The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-12-12

not foreseen, and his early years were
devoted to the pursuits Of a Swedish
country gentleman, to literature and to
art. He a already attained a repu-
merit, when the chance of death called
him to he throne. His new vocation
left him little leisure to WOO the muse,
but his gift for oratory came into fire.
quent play, and he became noted for
his real elOquence as we'll as for his
felicity of expression. The details of
kingcraft .he easily mastered, and his
reign has been OF a character to win
him the love and loyalty of all Swe-
den.
Though the Swedish court is most
c~eremonious, the old king had the gift
of getting close to the hearts of the
people. He was most democratic in his
and easily a~pproachable.
When in the early days of the crisis,
10000 Stockholmers marched put to
his palace through the glorious twi-
light of a Swedish Jun night to ex3
press to him the love and confidence
of his people in the hour of trial, the
old king came out On a balcony and,
with his gray locks barred to the breeze.
invited them all to come up close where
they could hear him. They had sent
distance themselves. Come right up
close" he called out, where we can
see and let each other. You are not
afraid of our old king. are your"
Oscar IL, king of Sweden, and pre-
vious to 1905 king of Norway and
Sweden, was born January 81, 1929.
He was the third son of King Oscar
and Of Queen Josephine, daughter of
Prince Eugene, of Le~uchtenberg, and
grand son Of Marshal Bernadotte.
Oscar IL succeeded to the throne at
the death of his brother, King Carl
XIV, September IS, 1872. He was
married June 6, 1857, to Queen So
phia, born June 9. 1886, daughter of
the late Duke William Of Nassau.
Survived by Four.
Four children survive King Oscar
Crown Prince Gustave, born June 16,
1858; Prince Oscar Bernadotte, born
November Is, 1859; Prince Carl. born
February 27, 1851, and Prince Eugene.
born August /, 1866. Prince Gustave
was married September 20, 1881, to
Princess Victoria, OF Baden-Baden.
Their Oldest son, Prince Gustave, was
married June Is, 1905, to the Princess
Margaret Victoria, of Connaught.
Prince Oscar renowned his succession
to the hrone and married, March Is.
1888, Ebba Munck, of Fulkila-
In the years 1892 and 1898 the late
King Oscar s~teadfastly opposed the
proposition Of the Norwegian parlia-
ment for a separate consular service,
which led to Norway, october 26.
1905, declaring the union of Sweden
and Norway dissolved. The throne OF
Norway was offered to q prince OF the
reigning house of Sweden, but was
declined by King Oscar, and after an
appeal to the Norwegian people.
Prince Charles, of Denmark, was elect
ed king of Norway by the Norwegian
parliament November IS, 1905.
An event OF international import
ance in the life Of King Oscar was his
arbitration Of the Samoan claims in
1902, when he adjudged the American
and British governments to be re-
sponsible for the fighting in the Sa-
moan islands in 1899. He also at
tanned prominence at the time OF the
Venezuela dispute which caused fric-
ton between the United States and
Great Britain in 1896.
1t was then proposed, in case the
Cleveland arbitration commission con-
sisting of our members failed to agree,
that the matter be referred to King
Oscar. An agreement was reached at
Paris, where the arbitration tribunal
met in the spring of 1899 and King
Oscars Intervention was not neces-
Sary.
ruler Of the nineteenth century and
the most democratic king that ever
lived. He lever made any attempt to
conceal the humble origin of his fam
lily and whenever he travelled to the
south Of France he made 1t a point to
visit the little house at Pau where his
grandfather was born. A tablet over
the door of the little one-story house
bears this inscription:
THE peasant, Charles Bernadotte,
who subsequently rose to be field mar
shall of France n ultimately King
Charles XIV, of Sweden and Norway,
was born in this cottage in 1853"
In appearance, however, King Os-
car was every inch a king, n there
is 10 sovereign in all Europe who was
more stately and more regal in bear
ing h a vas he. King Oscar stood 6
feet 2 inches, taller than most Of his
subjects, who, as a rule, are tall men.
His eyes were blue in color, distinctive
Of his race, and were commanding, but
kindly.