The times., 1898-09-01

nearly broken" Being a princess seemed
TO her to be the worst thing that could
possibly happen to anyone.
Wilhelmina has never had any friends
of her own age. Sometimes when she is
at the country palace, Het Loo. the
daughters of the neighboring aristocracy
are invited TO spend afternoon with
her but before leaving home the children
have been so lectured about their man
ners that they are frightened and stand
in such awe of the little queen that they
make poor playmates.
Her masters and Inistresses never ad-
dressed her as Your Highness or even
as Princess during the hours of teach
ing She was treated just like any other
school girl. One day, when she was about
ten years old, she was driving with her
mother when they came upon a group OF
children who were peiting one another
with snowballs. The princess begged that
she might join them, PERMISSION was given
and the royal sleigh waited for half an
hour while the rosy. laughing little prin-
cess snowballed and was snowbaled like
any other child.
Every Sunday when she has been at
The Hague since her fathers death she
has attended service at the Great Church
near the Bennehoft almost as quietly and
unceremoniously as though she were not
the greatest lady of the Dutch realm. She
has gone with her mother and one OF the
ladies' of the court TO her pew without
other attendants and sat through the
prayers and sermons under the eyes OF
the large congregation close around her.
In her daily rides about The Hague she
has been accompanied by a lady-in-wait-
ing and one or two officials or grooms.
and has neither attracted nor evaded OBJ
servation. The palace here IS small ana
rrs rarhf
lacking in dignity and distinction, is con-
| spicuous for simplicity. The environment
! of the queens girih0od has fitted her for
| ouiet and unceremonious sovereignty in
/ what is virtually a Dutch Republic
! Strictly speaking, there will be no cor
! onation" in the sense in which the world
! at large regards such affairs of pomp and
! ceremony. But on September NiiheI-
! nina will take the oath of office as Queen
| of Holland and ascend the throne rms,
/ of course will be done with certain cere-
| monies and festivities, and the mode of
/ procedure of the former and program for
| the latter are generally known The court
/ festivities will be few and very simple.
The Queen Regent Emma, mother of the
| young queen, has long ago stated that
for physical as well economical rea-
sons she desires no grand display.
! I'VE are only two women" she says,
any lengthy festivities and entertain
| ments." She has even caused it to be
| officially known that she does not expect
| any foreign princes or potentates or spe-
| cial ambassadors to be present which,
| of course, means that she does not want
them. This announcement was made
some time ago, and, of course, her
| wishes will be respected.
| The Hague is the seat of government
| and the capital de facto Of Holland. and
the queen usually resides there. But Of
| fcially Amsterdam is the capital, and the
| queen or king is by law required to re-
| side there at least six days every year.
| The Inauguration of Wilhelmina as queen
must therefore take place in the latter
| city. and on September she viii, with
| her mother, the queen regent, proceed
| from The Hague to Amsterdam. where
| she will occupy the palace which was
| originally built for town hail. but was
| taken possession of as a residence by
Louis Napoleon. the great emperor, dur
| ing the formers short reign king of
| Holland.
| The festivities began yesterday and
| there will be week of merrymaking be-
fore the queen ascends the throne.
| Grandeur and simplicity will be oddly
| blended in the celebration. The precious
| stones pertaining to the royal treasury
are something marvellous to be seen. The
value of the young queens crown and
scepter can only be guessed at. Besides
the gems of Hollands treasury precious
stones viii be sent from the various col
onies under the Dutch flag. At present
however, Wilhelnina is more concerned
about her 5000 homing pigeons than about
her jewelry. After the young queen takes
the oath of office the pigeons will be lib
Grated as she drives through the square.
and surely no queen ever had such a
beautiful and poetic salute as the whir
Of those thousands of wings as the birds
fly away to carry the news to every cor
ner of the kingdom. City and country
will be in gala attire, and the coiors of
the Netherlands win wave from every
windmill. Truly the HolIander may sing,
20 Orange boven!' i"Orange Above")
when the young queen comes to her own.
All the chimes will ring out from all the
church Steeples in Amsterdam at o clock
in the morning on September 6, and there
are many steeples in Amsterdam. AT II
o'clock the queen will take the oath in
the Nieuwe Kirk
In the presence of all the highest off,
clals and dignitaries of Holland. Despite
the fact that it is four hundred years old.
the edifce is still known as the New
Church. and Is the nearest approach to
a cathedral in Amsterdam. 1t Is quaint
structure, typieally Dutch in its architec-
ture, and is quite in keeping with the
general tone of the celebration.
After the ceremonies the queen will re-
turn to the palace, and after a brief rest
she Will take carriage ride through the
streets to view the decorations and re-
ceive the ''huldigung" or homage. of her
loyal subjects. On the next day there viii
be public celebration, and in the even
ing gala dinner" at the palace for the
state dignitaries and foreign diplomats
who may be present.
The oath is as follows
swear to the Dutch people that will OBJ
serve and always maintain the constitution.
swear that will defend and guard with all my
power the independence and the territory OF the
empire; that | will protect public and private
liberty and the rights of all my subjects, and
! that | will use every means conided TO me by
,, the law to foster and uphold the national and
individual we'll being as good queen should do
And may God help me.
Then the oath of the states general is
taken first by the president and then By