
queen are, above all, due to an excellent
mothers influence. All of the sweet nature
OF Queen Emma is inherited by the youth
full sovereign. with none of the evil quail
ties which rnarred her fathers name and
cocas.oned disrespect among his people.
Besides the usual woman's accomplish
ments, Wilhemina is a well-skiIied mu-
sician and clever artist But the course of
study generally pursued by girls of her age
Is but tiny part of the young queens edu-
cation. Wilheimina has carefully studied
statecraft. the law of nations, constitu-
tional government, history and the legal
and moral relations of a sovereign to her
people. These studies, which would cause
most girls to shudder, the young queen has
pursued diligently. realizing her duty and
their necessity to the proper equipment of
the ruler OF nation. Wilhelmina Is espe
cially fond of oIt-of-door srCrts and recre-
saddle and with reins in hand driving a
trap. The crisp winters and abundant wa
terways of Holland encourage skating, and
the queer joins her people in the enjoy
ment of this national pastme. An aviary
and menagerie contain many pets of which
she is especially fond. A modesty and al
most bashfulness has led Wilhelmina to
prefer the royal country houses Het Loo,
in Gelderland, Soestdijk, or the 'house in
tie woods just out of The Hague, to the
court life at either of the capital cities,
Amsterdam or The Hague. Yet that the
young queen has mind quite her own, and
quite recently.
Her prob bic husband has been a matter
of conjecture III every royal household in
Europe. Eligible suitors have been numer-
Gus, ard, as is the custom in Europe, the
ministers of state took hand in selecting,
as they supposed, the future companion
OF their queen. For state reasons it seem
ed desirable that her husband should come
from Germany A seemingly desirable
pTincelns from one Of the German states
was found anxious to become the consort
of the sovereign of Holland. Matters,
however, were rot conducted as the minis
ters OF state had arranged. Wilhelmina-
the sixteen-year-old Queen of the Neither
landS-pr0mpty ard emphatically refused
to marry the princeing, and announced to
those who we're interesting themselves in
choosing husband for her that she should
first wait Until she was of age, had receiv-
ed the crown of Holland and then select
for herself, without assistance, a husband
after her own heart.
In September next Queen Wilhelmna
will become eighteen years Old and legally
of age to wear the Crown-the same age as
Queen Victoria when she was called to
England's throne. The formal coronation
ceremonies will take place ut Amsterdam
amid three days OF pomp and splendor.
The people OF Holland are already prepar-
ing for great rejoicirgs upon the occasion
of their young queen taking in her own
hands the reins of government. That this
coronation Will attract a large throng of
travellers cannot be doubted. AS a wo-
mans capacity to rule queen contains
the political principle of the fitness and
Justice of her possessing full citizens
rights and Dc Wors, the coronation Of little
Wilhelmina my he regarded an object
lesson in V Cnan suffrage.