The Washington times., 1902-01-12

just trifie-;wopence more in the
pound income tax, and new issue OF
| Government bonds-that is the general
| plan for raising the extra millions needed
Tor this dragging Boer war, which every
body wishes was finished.
King Edwards extraordinary love of
gorgeous porp and ceremony is becoming
every day more apparent. Although his
coronation in June is nearly six months
off he is devoting a large part of his
time to arranging the most minute de-
tails Nothing is too trivial for him to
| personally superintend
In this respect he exceeds Napoleon.
who made much of ceremonious details.
nut only picked out thing here and
there. King Edward lets nothing escape
-Yomen's dress, soldiers uniforms, cour-
-iers' silk stockings, choir boys robes,
| decoratioHs. light effects. food. kin
fact everything in connection with the
| ceremony must have his personal ap-
proval.
Decorating Westminster Abbey.
Westminster Abbey is to be closed i'm
mediately after Easter and will not be
open to the public until the first of July.
| The best decorators in the Kingdom will
be put to work Transforming the cold.
gloomy church. with its ghostly tomb
stones all around, into a warm beauteous
place for his triumph.
Meantime. in order not to lose any op
portuntics. the King will open Parlia-
ment in state on January 16. The nice
| little ceremony will be good training for
both royalty and nobility in this pomp
business Ii has been a good many years
since the sovereign opened Parliament.
The late Queen Victoria was in her
latter DAYS too infirm to get around the
corridors and halls of Westminster. But
| the new King is not so troubled.
At the House OF Lords.
The throne in the House of Lords will
be busted. and from there the King will
make his little speech to the assembled
lords and the faithful commons who have
| been summoned to crowd into the upper
house. The House of Lords has SO long
since ceased to be factor in legislation
that its revived opportunity of playing
at least ceremonious part in affairs of
state will serve to increase the daily at
tendance from the customary half dozen.
But with all this inclination to extreme
ceremony and display. the King is most
democratic personality. Barring little
necessary restraint he has not changed
much from his well-known geniality as
Prince of Wales.
He has his many friends and associates
regardless whether they nave rank and
title. He dimes out and has dinner
parties OF his own Just as do the people
of Washington. And. alas, it is sadly
true his fondness for pretty women seems
only to have increased.
The pomp, the glamour. the court eti
quette, the elaborate ceremonies mark the
King. The democracy of association and
the cordiality of friendship show that
King Edward is still man.
Literature in Europe.
The past year was not enc that could
be called great in literature, at least so
far as Europe, particularly England, is
concerned. There was tremendous num-
Der of books published, but the new
Dickens, the new Dumas, or revlviied
Tolstoy, has not appeared. Local repu
tations have been made, but few are the
international successes. Great indeed. is
the author whose book is read in a tor
eign country, especially in a foreign
tongue.
For example, the two noted American
successes, David Harum' and 'Eben
Holden" are not read in England nor
are many OF the so-called historical novels
which are so popular in the Cnited
States. On the other hand, probably few
persons in Washington have read the
book which is conceded to be the best
English novel OF the year. The History OF
Sir Richard Calmady," by Lucas Malet
| The name Lucas Malet is merely a pseu-
donym to conceal the personality Of Mrs.
Harrison. daughter Of Charles Kingsley.