Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-08-28
upanuInisd King and People


NyMtA NAAAnuNta ntAtANof oANA wv ho
darkened room, instead OF the Arch
bishop Of Canterbury with the sacred
Gil, Sir Frederick Treves with the
surgeons knife; instead o. an empires
hnastful acclaim, a stricken peoples
prayers!
More dramatic than any coronation
could have been, less eolorful but more
memorable, with nocheers bat with
the larger eloquence u silence, came
the change from Edward, the mon
arch, waiting 10 be crowned, to Ed
ward, The man, in all mortal illness.
London was ready Tor the great spec
tacnlar event. Scalfoled with seats,
thronged with visitors from every
land, with houses decorated on most
elaborate scale and illumination be-
yond comparison, this gigantic city,
the heart Of the mighty British en-
pire, waited for the bugle call which
told Of the coming Of the king. A
single word and London listened not
for the drumbeat Of an imperial page
ant but for the heart beat Of a suf-
fering sovereign, and wondered
whether from Buckingham Palace to
Westminster Abbey it would not be a
cortege with funeral trappings tax
ing the place Of the coronation array.
1t was Tuesday morning. The coro-
nation was to be upon the following
Thursday, but two days later. We.
had Just inspected the seats from
which we were TO have the privilege at
a guinea each Of seeing the procession
pass. A newsboy thrust an extra edi-
ton Of the Westminster Gazette into
our hands and we read: Dangerous
Illness Of the King.,'' 1t was as
though a blow had struck the great
sentient city in the face. 1t was as
though, invited TO a banquet, there
had been found a deaths head at the
feast. We walked down Pail Mall,
across Trafalgar Square and through
the Strand. 1t needed not the print
ed words OF the newspaper extras, now
plentiful as leaves in V~allambroSa,
nor the bulletins s~prinkled in the
windows, to tell that somewhat
strangely terrible and unexpected had
taken place. That could be read in
the appearance Of the crowd, could be
felt in the very atmosphere. London,
at IL O'Clock, gay and jubilant, became
ere the noon-hour sober, silent, sad.
There is no rhetorical exaggeration in
the story OF the change. Indeed no
rhetoric could tell OF the transition
adequately as no Single canvas can
show a sudden storm succeeding the.
sunshine Of a June afternoon and Its
clear blue sky.
Topples CHARACTER NADE CLEAR.
Rumors Jew thick and fast, alarm
Ing rumors and persistent. A British
flag, flying from a newspaper Office in
Fleet street. tapped around Its stan,
and al casual glance, appeared at half
mast. "ls he deadyn A gust Of wind
%unwrapped the banner and a half
smile Of hope returned.
The empire was sorely disappointed.
Preparations for months had been.
made upon an imperial scale. Hun
dreds Of millions Of dollars had been
expended. Visitors Of all colors, creeds.
and countries were here. Greal Bri-
tain was about to give a panorama Of
her power, an exhibit Of her world
wide empire. All was ~ready-and the
central figure, the excuse for all, was
taken away. The enormous expendi-
ture was rendered useless. The
boasts gave place TO prayers, and pride
and pomp to deep humility.
The character Of the English people.
was better shown in the hour Of disap-
pointment and the week OF anxious
watching than in any day Of jubilee.
Todash a cup Of joy from the lips and
cause no shadow Of resentment VIII
test self-control Of him to whom such
misfortune comes; 10 put on sack
cloth and lay aside the wedding gar
ment and speak not bitterly as It's.
done; and, hardest Of all TO wait, only
70 wait these test the texture Of a
nations Soul. London and the Eng
lish people stood the test right man
fully. There was no hysteria. No
body lost his head. The city hung up
its holiday dress upon the walls and
put on its woraday clothes again. In
stead OF the coronation services there
were i~ntercessary services. The en-
pire was about 10 pat Itself upon the
back and thank God ii was bigger and
better than other nations. The stroke.
came and all Britain and It's lands be-
yond the ID went down upon It's knees
in prayer. The old tune, from which.
We Americans have stolen our nation
al hymn, took on a new meaning.
God save the King was no longer
boastiul apostrOphe but a real and
heartfelt supplicati0n. 1T vas the
luck Of Grover Cleveland that made
him president and his love that made
him popular" said John James In
gals, Of Kansas. when Grover Cleve-
land was both president Unpopular.
SO II is the birth Of Edward which
made him king Of Great Britain and
Ireland and II is his sudden illness
that has made him most beloved. lie
forced peace in South Africa over
Chamberlain's head and, with fine
sympathy and large, not always
Characteristic Of a king, be hasacquir-
ed the largest asset which monarch
may attain, the affection OF those over
whom he rules. -Four presidents Of
the United States Of America have
died at times most happy for their
fame. II may be that Edward - but
who can read the morrow
now LONDON HAD DEcKED HERSELF.
No city was ever 80 sprinkled with
flags and flowers as this collection OF
country towns sprawled upon the
banks Of the s~0ft-nowing, tide-disturb-
ed Thames. The magnitude Of the
metropolis grows upon the visitor.
London is not a city. IL is an aggre-
Cation q towns some large, some less.
The aggregation, however, includes
sumo six million people o. twice as
many as an IN an the State Of Mis-
souri,, is lie counties and the city Of
81 Louis. II ooyen a hOor space, ~