The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-23
KING OSCARS MEMOIRS
is OVER sEVENTY-THREE, BUT is
STILL IN VIGOROUS HEALTH.
Life of the Professional "Reader" Not
Happy One-Denver Cook Who
Made Fame for Herself by Obtaining
Money Prize for Short Story
Mary MacLane Parodies.


a Money Prize for Short Story
Mary MacLane Parodies.
The descendant of Bernadotte in the
person of King Oscar, of Sweden, has
written his memoirs, following closely
upon volume of poems he has re-
Gently published. The king, though
but little heard of, is one of the most
interesting monarchs in Europe, as he
is an intensely respectable man. The
fact of his responsibility may incline
some persons to the belief that his per-
sonal "reminiscences are tame, but9such
is not the case. Oscar of Sweden is
a scholar and scientist; he belongs to
all the leading scientific societies on the
continent, and is a D. G. L. of Oxford
or all the orders he poSSeSSeS-and
like all rulers he has many-he prizes
above all a medal given to him many
years ago in Paris, when he was crown
prince. 1t is the medal of the French
humane society, and he won it by
stopping runaway carriage with
great bravery. 1t is told of him that
he takes a great interest in education
even going personally to the schools
and examining the children, who all
love their gentle and Democratic SOW.
ereign. One day he was in a class
We're the great rulers of Sweden. Gus
tavus Adolphus," said one child,
Charles XII" said another, and finally
a little girl Stammered oscar II" The
king was amused, and going up to her
asked If she knew any one great event
of his reign. She burst into tears,
and said, Il don't know any," Oscar
the king, stroked her hair, and remark
ed, Don't cry, my child, 1 don't know
any myself"
The king, though seventy-three years
OF age, is still great athlete, passion
ately fond of mountaineering, and he
can outstrip any of his companions.
and has been known to walk twenty
f1ve miles day. He is a just man,
and so we'll known is his impartiality
that he is often appointed arbitrator of
important questions, as it will be re-
membered he was chosen in that ca
pactty in the famous Venezuelan boun-
dairy dispute. One of the most striking
instances OF his fairness is in connec-
ton with the Norwegian writer, Born
son, who believed that his king had
been responsible for a particularly
scathing criticism of a play he had
written. So, with a singular disregard
for the fitness of things, he challenged
the king to a duel. The result of this
was the exile of. Bjornson to escape
arrest A well known republican, he
was ever a disturber of the peace, and
yet after thirteen years the king be-
slowed upon him-exile as he was-the
Grand Gordon and Star of the Order of
St. Olef, as reward for his services
to Scandinavian literature.
The constant friction between Swe-
den and Norway has made the Swedish
throne far from a bed of roses, and adj
ded to this Oscars domestic relations
have been such that he cannot be call
ed a happy man. His wife has for years
neglected her husband, and of late has
become an ardent SalVationiSt and has
devoted all her time and much money
to the cause of Gen. Booth In this
she has been aided by her second son,
Prince Oscar, who has recently become
street preacher. Some years ago he
made morganatic alliance with a
young English maid of honor, and by
so doing renowned all his rights to
the succession. The most popular
member of the royal family is the
youngest son, Prince Eugene, who as
ptred at one time to the hand of the
young queen Of Holland. He spends
most of his time in Norway, where nt
is much beloved.
Those who have read ana appreci-
ated the beauty of the kings poems
Will be interested in the approaching
puollcatlon of his memoirs, which will
be valuable addition to the contem-
poraneous history of the time.
Professional Readers.
The life Of professional reader"
Tor a publishing house is, like the po-
nceInanS, not a happy one. Like the
ea-taSter, he must have an educated
palate, as we'll as other accomplish
nehts' and above all, he must keep his
hngers on the pulse of the public. Not
alone should he select a manuscript
because he considers it good literature.
out he must feel certain that it is a
seller, and suited to a certain
vogue. All these things and more,
make the lives of the readers for pub
fishers anything but a ioy A story is
told of an English reader, who sent
back large bunch of manuscript with
the dictum, ''all rubbish" He was told
that something of that particular lot
must be found to put into press at
once. so the story goes that he placed
the manuscript in hat, and shaking
them up. drew one. 1t was at once set
up, ana became one of the most popu-
lar novels of the day. So much for
that reader. Many of the Shining
HShtS OF today began as readers. Ke-
gan Paul, literary man and publisher.
whose death has just been reported.
went to London in 1874, and become
reader for King, the publisher. Later
on he took over the business and he
S-ne one of the best known of Lon
don writer's and bookmen. A writer
speaking of the WEAKNESS that is in
evitably connected with the business
OF reader. says: IF it is for the most
part drearys work, a long, tough job,
every now and then, not too often
there comes true pleasure. 1t will hap
pen in romance that the reader does
stumble across a manuscript, unheraId
ed, written by a man or woman alb
solutely unknown, that shows the
rarest OF all traits-true genius, Then