Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-01-26
EDWARD THE SEVENTH.
Prince of Wales Takes the
Oath as King.


Edward VII, the new king Of Eng.
land and emperor of India, is in his six
tieth year. He Is well preserved. Of ay.
erage height. of portly build. ford as
to complexion and Of an even. placid
temperament.
In the shadow of the throne he has
lived an almost uneventful life. While
waiting for the scepter and royal robes
he has had little chance TO show what
kingly mettle was in him.
The world knows him only as jolly
prince who has done nothing very good
nor any great evil. Perhaps the most
notable feature of his life thus far has
been his fondness for sports. He has
raced horses, sailed yachts, shot birds.
played cards and gambled more or less,
with more or less discretion.
He might have come to the throne as
Albert |, starting a new line Of kings,
when he assembled the throne be would
use his second name, Edward. and be
known as King Edward VII in prefer
ence to King Albert |. The English
people have always looked forward TO
him as King Edward VII.
His eldest son. the Duke of York,
who becomes the Prince of Wales by
his fathers accession TO the throne,
has also an Edward In his long list OF
names. and his eldest son. who will be
king Of England some day. If he lives.
has also an Edward in his name. 1t
has been argued that by calling him
self Edward VII the new king could
revive the line of kingly Edwards. and
in time they would exceed in number
the Henrys who have sat upon tire
English throne.
1t was long the fond hope of Veto
ria's heart that her son should reign
under the title of Albert. the name Of
his father. her beloved husband. But
Albert Is strange name to English
ears in the list of royal titles. The
prince himself desired to be called I'D
ward. The queens ministers and the
queens subjects desired 1t. so at last
the mother, so fond Of her own way In
everything. saw that it were better to
yield. But she is reported to have shed
tears over 1t.
1t was on the morning of the 9th Of
November. 1871. that an anxious group
Of personages waited in the great
rooms OF Buckingham palace They
were dignitaries Of church and state
who had been summoned in accordance
strft ..fin
the arrival of possible heir to the
throne of England. They gathered to.
gethsr in the anteroom close by tile
queens bed chamber. Among them
were archLishops and bishops. arrayed
In silk shovel hats and gorgeous aprons.
members of the cabinet beaded by the
prime minister: nurses and doctors by
the score
For hours this motley assemblage
awaited the event. Their patience was
rewarded.
rs it a boy?" anxiously asked the
Duke of Wellington of the nurse
1T is a princesyour grace" answered
the woman, with unrufiled dignity.
When il was announced that the
hopes and wishes Of a nation had been
fulfilled and that hoy had been born.
there was universal graduation. Prel
ates and statesmen embraced one an
other with uncontrolled effusiveness
Cannon from the grounds without
Numbered the news 10 all the surround
ing districts. Thousands of church
bells took up the glad tidings and peal
ed out the announcement to an expect
ant nation. Early in the morning tn,
privy council met in state to ordair
prayer and thanksgiving from one enc
of the country to the other.
A few weeks later on the occasion
of the princes baptism in the Roya
chapel of Windsor, he was shown from
the balcony to huge crowd of persons
who went wild with delight.
The boybood of the prince was un
eventful. His early education was
conducted at home under the tutelage
of the Rev. III. NJ. Birch, rector OF
Prestwich; Mr.. Gibbs. barrister at law
the Rev. c. f. Tarver and Mr.. FL. W.
Fisher. He then studied for session
at Edinburgh and later entered Christ
church. oxford. Here he attended pub
lie lectures for year and afterward
resided for three or four terms at Trim
ity college, Cambridge, for the same
purpose.
His earliest appearance in leading
part on any public occasion was in 1850
at the laying of the foundation stone
of the Lambeth School of Art at VauX
hall. After the death of his father In
December 1861. he naturally became
the most desirable functionary at nj
ceremonies in which beneficent or char
table Undertakings were TO be recog
nized by royal approval. This work
has ever since occupied large share
of his time and has always been per
formed with dignity. tact and patience
Indeed no prince of any country has
ever personally eXerted himself more
faithfully 10 render services of this sor1
TO the community. The multiplicity
anu variety Of his engagements on be