Cañon City record., 1909-11-18
The Queen of Holland

deserted street before a square stone
house. They apparently were looking
for something to happen. Another wo-
man and another joined the crowd.
1t became a dozen decently gowned
and respectable looking middle-aged
women standing before this plain two
and one-half storied house-a severely
simple looking house, not so large as
Major Hoods, nor so imposing look
ing as Mrs. Plumb's, nor nearly SO
grand as the Irwin home. We noticed
two soldiers parading before the
house.
The women kept gathering. When
there were, perhaps, score, police
man spoke to them. They exchanged
smiles with him-that was all. And
still from every direction women kept
coming. We could speak no Dutch
but 1t flashed over us that the little
square stone house was a palace of
some sort and that there was to be a
royal show. So by signs we found
out that the Queen was to appear.
1t seems that the people had been
holding a great celebration in honor
of the Queens new baby. who was a
month old that day, and that the Queen
would ride home that way. Also that
little stone house was the royal pal
ace.
So, as we had seen no kings and
queens, we squatted on the steps Of
= bank building, catacornered from
the palace. while the crowd thickened.
to watch what might appear. In fve
minutes the street was filled. In ten
It was a jam. The pleasant-faced po-
hcemen did what they could. which
was precious little. but the crowd
packed tighter and tighter.
We climbed on an iron fence and
looked down the street. There were
as many people in the street fifteen
minutes after we stopped there as
saw Taft In Emporia. and that crowd
was two hours in assembling. People
seemed to spring out of the earth.
They say that before this baby was
born this same crowd-mostly women
stood for a whole day and night in
front of that little stone palace wait
Ing for the stork to light. There are
disadvantages in the queen business
Just as there are In the newspaper
business. or dry goods business.
Well-that day. as we were perched
on the iron railing of the bank build
Ing. across from the little stone pal
ace, there were two or three false
alarms; and then one could hear the
cheering away down the street. Some
fiashy soldiers came riding through
the throng-perhaps a dozen soldiers
in all. They were followed by a squad
Of policemen. and then-while the
people cheered. an open hack. not
much. If any, better than Pete New
hack-passed us.
In the hack were the Queen and her
husband. She was a pink-cheeked.
girlish looking persona Dutch
blonde. with not much of a figure. who
waved a wooden Acknowledgement of
the cheers of her people as II she were
thinking. yes, yes. | know under
stan-of course-of course-but for
Heavens sake hush"
She was not unkind. nor unpleasant,
but she was tired and her head ached.
and she didn't care for the noise. Be
aide her was her husband. He wasn't
much. But he answered all purposes.
After the royal party came half a
dozen policemen and a carriage full
Of royal kin and some rubbernecks in
another carriage.
The crowd stood about the palace
and cheered and hoped the Queen
would show the baby. but 1t was prob
ably asleep For the baby did not
appear. and gradually the crowd dis
solved. and we were left to consider
our first sight of royalty
The next day. driving through the
town. we came into a park. and in the
park was house about the size OF
the Normal library building. 1t had
a limestone false front and red brick
sides. and did not look any more like
4 palace than the Century school
house. Yet 1t is called The House in
the Woods" and It is the summer resi-
dence of the pudgy little queen. who
clearly Is skinned for money and does
not keep It up az It should be kept
The lights in the park are oil lamps
the only place in all Europe or in the
Islands OF the sea where we did no,
find electric lights.
But to return TO the Queen and her
oonsort-they say they are not yery