The evening times., 1898-05-27
AN AGED MoNARcH's LIFE.
King ChristfSn of Denmark and His
Simple EAistence.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.l

Simple EAistence.
From the Pail Mall Gazettel
The eightieth birthday of the King of
Denmark has come and gone without
much flourish of trumpets beyond Dem
mark itself, but England has always a
warm corner of her heart for the little
northern country. and therefore few
details of the life and tastes of THE
Father-in-law of Europe" as he has been
called, may not come amiss to English
readers. We rejoice in a sovereign who
preserves marvellous vitality at an ad-
vanced age, and the Danes possess a king
and queen distinguished for the same
characteristic. The uneasiness which the
crown is generally recognized TO bestow
on Its wearer does not appear to have i'm
paired their vigor or intellect. Every Wis
itor to Copenhagen must be struck by the
soldierly bearing and handsome face and
figure of King Christian, whether he be
seen on foot or on horseback. According
to Scripture. the life of man may be pro-
longed - reason OF strength from the
allotted threescore and ten to fourscore,
but IL Is rare that an octogenarian ruler
begins the day at S o'clock as King Chris
tian does at this time OF the year. And
tsays Wort Land. a Danish daily paper. in
its birthday number'D. IF IL be imagined
side of the octogenarian king. ready to
help him dress and to hand him his gar
ments one by one. this is quite a fallacy'
when / grow Old the king said TO a
new valet not so very long ago, you may
help me. but as yet can. thank God. help
myself"
The King usually enjoys a solitary
breakfast in a little diningroom on the
ground floor of Amalienborg Palace.
though the Queen sometimes shares IL
with him. To those who fondly imagine
that royal tables invariably groan under
the weight of game and foie gras. pas
ties and dishes innumerable. with maybe
n stray peacock thrown IN. II will come
as a revelation that the Majesty of Dem
mark breakfasts on coffee and q roll
| or wheaton cake After Coffee as II
is called. "the King is accustomed to
take n turn in the garden behind the pal
ace. where he visits every bed, and re-
| joiots in the coming of spring and the
flowers progress"
A sovereign usually receives an extern
sive post every day, 1t may easily be
conceived, and King Christian is no ex-
ception TO the rule. His correspondence
| is genuinely personally conducted for.
to quote his own words, Il wish to see
| for myself what occurs. to form my own
| opinion of the circumstance, and then
| consult my advisers The King has
also a quantity of newspapers, Danish
and foreign. to read. and then Ito quote
our authority ve-batim) ..he takes out
| his little red. gilt-edged notebook and
jots down those things which he wishes
to be inquired into further, either person.
| ally or through his ministers. and it fire.
| Quently happens that he wishes to COM
| municate with some portion of the popu-
| lation which has met with some misror-
tune. or some family which has been af-
! flicted with grievous trouble; but at the
| same time he takes as keen and warm an
interest in learning to know people who
have distinguished themselves by their
| cleverness in one or other direction.
State business is the next item on the
| program. and by IL o'clock "the King
| wishes to be alone. With his lighted ci-
gar, he takes his stand at the historical
window on the ground floor to watch the
| parade and relief of the soldiers on guard.
He scrutinizes his Guards with
the eye Of an old soldier, the smallest ir-
regularity cannot escape him. When the
march. which is played when the colors
are lodged. sounds the Kings Is always
moved, and at the moment when the COL
| ors are carried into the castle he bows
his head involuntarily. He never leaves
the window till the parade is quite finish
| ed.
Lunch is generally about o'clock.
and there the members of the royal fam
lily assemble, as a rule for the first time
| in the day and the King is the most
cheerful and animated Of ALL He is best
pleased when he has Prince valdemar's s
sons on either side Of him. The King
has always been known as a lover of
children. and this good comradeship has
not abated with advancing years"
When luncheon is over. our authority
continues, the royal family spends half
an hour or so together before the King
withdraws to his study to attend to his
private correspondence. which he never
hands over to any one else Between
and o'clock the King can generally be
seen on his way to the riding school OF
Christiansborg Castle, either alone or
accompanied by his grandsons. The King
Is still the best horseman in the land
and spends an hour or so every day In
horse exercise. and instructing his grand
children in the accomplishment The
royal family dines according to the for.
eign fashion. at 6 or $50 o'clock. and
the King dons evening dress. forming In
this particular a striking contrast to 9
great majority Of his subjects, who would