The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-01
SORROWS OF A QUEEN
LIFE OF HOLLANDS wILHEINIxA
HAS BEEN FAR FROM HAPPY.
UnIOved by Her Father, Because He
Wanted SOn-Marrfed an UnDoDu-
lar Prince, Not Her First Love.

The Hague Letter in St Louis Post-Dis-
patch.
Queen wilhelmina's critical illness has
caused the keenest solicitude not only
among her devoted subjects in Holland.
but, as is shown by the messages which
have poured in since her condition was an
nounced. throughout the world The charm.
beauty and youthful spirits Of the young
Queen have exerted a potent influence ev-
erywhere
Nor Is it forgotten that wilhelmina was
married only little more than a year ago,
and that a great pageant marked this
event RumOrs, too, that the Queen has
not found her marriage with Duke Henry
Of Mecklenburg-Schwe altogether an
ideal affair has reused much sympathy for
her. Bulletins. therefore. from Het Loo
where she has lain, have been awaited
with the keenest Of interest
The marriage which occurred on Feb. g
1901. was huge family affair. All Holland
that could do so came to The Hague to
participate. Those who stayed at their
homes In other cities and villages of the
kingdom celebrated with parades, decora-
tons and banquets
Never was seen a more beautiful and
happy wedding. The popular belief was
that it was a love match, like that of
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and this
gave a romantic coloring to the event
which is generally lacking IN royal mar
riages.
The ceremonies were the same simple and
unrituaIistic rites of the Reformed Church
by which the humblest of Queen Wilhel-
mina's subjects are married. The whole
spirit Of the affair was plain and demo-
cratic, although costly gowns and jewels
and snowy uniforms furnished a regal
stage setting. At the church the venerable
pastor administered TO the bride and bride
groom a caution that their high positions
would not shield them from the common
sufferingS and sorrows of humanity.
The weather was crisp, sunny and inspir-
ing The city bore its most festal appear
ance. Vast crowds were in the streets early
and trains poured in thousands from all
parts of the country. The route of the royal
procession to the Groote Kerk was deco
rated with large baskets of green plants,
lighted by orange blossoms and white roses,
tied in large white knots. Thousands of
Dutch flags hung across the streets.
The stands, the windows and the roofs
Kerk were thrOnged with people. A big
majority of the visitors were country folk
all prosperous and happy looking, many
wearing the gala costumes which their
cestOrs, for several generations, employed
on like holidays. After the civil ceremony,
which was very simple. there was an i'm
posing wedding In the great church of The
Hague. The wedding was followed by
unparalleled scene of rejoicing, the whole
pOpulace acting like children.
MOURNING SUCCEEDED GAYETY.
That the young Queen should be stricken
at any time would have caused profound
sorrow all through The Netherlands. but it
was especially depressing to have her i'll
at a time when the people of Holland
would have preferred to have her well.
With hopes again dashed, the people watch
the bulletin boards and pray for the safety
of the Queen.
Wilhelmina has lived less than twenty
1.-TWO years. She was born in the summer of
1850. Yet in her brief span she has lived
more lives and survived more tragedies
than many one at eighty. In all her tran
Iuil life the Queen of Germany has not APP
Unfortunate incident. The Czarina, sad
faced and pathetic, is happy compared 20
Hollands Queen Alexandra has been
shielded from herself and from the world
through personal grief and public calam-
ity; Amelia of Portugal has tasted the cup
OF sorrow lightly.
But poor WiIhelmina has drunk it to its
dregs.
Through it all the Queen has kept her
sweet face and her pretty ways and her
voice IS soft and musical She has been
graceful. ladylike and sympathetic.
But she has shown her grief in her
clothes. And dress tells the story Of the
WIIhelmina began life unpleasantly.
Her father did not love her. That was
Wilhelmina's first sorrow. The King wanted
a son; a daughter was non persona grata.
Not only that. but she was positively un-
welcome. For weeks the King would not
hear Of her, and when he came TO loving
her. which was by degrees, he still took
violent dislikings, il is said, TO the child,
and would not have her around.
The story of how the Queen secreted the
child in basket of flowers on the King
birthday and placed her in the middle OF
the breakfast table has been told, and how
the little one. spring1ng from the basket,
wished her father many happy returns or
the day.
AT the age Of ten WiIhelmina was left
without a father. That this is a tragedy in
the life of any girl all the world knows.
That II is doubly and triply bad for girl
and that girl a Queen and with country
and a people to govern there is no doubt.
But Wilhelmina had a good mother.
That is the saving clause in many life
story. 1t may be the winning one in hers
when IL is all told.
ANOTHER ONE OF HER SORROWS.
About Wilhelmina's next sorrow there
are conflicting stories. One is that she loved
an obscure prince OF Holland. one whom
she could not marry. Another tale is that
she became deeply infatuated at the age of
seventeen with a member OF the Queens
guard.
The Queens guard consists of young men
who are supposed at some time TO have
loved the-Queen. They form bodyguard
and are always near her. one being at all
times within call.
Last wear there was a little unpleasant
ness in the palace and a member of the
Queens guard was injured, almost NOR
tally He has just recovered, and now
craVrls out in the sun where he can watch
the window of the palace.
Was he the one who loved the Queen and
whom the Queen loved at seventeen
Then Wilhelmina married That story IS
vet TO be told, one of those things that
NAV be exaggerated IL told too soon.
The peo,Ie of Holland breathe vengeance
against the prince consOrt. He is unpopu-
lar and does not always show himself at
public gatherings. a dead silence greets
him. ....
But the Amsterdamans may be preJudlced
AGAINST him. They thought no man good
enough for their pretty young Queen ano
every man knows how difficult II Is 10 De
husband under those circumstances.
Every woman in Holland felt that she
was a mother to Wilhelmina. Every man
had a fathe-Iy interest in her.
With thousands of mothers-ln-IaW ana
thousands OF fathers-in-law, all watching
him and cIamoring at him TO do TINS ana
TO do that: with ever-present eyes ana I'M
welcome advice; with the precedent OF the
Dutch fathers ever before him ana held up
10 him little wonder is il that Prince Hell
fell from grace.