The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-25
ILL OMENS FOR EDWARD.
Pessimists Predict He VIII Not BE
Crowned.

From the Philadelphia Press.
London, June 16-In the midst of all
that promises for King Edward VII a
coronation of unparalleled splendor is
beginning to sound an undercurrent
which seems a compound of pessimism
and sixteenth century superstition.
Everywhere are rising reviewing
stands for the great parade, not a
street but is already DOMINIC it's hol-
iday gown of bunting and streamers,
and from the Abbey to the very edges
of the island is a hustle, an enthus-
iasm, a spirit of joyous anticipation,
which contrasts strangely with the
croakings that are now beginning to
be heard.
Bets on the Kings Life.
The Kings illness has given a tinge
of possible verify to the predictions
that he will either not live to be
crowned, or will not long survive the
ceremony. The subject has grown from
the stage of casual small talk to large
bets being wagered on one or the other
side of the question. Lloyds is doing a
thriving business with scores who look
on the dark side and openly say so.
Many Royal Ill Omens.
As matter of fact, scarcely a coro-
nation in English history but has been
accompanied by some so-called ill
omen" Even so notably prosperous a
reign as was Victoria's was ushered in
by a happening which the superstftious
called baleful. The principal newspa-
per of that day said:
For some time a bird of large di-
mansions had been observed flying
backward and forward. and then to
hove over the palace, so frequently as
to call for the peculiar notice of a
group of elderly ladies who CHANGED to
have ensconced themselves in our own
particular neighborhood. One of them,
after much examination. pronounced it
to be a goose. To describe the instant
expression of horror which rushed upon
the faces of these ladies would be to
attempt a task on which failure must
attend "What?' exclaimed they in one
voice; what? a goose? Lor', you don't
say SOL But l do continued the first,
and l am quite confident of it,; it is
goose, poor dear soul!' 'Ay, ay, you
may well say poor dear soul. Well,
there is no saying anything for a GER
tainty beforehand, is there? Who'd
have thought it that nasty ugly,
long necked goose should have been
fated to mar the happy revels of this
day. There will surely be some acct
dent or the poor dear soul will not long
survive the ceremony To this predic-
ton the friends. one and all, assented
with open mouths"
English history is full of similar
stories, based on incidents often quite
as trivial as this, and seldom preceding
events of misfortune, and in a few
cases the ceremonies of coronation day
have been marre6 by actual mis-
chances.
Charles rs Coronation.
AS one would have expected, no cor
onation has ever been so fraught with
direful preSages as that of Charles I,
martyr to his own incurable obstinacy
and stiffness, whom succeeding gem
erations have canonized because he
died like a gentleman, as did many a
better man for his sake. The civil wars
were presaged by an accident to the
'scepter with the dove" the emblem of
peace. The left wing of the dove was
broken, by what means was unknown.
The procession from the tower was
omitted on account of the plague. and
the royal barge, inexplicably shooting
past the carpeted landing stage, stuck
fast before it could be brought to land
-"all evil and ominous presage."
The coronation sermon was preached
from the text. Il will give thee a
crown of life" which was thought to
put the new King in mind of his
DEATH" And, most fatal of all, the
King appeared in white velvet corona
ton robes. the ancient color for a vic
tim, instead of in the purple which had
been customary on such occasions,
thereby fulfilling the ancient prophecy
of the evil that should befall white
king"
The coronation of Edward II was
characterized by the presence of the
Il vAO.HN k,,..& -
ton, walking in the place of honor and
carrying the crown. People were only
too willing to see in this the worst of
omens. The coronation of Edward w
was postponed from June % to the 18th,
in consequence of the old superstition
which regarded the 28th day of any
month as a repetition of Childemas
Day. The belief in the unlucky con-
sequences attending the performance of
any action on Childemas Day survived
at least down to the reign of Queen
Anne.
Bat Flew Over Richard 1.
The chroniclers tell another tale of
this sort of the browning of Richard
/, when the spectators were said to be
greatly perturbed at the appearance
of bat which flew about the church
at midday and seemed to circle spe-
cially round the head of the King.
2tCtO SlAAl, Tic Gay
was found to have been fixed on what
the astrologers called an Egyptian day.
which in legends as old as the king
dom were accounted unlucky AS to
the possible truth in these prognosti-
cations the reign of Richard certainly
cannot be said to have been prosper
GUS to himself or his kingdom 1t was
marked by an unsuccessful crusade
and ignominious imprisonment abroad
and continual and grinding taxation
at home.
These are the stories that are being
quoted by the croakers, but their
voices, after all, gre drowned in the
clamor Of hammers that presage the |
Kingdoms day OF rejoicing. The pessi- |
mists may talk. they may bet as much |
a. they please. the coronation prep |
arations are steadily being pushed 10 |