The Washington herald., 1908-01-26
BY EX-ATTACHE.

hlts
It appears TO be sweeping all over the
world. In Sweden we md the new Kine
not only declining TO be crowned. on ac,
count of all the pOmp and ceremony
which it would entail. but also proclaim
ing his intention of dispensing as much
as possible with fuss and feathers at
his court, and of inauguratiug an even
palmer mode Of existence than that Of
his father and predecessor. Oscar II, who
was renowned for his democracy.
IN Denmark Prince Eric the eighteen
year-old son of the Kings brother Prince
Waldemar is devoting all his attention
to the study Of agriculture, for the pur-
pose OF taking up as his calling that of
farming. which is the principal industry
or his country And when we recall the
fact that in ancient times cattle lifting
was the favorite pastime. and also a
means of livelihood Of the great. we
should certainly regard It as a sign of
enlightenment and Of progress thar they
should now manifest an enthusiasm aboUt
cattle raising.
The death of the last Grand Duke of
Tuscany, and the publication of his will
serves TO call attention once more IN
the action Of his eldest son. who. of his
own accord. resigned all his imDerfal
honors and prerogathes a an Archduke.
as well as his rights Of succession 70
the thrones Of Austria and Hungary I'm
order to become a plain citizen of SWitzer-
land, with small income, under the
name Of Leopold WoeIhing.
From China comes the news that
the Manchus, who have constituted un-
I'll now the ruling and nobiIiarv caste
have voluntarily surrendered all tbair
special immunities and prerogatives
placing themselves on the same level
as the ordinary Chinese citizen: while
III TINS country there is a very nro-
h9unced tendency on the part of the
rlch TO avoid everything that can be
construed in the light of unuecessay,
vstehiauon, this attitude on their part
pelng prompted not only by their own
personal taste, but also bv am annra-
citation of the nature of popular feel
ing about the matter
Queen Alexandra and her sister the
widowed Czarina. insist that they are
never so happy as when living torefher
In that villa which they have arouirad
IN the suburbs Of Copenhagen. for no
other purpose than to escape from the
atmosphere of palaces. II is merely q
plain villa, such as retired merchant
or moderate means would devise as the
nome for his declining years. and is
surrounded by a garden of very limited
area, just enough in fact to ensure g.
certain amount of privacy to the in
mates Of the place.
Empress Victoria Augusta delights
In getting away to her farm AZ Cadf-
nen, where she lives the life of the
wife Of German country gentleman
In a small way. occupying herself
ABOUT the dairy. the cows and tbe
poultry; while her husband. i'm spirp of
MS reputcd fondness for the Trainings
OF royalty, still speaks with euthus-
lasm OF the few weeks which he sDenf
at Highcllne Castle in Hampshire not
IN ms role Of Kaiser, but i'm that of a
plain English country squire.
Wherever we look we find this Same
anxiety on the part of the Anointad OF
the Lord To escape even, if only for o
time, from the limelight of ROYALTY. and
from the glare which envelopes all
thrones. An actor does not yearu To be
before the footlights all the time. and at
every hour Of the day and night He
longs sometimes for escape from that
gaze OF the audience which necessarily
subjects his nerves to a strain
And so 1t is with rulers. with prime IS
and princesses Of the blood. They. too.
become wearied of being perpetually in
the eyes of the public, of PLAYING a role
no matter how exalted. to the gallery.
or feeling that their every word and ges-
ture, their appearance. and their apparel
are the subject of comment. and Of q
prying curiosity. which at times does not
dlsdain the use Of opera and field glasses
To some OF them who suffer from shy
ness. me consciousness of feeling them
selves the cynosUre Of all eyes is a posi-
i've torture. TO which they can never
become entirely accustomed. The three
daughters of King Edward, the late Duke
or Clarence. the late Empress of Aus
tr1a. have all suffered from this form, of
ssnsitveness, and those who know En-
peror William best insist that at anv rate
throughout the earlier years Of his reign
much OF his aggressiveness of manner
was due to an anxiety on his part to
conceal shyness that was all to his
credit
a few weeks hence viii find most Of the
crowned heads of Europe leaving their
dominions. engaged I'm foreign travel. and
IN seeking change Of scene at southern
winter resorts If they are aIwavs so
delighted 10 get away, and If they con-
slider the absence from their own country
in the light of a real holiday, il IS not
because they are in any way lacking in
love for their native land but merely
because it means temporary emancipa-
ton from the ceremonial, the pomp. the
etiquette, and, above all. the publicity Of
court life.
When away from home they can mingle
with the crowd, can pass among the lat
ter unperceived and unmolested. can OBJ
tain, indeed, a taste of the existence OF
plain, everyday citizen-and it would
seem that they like the taste, that they
appreciate its advantages. In fact. when
they are forced to return, and to resume
the harness of monarchy. to submit their
necks again 10 its yoke they talk re-
greuully 10 their holiday being at an
end. and Of the resumption Of their IL
lustrious status as If 1t We're a species
or gilded captivity.
Every reigning family furnishes in
stances. more or less numerous of princes
and princesses who have sought the
simple life, and who have manifested
their sympathy with the sentiments to
which the new King Of Sweden has Just
given such remarkable expression. He
himself has a brother Oscar by name
who resigned his prerogatives and rank
as prince Of the blood, and became an
ordinary Swedish citizen, in order to wed
the non-royal maiden of his choice Miss
EAha Munk, who was one Of his mothers
maids OF honor.
Oscar is. to-day, Count Wisborg. and
It is possible that his domestic happiness