Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-29

Princess Marie of Orleans, eldest daughter
of the Due De Charles.
Finally grandson of King Christian,
Prince George of Greece, is high commits
sioner Of the powers in Crete The prince
has been mentioned as likely to be be-
trothed to Princess Victoria of England,
daughter of King Edward.
The "Father-in-Law of Europe"
Mr.. VIM. E. Curtis, author of Denmark,
Norway and Sweden" has written inter
estingly of the life and character of old
King Christian. He was called the father
in-law of Europe because his children
and grandchildren occupy and will in
herit so many thrones. Christian was not
always a king. Until 1863 he was only
captain in the guards, as poor as any OFF,
Ger in the army of Denmark. He lived in
an old house on Amalia street, where his
wife and his daughters did the house,
work, made their own clothes until Alex
andra, the present Queen of England, was
nineteen years old, and her sister, dowa-
ger Empress of Russia, was sixteen when
the change came. His salary captain
was his only support, and 1t ws less than
that paid to a second lieutenant in the
army of the United States-only a few
hundred dollars a year. When King Fred
erick VII died childless and leaving no
heirs parliament was obliged to search
for a successor to the throne and to his
own surprise and to the surprise of the
public Christian, Duke of Glyksborg, was
found TO be the nearest relation-a sort
of fortieth cousin of the late king. His
wife, the late Queen Louise, was related
to the Duke of Hesse-CasseI of Germany
At the time he was proclaimed king the
family was living in the little village of
Bernstorf, about five miles from Copen-
hagen, where he YVES performing the or
dinary duties of a captain of infantry
Simple and Democratic.
King Christian was famous for the sim
plicity of his life, his democratic manners,
his candor, his physical vigor and his great
age. At his death he was eighty-eight
years old His golden wedding was cele-
brated in 1892. His wife died in 1898 at the
age of eighty-one, and according to Mr..
Curtis, although her loss affected him
deeply, he was perhaps still the most vigor-
Gus old man in Europe, without pain or
an ache and very few gray hairs But
few years ago he said to his valet who
offered to assist him in dressing
when l grow old you may help me- but
as yet, thank God, l am abe to help my
self"
He spends at least eight hours a day in
labor as taxing as that performed by any
man in Denmark, Mr.. Curtis wrote in his
book, published in 1903. He eats simple
solitary breakfast of porridge and milk in
little dining room on the ground floor of
Amalienhorg palace at o'clock each morn
ing, winter and summer; then reads the
newspapers and attends to his voluminous
correspondence until Ii o'clock, when he
usually appears at a certain window to
watch the guard mount in the plaza in
front of the palace. When the colors are
Saluted he bows his head in reverence and
will not permit himself to be interrupted
until the parade is over, when he returns
to his study, where he receives his min
listers for an hour and a half two hours
daily and talks over with them the affairs
of state.
Fond of Young People.
THE family meet at luncheon at
O'Clock. Prince Waldemar, the youngest
son, and his five children, the eldest OF
whom is fifteen, live with the king and his
companonship with these youngsters Is
one of the most admirable traits of his
character For an hour or more after lunch
con the old king devotes himself to them.
and then, in pleasant weather, at 2:30 or 3
o'clock, goes out for a walk or spends an
hour in horseback riding in one of the many
beautiful parks of Copenhagen, always ac-
companied by Waldemar or one of his little
grandsons. Upon his return to the castle
he spends the remainder of the day attend
ing to business until 6 o'clock when his
majesty dresses for dinner. The people of
Denmark consider this an eccentrlcity for
their dress clothes are by no means worn
on ordinary occasions but are kept for
serious functions, like funerals, weddings
and balls.
After a simple dinner of soup, roast
with vegetables. a pudding, cheese, coffee
and fruit, the old king was accustomed to
visit the stables, where he was eagerly
awaited by the horses. AT $50 or 10
o'clock the family assembled in the kings
apartments for a cup of tea and "smorre-
brod'-the Dutch bread and butter. The
king always dl INK a glass of beer before
retiring, thus closing his simple busy day.
In his intercourse with his subjects he
was affable and genial. He walked about
the streets like the ordinary citizen. accom-
panied by his favorits dog He wandered
in the parks, visited Tivoli beer garden
the resort of the common people, and stop
ped frequently to chat with acquaintance
RATF0[TR A CANDIDATE