Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-09

gray mist of the morning stood a crowd
of schoolboys, King Oscars most devoted
friends. Here they had stood for hours,
blue and shivering. watching the palace
flagstaff. There, also, gathered many old
men and women in rags, such as the king
had always stopped to comfort with mild
words and generous aims when he met
them in the parks or streets, their faces
tear-stained because their beloved king
and benefactor was dying. Suddenly the
flag dropped to half-mast and a wall of
misery and sorrow arose. The old folk
clasped their hands and prayed and wept
aloud, and the lamentations of the school,
boys were pitiful to hear.
In a room near the death chamber the
first marshal of the court read to the cab
met a draft of the new kings proclama-
ton to the Swedish people. In an ante
chamber high officers and officials dis
cussed the probable policy of the new
king. One by one. the ships in the harbor
and the buildings throughout the city dis
played the flag at half-mast and the peo-
pie soon crowded the streets and open
places near the palace, but all spoke in
whispers. bearing witness to the kindli-
ness of him who had departed and to the
love they bore him.
In the death chamber knelt the heart
broken queen, and gathered about her
were her children, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren praying for strength
to bear their great aff1icton. The church
bells began to toll and the minute guns
doomed. All Sweden mourned it's great
loss
Incidents of His Life.
The kindness of King Oscar is told in
many anecdotes by Americans, which il
lustrate the democratic spirit of Swedens
grand old man One of these was told
at the Cosmos Club today by WELL
known Washington man when the men,
bers were discussing their acquaintance
and experience. which several of them
had at one time or another with the
democratic king.
Some years ago. said the teller of the
incident together with a party of
friends, | was resting for a time a Pau,
in the south of France, at the famous
resort hotel there. A driveway runs
through the middle of the hotel grounds,
the hotel being built around a court. as
it were. Nearly every morning during
our stay there as we sat enjoying the bal
cony sunshine carriage passed along
the drive bearing two men, who. almost
always happening to glance in our direc-
ton, would smile and salute us as they
passed We always returned the cordial
bows, but We took no pains to inquire
who they We're, thinking these profuse
greetings meant only lark of some tour
lists. Imagine our aStonishment. then.
WITCH lIc HlliS VI Usual ue-
parture from the hotel. for one of the
men was no other than he. his aide-de-
camp called and left cards from the king
for every member of our party"
A marked characteristic of King Oscar
was the great interest he took in educa-
ton. He was a constant visitor to the
public schools of Stockholm and the pro-
vincial towns. The king was not in the
habit of announcing his visit beforehand.
but made his appearance in the school
rooms unexpectedly.
Apropos of this a story is told :sOnce the
king was inspecting a class of young
girls. who were naturally much overcome
by visit from their sovereign.
Can you tell me- asked King Oscar,
1.-The names of the great kings of Swe-
DEM"
"Gustavus Adolphus.' answered one girl
Charles XII responded another.
oscar H. stammered the smallest.
who was something of courtier in her
way.
The king much amused went up to her
and asked her to tell him one of the great
events of his reign. The child blushed.
hesitated and finally. in tears, murmured:
Il don't know any,"
Instance Of His Impartiality.
The king. smiling. stroked the childs
hair and said
Don't cry, dear. I don't know any
myself"
A typical instance of the kings impair
TALLY was shown many years ago in his
treatment of the Norwegian writer Bjorn-
sen. Owing to Oscars reputation as
poet and critic BjornSen was led into the
belief that the king was responsible for
the merciless criticism showered on one of
his plays, and considering this more in
the light of jealousy from rival than
fair criticism. he challenged the king to
fight duel. Though Oscar was thorough
ly democratic. Biornsen's action was CON
sidered as being rather beyond the
bounds of loyalty and the famous Nor
wegian playwright was forced to exile
himself from his native land to escape ar
rest.
This occurred in 1879. Thirteen years
later the king conferred on Bjornsen.
whose ultra-republicanism was a secret to
no one the grand Gordon and star of the
Order of St Olaf in reward for his sery-
ices to Scandinavian literature.
Visited the United States.
1t is not generally known in America
at any rate by those of the present gen.
eration-that King Oscar visited the
United States on several occasions prior
to his accession to the crown and while
serving in the navy. In fact, King Oscar
was reared as a sailor. and always re-
manned devoted to the sea, as may be
seen from the whole tenor of his poems.
1t was while in the navy that he nc
quired that presence of mind IN the face
of danger and developed that courage
which was one of the features of his en-
tire career, and in Sweden they tell a
story Of how on one occasion a gigantic
soldier. lying under sentence of death.
secured possession of a long knife and
defied any one to enter his cell The king
drove to the prison. and. in spite of the
protests and entreaties of his attendants.
insisted on entering the mans cell alone
and unarmed. locked the door behind him,
reasoned with the convict, explained to
him why he had decided to reject his
appeal for clemency and then shook hands
with him on taking his departure, leaving
the prisoner thoroughly subdued and con-
font IN meet his fate m the fo1lnuino