The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-09
KING 0SCAR OF SWEDEN.
abandonment md Most Gallant of
European Monnrchs

Sweden and Norway He Is the hand
sonest OF them all. the most accomplished
affable. and distingue. Without being
ladies' man. he is the most polite to ladies
| dis once raven hair is now white, bu
| That adds to the dignity OF his air. an
neilows what was too strikingIy pictur
esque in his appearance. The king ha
| the free frankness OF the sailor but temp
cred by the delicate feeling OF the borl
and cultivated artist. II he sometime
acts on unrefiecting impulse, it must b
said that he is driven by some true in
stirct. His spontaIeity gives a rareNgrac
10 his actions. Whatever he says or doe
Went de source.
There is . truism In his reverertia
attitude toward the French flag Hi.
father, Oscar l.. was brought I'd in thu
cult OF the tricolor. which when he was {
boy was making the victorious four d.
I'Europe. Josephine, wife of Oscar I.
was daughter Of Eugene Beauharna!s
who under the tricolor was for gooG
many years Viceroy Of Italy. The actual
king is only one generation from Marshal
Bernadotte. He and his brother Charles
XIV. were the l2ly descendants of the
Empress Josephine who inherited her
physical grace and captivating gifts. But
Lio 10 VII u ldl hiSutI pidEt IMAM
hers. for he is orator. historian. poet.
musician. and no mere dilettsnte. Has he
not also played with distinction. and often
under trying circumstances. the part Of
constitutional kingy On no occasion has
he lost his temper with the Norwegians
or said rasping word. Their grievances
are chiefly sentimental; but that does not
make them the less embittering. TIE king
last week paid the first visit to the Nor
wegian Pavilion. He offered. on leaving,
his arm to the wife Of the commissioner
and asked her to show him the way to
the Swedish Pavilion. which was next door
or nearly so. Policy was behind the civil
tty. But 1t did show. What the king
did seemed chivalrous homage 10 the
attractive appearance of the lady.
Oscar III. is seventy-one. but does not
look 1t. He is an early riser, keeps to the
habits of regularity he acquired in the
navy. retains the sobriety OF his southern
ancestors. and lives as much as he can in
the open air. Nobody could have guessed
his ago the other day as he drove through
Paris with President .Eoubet The latter
is ten years younger. but looked the more
elderly. There was no stoop in the neck
Of the King. no dimness in the black eyes.
the glance had lost none of its magnetism
AS the bows that were Iavished by the
spectators might have been for the Presi-
dent, he did not bow. but kept his head
1t was frankly bare, as if he
did not possess hat. Truly he was a
show king. rs ~
Had not Oscar II. been born to royal
:fatus he might have been the show teno,
If his time. His voice was matchless liz
uneful sweetness. warmth. timbre, and
expression
This lie the first mi hot NJ
Sweden ard Norway from Difference to the
he likes the double title) has
been the guest of the Republic. He comes
With numerous suite. The day he visited
he President of the Republic in state the
military members. following the kings ex-
nipple, made fine show Of orarge ard
black plumes in their hats. They will not
,ring them out on any other occasion. rs
here is to be no review in the Kings |
lonor. In semi-state Oscar II wears the |
lndress uniform Of a Swedish admiral |
rhe cap is white and fiat. with a glazed |
Gather peak. / believe there is 10 navy to I
peak of in Sweden. The Danes are. / have |
'eard in respect to warships, on a more
footing than the Swedes. and /
he Norwegians than either in regard to /
he merchant service.
The Parisans say that the King speaks
'rench with an English accent That
'ould not surprise me-his English is so
ood. / never heard him speak French.
ut he has French talent for paying neat
1mpliments. His fueucy also is southern
rench. Bernadotte was a Eau advocate
nd his wife was Marseillase. The
uency of Gascon is different thing
ON the facile verbocity that Lord Rus
I'll Of Killowen so dislikes. Oscar can
nd fault; but when the spark OF anger
as once flashed he easily forgets. He
lows often in his judgments. and espe-
ally OF Norwegian malcontents. the
rtue OF charity-the great virtue of the
reat as Of the small. for does not charity
'restall the work OF time in cicatrizing ,
lnkling wounds?
Oscar II is alive to all the faults of
olicy of that Unbalanced genius, Charles
II. The portrait of Charles hangs over
Is desk at Drottingholm. Pointing to it.
lie king said to me. when had the honor
be received there: Charles XII brought
used Russia to a sense of her strength |
I'd forced her on. The Swedes know this.
ct they love his memory. and. indeed. |
Ollie it. He had great but hardly exem-
airy qualities except in being hard on |
mself. 1t was his misfortune to come to
lie throne at an immature age. and as
ng to plunge into action quite unen-
shtened by experience. His career might
i've been very different in its conse-
fences had he served a military appren-
ceship as crown prince"
The King of Sweden and Norway is not
curious. The bedroom at the villa {
vans, hung with blue silk brocaded with
ses, pinks and lilies Of the valley. is
rely not to his taste His bedroom at
is curtainless 1t is as nar-
w as a passage. Tie walls are only /!
scued from baroness by engraved por-
ats OF his ancestors and cabinet photos
members OF his family. AS this apart
ent is not one of the showrooms of the
lace. the iron camp-bed is not a piece |
affectation. Of course, he would not |
ggest that he would like better SIM |
lefty in the rooms for his personal use at
e Villa Evans. His sitting-room is ia
striad with green brocade. and the gilt
imes of the chairs and fauteuils are in |
e Louis XIV. style. But what must go | ;
me to him is the Gobelins copy of LA |
etfe." after one of Raphaels cartoons.
us work of art hangs opposite his boule
SIX. piece OF furniture brought from the
,te Garde Meuble
rhe petit salon. which may be regarded
belonging to the bedroom. would be the
radise OF petite maitresse. 1t is in the I
rn-out Louis Seize style, a style in c
nted when Marie Antolnette ard her {
lies were amusing themselves with
eudo rusticities and pseudo sentiment. !
e delicate silk that lines the room In | .
ted folds is embroidered with liIacs n
May and wild roses r
ribboned baskets are filled with sweet t
ar roses and other June flowers. The v
e NJ. Felix Faure would have reveled in
elegance / am sure King Oscar would
Ter. had he time to look around him,
more sober style. with the beautiful
ntings. OF the British pavilion. :,
The Saxe-Coburgs were not to be COM =,
ed with the Bernadottes In discharging | n,
SNOWY duties Of constitutional num- | 2;