St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-10-26
Queen WiIheImina.
A chlldren's Party Of the paI.c, v..r. ;

1
A children's Party Of the Palace Years AGO.
Annie c. Kniper has an article in the
October St. Nicholas on "Wilhelmina
Queen of Holland" The author saws:
How time fliss, to be sure! 1t seems
hardly more than yesterday since the
Queen OF Holland was child-a merry.
sunshiny little girl, usually seen in white.
large broad-brimmed hat with white
ostrich feather halt hiding the pretty
I face, and the long, fair hair rippline
down her shoulders. Now she has
changed into tall, slender maiden, full
OF grace and royal majesty. She is now
eighteen, and on August 81 of this year
the day came for her to be made queen in
good earnest-the grand day of the coro
nation, to which all Holland looks for.
ward.
Then Queen Wilhelmina who, like her
mother, has brought sunshine wherever
she went had to take leave of the sunny
childhood which has been such happy
time to her. And not to her only The
new Queen OF Holland has been a verv
popular person ever since she was born !:
and Dutch children never tire OF bearing
about the time when Queen Wihelmina
played many merry game with her
thirty dolls, and with the little boys and
girls who used to be invited to the palace
to amuse her; never tire of hearing of
her warm love for animals-horses es.
pecially-and her admiration for soldiers
and all that concern them, and her great
capacity for learning. and her uuickness
in seeing a joke.
And If the young Queen has by this
time perfectly acquired the art of behav.
ing-when necessary-in quite as stately
q fashion as the dignity of queen de.
mands, she is a very lively and bright
girl, nevertheless; and there is at The
Hague a boy who would most emphati-
cally convince you OF the truth oil this
statement, you were in doubt. When.
several years ago, he was about nine or
ten years old, he had the good fortune to
be invited to children's party at the
palace. His mother was glad, but some
what uneasy, too. Such very indepen-
dent and noisy lad, her boy was! Surely
there was some reason for her being
afraid that he would not behave so well
as she wished him to. She told him to
try to mind his manners, and not to
stamp in that dreadful way" and not
to talk too loudly. And mind YOU
don't forget to say Mevrouw ['Ma.
dame'] to the little Queen when YOU
speak to her."
But this was too much for WiIlem.
who had been listening attentively, if a
little impatientIy, perhaps.
'Mevrouw!'" he exclaimed indip
nantly. II am not going to be such
silly as to call her that 'Mevrouw,' in
deed And she is not married, and only
twelve years odd" For quite half an
hour his mother took pains to make him
understand that etiquette demanded the
little Queen should be addressed as "Ma.
dame" He obstinately refused to be
brought to reason. ut is so absurd"
he said. How can call her 'Mevrouw'
when she has no husband?"
The attempt to make him understand
had to be given UP. He looked a perfect
little gentleman, though, when he drove
TO the palace, accompanied by his sis
tiers.
Solemn-looking lackeys stood read, to
conduct them to one of the beautiful old
rooms in the palace, where some other
little guests were already assembled, and
they were welcomed bv ladies of the
court. When all-the guests had arrived,
lackey, opening door, announced in
loud voice Her Majesty, the Queen!"
and all eyes were eagerly turned in one
direction.
A hush, a patter Of quick little feet,
then in walked-nay, ran-Queen Wilhe.
nina, simply dressed in a irock of soft,
cream.colored silk. Willem gave quick
little nod OF content. He liked that.
She did not behave or look like "mev
rouw" in the least; and he clapped his
hands when she said gaily. LET us have
a good, noisy game; blindman s. buff. or
or anything you boys know!" And
noisy" games they had, several of them
-blindman's buff among the rest; and
Willem thoroughly enjoyed himself, and
twice caught the Queen when his eyes
were bandaged. Il knew at once it was
her" he said alterward, "as soon as | |
touched her sleeve. 1t felt so soft and
nice, quite different from the others.
But, of course, | never called her New.
rouw.' l just said 'Koningin' cQueen),
and am sure she liked it,"
Well, what Queen Wilhelmina certainly
did like was to play and to romp and to
be merry as well as other children. Per.
naps no Dutch girl SURPRISES her in her
Owe OF skating and riding.