The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-09-22
ROYAL FAMILY OF WORKERS
OSCtR or SWEDEN AND HIS SONS
LEAD A BUSY LIFE.
Romantic Phases In tho Career Of a kms
VINO Is Musician. Poet and orator Also
the Tailest Living Monarch Inside
Views OF the Palaces 0f stockholm.

In respect OF personality the Swedish
royal family. one Of whose younger MEM
bers. Prince Wilhelm. grandson OF the
King, recently visited New York. is among
the most interesting in Europe. King
Oscar is a man OF many accomplishments.
All his sons are also able men.
No reigning monarc is more approach
able than Oscar H.. and none knows better
how to set a visitor at his ease.
How do you do. my good friend9' is his
salutation 10 a visitor admitted to an audi
ence in the palace ut Stockholm. He puts
out mis- hand and gives the visitors a hearty
clasp.
The King is the tallest ruler and one Of the
talIest men in the world. But he is rs and
he has been in poor health OF late. so he
stoops a little. He dresses plainly. II
coat is the only peculiar feature OF his attire.
In shape il il like n single breasted round
cornered sack, but is as long as a cutaway.
The King is an accomplished player on
the organ. He has composed many pieces.
Music is only one OF his accomplishments.
He.has been called the most polished Scan
dinavian orator Of his day. He is a poet
and has translated Tasso's Jerusalem
Delivered" Goethe's Faust" and many
other works into Swedish.
Once when he criticised some work Of
Bjornstjerne B~jornson's the poet accused
him Of jealousy and actually sent him a chal-
lenge. The King took no notice Of this, but
some time afterward when he was ~serenaded
by a singing society he asked them to sing
one Of Bjornson's poems and he stood with
his head barred while they did 80. On the
following day he sent the poet the Order
Of st. Olaf with an autograph letter.
In private life his fad is collecting pot
terry. especially Savres. He is fond Of TAX
ing his callers into the private dining room
of the palace and exhibiting his treasures.
Then he will tell how he restored the room
to its ancient beauty. having layer after
layer Of paint and enamel scraped of to
get at the fine old woodwork.
The King gets up at s A. NJ, works an
hour and breakfasts at $50. The morning
liz given up to walking for health and pleas
ure and to business OF state.
He has luncheon at 2:5O and spends most
Of the afternoon in social engagements.
including visits TO the homes Of his chill
dren. He sleeps for an hour before dinner,
does his literary work in the last hour be-
fore going to bed at 1880.
He drinks several glasses Of Bordeaux
wine or n little beer every day and smokes
very little. using very mild. denicotini0ed
The King has travelled over all Europe
and has had many queer adventures. In
the palace at Monaco he was assigned to
a state room. The Duke OF fork's hoom,'
they call It. In the middle OF the room was
one Of those canopied beds that look like
catalogues.
In the wee sma' hours the HOUSE, was
wakened up by a hustle that made the
s~leepers think there was n fire. IL was the
King and his valet carrying upstairs an iron
camp bed that he takes around with him.
He stood the short bed OF state as long as
he could. but had to seek room for his feet
before he could get to sleep.
When he was Crown Prince he stopped
a runaway in the streets OF Paris. Tho
goodman had been flung of and three
women in the carriage were in danger OF
death. The horses dragged him a block
before they stopped.
Then the police came.
whats your name?' asked the sergeant.
Oscar B~ernadotte," was the reply.
your occupation?"
Grown Prince"
-Residence?'
-Royal Palace. Stockholm"
They sent him the regular French medal
for life Swing with its tricolor ribbon. and
he wears It still.
His marriage, TO the Princess Sophie Of
Nassau. of which they celebrated the fiftieth
anniversary on June 9 OF this year. was a
love match. There is an oak in the park
at Monrepos in which the inscription \
-S-O-ls56.' cut deep with a ~jackknife. |
is still shown, 1t is a memorial Of the ro-
nance OF Sophie and Oscar.
All four SONS of the King have taken life
seriously. h Crown Prince. Gustavus
Adolphus. has devoted himself to prepara-
ton for rulership.
Oscar, the second son. gave up royal
honors and contingent right OF succession
to marry n girl OF tho people. He IL known
ns Prince ~Bernadotte. and he and his wife
devote themselves to religious work and are
Mt present carrying on a revival movement
all through the country upon Salvation
Army lines.
Charles. the third son 10 hard working