Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-07-01
The Health Of the Kina.

OF Britain's King and joins in the
prayer that his recovery may be
speedy and complete. The regret that
the elaborate ceremonial of the coro-
nation had to be postponed is deep and
| universal. for the world dearly loves a
royal show and the postponement was
a serious matter for London and its
visitors and embassies from all over
the world. But the health of the King
is the first thought, and the sympathy
of every land has gone out to the
stricken monarch who made such a
| desperate effort to keep up and not
disappoint his people, and who is
making such brave battle against
disease.
Undoubtedly Edward VII. has grown
has ascended the throne. AS a prince
he was a popular man with an abund-
ance of good nature and a ready tact.
He has shown that he has serious
side and that he is a figure of i'm
portance in the empire. Probably he
sowed a few wild oats, but it is GER
tain that the acreage was never as
large as busy scandal-mongers have
represented it. 1t is certain that in
recent years his nature has presented
no frivolous side. and that he has
shown himself a good man with many
strong points and engaging traits.
There is every reason to believe that
if he is spared he will prove, under
England's system of government, a
model sovereign. as worthy the love
of his people as any king Of history.
His illness has made few little
revelations of character and DISPOSE
did light and will additionally endear
him , his people. A correspondent
OF TIE New York Tribune mentions
two Of these. One was seen in his
heroic and desperate efforts to keep
up. to go through with the coronation.
and thus to avoid disappointing the
people. There is no doubt that he was
suffering terribly. He knew that he
was seriously i'll. He probably knew
operated upon some days before he
was, and that postponement of the
operation meant not only prolonged
suffering but increased risk. But
won't disappoint the people, he said:
Il must go to the Abbey" So he
kept on bearing the pain and mourning
the danger, hoping against hope either
that his desperate ailment would pass
without an operation or that in some
way he could bear up and the oper-
alton could be postponed until after
the time set for the great celebration.
There are many heroic words en-
shrined in history which do not ex-
press one-half the fortitude and gem
erosity. that are to be perceived in that
simple Il won't disa ppoinfA Ire
ple.' al ~ &ss
One other manifest ii OF she
Kings spirit was nIT ~ p68ltixe
direction that T. iah Be
done or not ~ x 44e bt
his own pers9 i5ses "a hS bIlf
million poor l Nhalt Yen
"a as arranged. without 20 hent Or
change of plan. All, else q thc pronal
pageantry and feast - abandoned.
"The tumult and the 6o6ting dies. the
captains and theskings depart" but
the poor of London wiz be feasted
through the bounty ofsfheir stricken
King. 1t is thoughtful and a noble
til nr. beyond all power of language
20 express, that in the hour when he
s;cod face to face with death the King
thought not of those of his own Cor
der whose splendid reveis would be
interrupted, but rather of the lowliest
Of his subjects, who have so little to
enjoy that their disappointment. small
though it might seem to some, would
be really the most inconsolable of all.
It is because Of these things and
others like them that Edward VII is
truly called popular King, and that
henceforth, If his life, as we hope and
pray, shall be spared. he will be still
more a popular King. Kind hearts
are more than coronets," and in mos
than one or two respects he has shown
kindness of heart which in the es-
TEEN of his people is Of far more
worth than even the royal and imr-
sper6D crown the wearing OF whect4
Z k for tho present foregos 4
No theme is more fruitful thar IN
OF the ,anfHival 3f old sayings. aftef