The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-10

I the stands, at windows, and on the
| sidewalks, to see King Edward after
| he had won, almost from the jaws of
death, his crown.
In Westminster abbey the scene was
nothing less than marvellous. Nearly
1000 members of the nobility, the
| clergy and the gentry had gathered,
with foreign princes, ambassadors,
colonial rulers, Indian potentates and
leaders from the furthest quarter of
| the globe where the Union Jack flies
| to do honor to the king.
Two Memorable Incidents.
Two incidents in the service in the
abbey will live in the memory of all
who witnessed them.
The first of these, which almost de-
veloped into dramatic contretemps,
centered around the aged archbishop
OF Canterbury. From the commence
ment of the service the archbishop
had the greatest difficulty in reading
or remembering the prayers The
book from which his almost blind
eyes endeavored to read shook in his
hands, and when he came to place the
crown upon King Edwards head his
huge frame, towering above the seated
king, swayed SO violently that the
bishop of Winchester had to support
MIN, While the dean of Westminster
put a guarding hand under the crown
IT was evident that the archbishop of
Canterbury could not seen his kings
mead, and, after cropping around, he
was just about. to complete the most
important part of the ceremony. when
IL was discovered that they had the
crown with the back to the front
Slowly he raised it, but too late to
prevent the choir from prematurely
bursting out with a loud, God Save
the King
Amid tension that had grown to a
pitch of painful nervousness, the arch
bishop finally managed to place the
crown correctly upon the kings head
A few minutes later came the climax
OF his feebleness. He was kneeling to
do the first homage of all the subjects
OF the king, when suddenly he almost
tainted. and would have fallen upon
his sovereign's knees had not King
EdWard tenderly, but firmly, grasped
both the prelates hands and lifted
him to his feet. The bishops of Lon
don, Winchester and Durham clasped
their arms around the archbishop of
canterbury, the king kissed his wrin-
kled hand, the archbishop's head fell
back, his feet moved slowly and me-
cnanlcally, and thus he was more car
RED than led from the throne of King
EDWARDS chapel, where he was re-
vived.
Embraced the Prince of Wales.
The tremor which this event caused
had scarcely subsided when another
exquisite human touch varied the pro-
ceedings, and the king was forgotten
III the rather. Instead of merely ac-
ceptlng the homage of the Prince of
Wales, King Edward put his arms
around the prince and kissed him. and
then recalled him and wrung his hand
with manliness of parental affection
that brought tears to many ewes. To
n 70
these two episodes, the magnificence
or the bejeweled women, the spIendor
or the uniformed men and even the
historic grandeur of the coronation
off1cers itself sank almost into second
ary interest.
King Edward was greatly unnerved
by the condition of the archbishop of
Canterbury and sat in constant dread
OF contretempS, though outwardly
calm, as could be judged by the stead
mess with which he held his scentre
fod erect during the ordeal-This brave
snow, however, did not deceive the
queen. Throughout the service. and
especially as the archbishop of Can
terbury became more and more nerv-
Gus, her majesty palpably dreaded
that the king would break down.
Anxiety of the Queen.
With keen anxiety she constantly
turned toward her husband. watching
him intently throughout the cere-
mony. Her graceful dignity and So
1c1tude for King Edward was one of
the most charming features of the
proceedings in the abbey. Her mai
esty appearance won extrava CANT
encomlums, especially from the wom-
en- many or Whom declared that Queen
Alexandra did not look a dav over
thirty-five o'et
Inc queens own crowning was brief
and simple. When the four duchesses
Went to hold canopy over her mai
estys head, the Duchess of Marlbor-
ough and the Duchess of Portland led
the way. They performed their duties
excellently. AS the critical period for
which the peeresses had long prac-
ticed, namely, the putting on of their
coronets at the moment the queen was
crowned, approached, a fiutter of
nervousness ran through their ranks
and coronets were pulled out and nat
ted and pinched into shape. their faces
hardened with anxiety, and then aII
their arms suddenly went up. and
coronets, large and small, were put
In place, some crooked and eonoe {
straight. For the next five m;nntas
the peeresses disregarded what passed
before them
SIS My coronet on Straight"
First one and then another turned
around for advice and help, and then
ensued mutual pushing Of each 9TH
ers coronets into place. Among the
philosophic peeresses was the Afseri-
can Cora, Lady STAFFORD, who placid
iy allowed her coronet to remain oIIite
sideways, neither asking nor receivinp
help. Among the curious features con-
nected with the American peeresses
Continued on Seventh Page.