The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1900-01-12
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/ DOETS might well sing Of the girl
who won king with a song. She
won him for a father, and became the
betrothed of her beloved prince.
1t is true that her prince was obliged
to renOunce his right of succession to
I the throne when he made her his wife,
bat if it had not been for the song he
would not have been allowed to make
her his wife at all.
Her name was Munck, simply Miss
Munek. Now she is Princess Berna-
dotte. There is not a happier couple in
I Europe than she and her husband.
although they may never be king and
queen Of Sweden. But stranger things
than that have happened.
Young Prince Oscar, the kings second
son, saw her at her duties among the
maids Of honor in his mothers train.
None was more obscure than she-un-
titled and unportioned. But she had
face that in his eyes singled her out
I from ali.
It shone, white and pensive, from
frame of hair as yellow as that of any
Valkyrie IN the Morse mythology.
] Prince Oscar, who knew the folklore
of his native land BY heart, wove around
that face of hers many a day dream in
which thoughts Of gods and heroes were
curiously intermingled with the reali-
ties Of to-day, his own hopes and his
own affections.
Like a Valkyrie, too, Miss Munck
could sing a mans heart away. Prince
Oscar discovered that, listening to her
one day when she thought she was alone.
King and queen and all the court
were Mortified when Prince Oscar pro-
claimed that he loved Miss Munck and
I that no other woman should be his wife.
There was a great turmoil. The maid
Of honor was admonished to keep her
thoughts and her eyes away from the
kings sons and Prince Oscar was sent
on a long voyage with orders to forget
Miss Munck as speedily as possible.
] Meanwhile her gift Of song had been
discovered by others and the queen en-
couraged her to use it for the pleasure
of the court.
King Oscar himself is no mean poet
and musician. At that time-he had
composed several songs. Miss Munck
studied them and learned to interpret
them with great feeling.
Prince Oscar returned from his voy-
age in much the same frame Of mind,
save that he thought more Of Miss
Munck than ever before.
This disobedience panied his father
and mother very much. Realizing that
be was very much in love they offered
to allow him to make Miss Munck his
mOrganatie wife.
The young man revOlted at the idea
of putting such an affront on the
woman he reTered above all else.
4 He resolutely declined even to men,
ton such a proposition to her. King
/ Oscar was amazed. He argued that to
] be the morganatic wife Of a prince Of
/ the blood was a brilliant enough fate
for any poor young woman without q
I title to her name.
1t should be explai ned that the NOR
ganatic system is polite way Of allow
ing a royal parsonage to lead a double
I life. free from censure.
His real wife, who must be Of royal
blood, is supposed not to object to the
arrangement, although it means In nine
cases out Of ten that another woman
really holds her husbands heart.
There have been instances IN which q
I prince has been so loyal to his morgan
attic wife that he would not take royal
oonsort. So it vas with the Duke Of
Cambridge, cousin OF Queen Victoria
AS a royalty, he was q bachelor; as 3
man, be was happy husband and
father. But even such an example IS
that could not influence Prince Oscar
to ofer a dubious position TO Miss
( Munok.
50 matters stood one evening when
the court gathered in the music salon-
Miss Munck was commanded 70 sing.
f She began a song @ King Oscar's-his
] feVcrfts composition