The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-01

the illness of his father. King Oscar, %
resume the reins of government as re-
gent. the young Duke of Scania, who
celebrates his twenty-first birthday this
year. can boast of Vasa blood in his
veins. a fact which endeaFs him to the
old Swedish aristocracy.
The latter is intensely proud and ex-
elusive, regards the Bernadotte dynasty
rs plebeian-born usurpers, and has, in
a measure. held aIoof from the court OF
Stockholm and treated King Oscar and
his Immediate predecessors on the
throne with much the same lack of
Difference that the scions of the old pa
trtclan houses Of Rome were wont to dis
play to the late King Humbert.
The fact of the matter is that the
Grown Princess of Sweden. mother Of
the young Duke of Scania, is a great
granddaughter Of King Gustave ", the
last monarch but one, of the Vasa line
GustavUs " who was brought to the
throne at the early age of fourteen by
the assassination of his father. was
eventually deposed by means of mill
tary pronunciamento in 1909. and ban
fshed along with his consort and his
children.
His uncle took his place on the throne
as Charles XIII The latter was child
less, and an admirer of Napoleon. Re
selected the French field marshal Ber-
nadotte. son Of a Pyreneean peasant. as
his heir. induced the national diet at
Stockholm to ratify his choice and es-
tablished him at Stockholm as crown
prince. Bernadotte, who took the name
OF Charles John. soon made himself the
real ruler Of Sweden, associate him
self heartily with his adopted land. In
1913, when NapoIeon's star commenced to
wane, he Joined the powers which were
striving to crush the French Emperor.
His services in bringing about the
latter's overthrow caused the congress or
Vienna TO leave him undisturbed in the
position which he had attained at Stock
holm. In 1878 on the death Of Charles
XIII Of Vasa. he assembled the throne
under the title of Charles XIV. his wife
Desiree, daughter Of the MarseiIIes stock
broker, CIary, becoming Queen Of
Sweden and Norway. King Oscar is
their grandson
GustaTus ", whose deposition had
been attended by a most dramatic hand
to-hand struggle between himself and
Gen. Adler Kreutz, who headed the off,
GERS implicated in the conspiracy, took
up his residence in Austria and Switzer-
land after having been expelled from
Sweden. His only son, who assumed
the title or Prince Of vasa, married IN
1880 Princess Louise Of Baden.
They had one child, who, after having
by her fathers direction contemptuousIy
declined an offer Of marriage from Ma
poleon III. became the wife OF the late
King Albert Of Saxony, who she now
survives. She has no children
King Gustave Tvs daughter. Sophia,
married Grand Duke Leopold Of Baden.
father of the now retgning grand duke
The latter has two children boy and
girl The son. whose union with
Princess HiIda Of Luxembourg has re-
NAMED without issue, will eventually
succeed TO the throne OF Baden. The
girl is married to the Crown Prince OF
Sweden.
The young Duke OF Scania, her son, Is
the chief representative, on the distaf
side it is true of the ancient and his
tortc house OF Vasa. which occupied the
throne Of Sweden from 1923 TO 1918.
It was founded by Gustave vasa, who
won FOR Sweden her national independ-
ence and freedom from Danish thraIdon
He was elected King by diet which he
summoned at Strengnes, IN 1923 He be
came the principal champion in scandi-
navia OF the doctrines Of Luther and Of
the Reformation, and among bis most
famous successors on the throne were
Charles Y, the lifelong rival and foe Of
Peter the Great, and Gustavus Adolphus.
the most heroic figure OF the Thirty
Years War
It is doubtful whether King Oscar will
ever resume. the refns Of government.
He has greatly changed. both in appear
ance and spirits. since his former Sc
we're attack of Illness a year or so ago
which foresd him to abandon for a period
Of several months the duties Of rulership
20 bis son, the crown prince.
Indeed, he has never entirely. recovered
his health, and his mode Of Efe has
been completely transformed. He no
longer sings, and the beautiful music
room adjoining the library in his palace
At Stockholm has been deserted from
the time Of the crown princes last re-
geucy-
Up 10 the moment Of Oscars former
illness, whenever he was in residence at
Stockholm a little coterie OF his own
would assemble in the afternoon in the
music room. Among the number were
usually the Countess Taube, the Pcpu-
lar Swedish composer. War Hallstro-n,
and the operate singer. Oedmann, etc
With HalIstrom at the piano an hour CT
so would be spent IN part singing. or
else in solos by the King, who used 70
have a very fine voice.
Hallstrom died while oscar was i'll
When the King recovered and visited his
library for the first time he stopped
short on the threshold Of the music
room, and. after pause. remarked sad
y. Wen there is an end 10 our song
Put let everything remain just as it has
been-for tie sake OF old memories"
King Oscars library Is a magnificent
AFFAIR. occupying number Of vast apart
utzrrs and differs from r7gz+ ro7-aI Ii