The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-05-07
NCLANDAMONG
E1EpA!.R!.TE.g KINGS 4.
his Last utterance.

one OF the last utterances at,
.lribated to King EGward was: "Well,
| lit Is an over, but think have done,
my duty.
He seemed then TO have reached o
Ifdll realization that his end was fast
approaching.
The queen and others Of the royal
family and four doctors had been con,
stantls in the sick room Throughout
the day. Several hours before his
death the king was in a comatose.
state, but he rallied slightly between
b and 10 O'clock and appeared %
recognize his family Then he lapsed
into unconsciousness which ended in
/ his passing.
when DR.. st, Clair Thomson, the
ereats throat specialist, was called in
yesterday morning, IT was expected
that an operation on the throat would
| be necessary. but after conference
| il was decided that the lungs were
| the seat OF the most serious symptoms.
Experts we're hold in readiness to ad'
minister an anesthetlc, but there was
fear that the weakness OF the kings
heart might result in a fatal issue
ain1d mn operation was set aside as
last resort,
King Edwards Career.
When Edward VII. of England
bfeathed his last there came to a
close the life OF unique personality.
He was loved almost universally, first
Of all as a man whose natural at
tributes made him dear to the hearts
Of his subjects, and next as a monarch
whose ability to fulfill the role which
he was called on to assume was dem.
onstrated consplcuously.
Edward VII, by the grace of God
Of the United Kingdom Of Great
Britain and Ireland. and of the British
dominions beyond the seas king, de
fender Of. the faith, emperor Of India"
was his title.
Subject to the fierce criticism in his
youth because Of his manner of life,
he lived down rather unenviable
reputation through long years Of more
careful conduct and succeeded in win.
ming, the confidence of all the people
assaItnosta no other sovereign of Great
Britain, except his mother, Queen
Victoria had done. s'es -.'ss' ~ -''r4,''
As a statesman, he was active and
suGcessfulS particularly in the field
Of foreign affairs The fact that he
was the idol OF the people made him
a useful instrument of the ministry
and enabled him at the same time to
WELD more influence than had been
conceded to the throne in the past He
was an able diplomat, and in all the
more important questions of foreign
policy which came up during his short
reign he made himself felt. In
domestic politics he was less active,
but he succeeded in strengthening the
position Of the monarchy with the
masses, effectually killing whatever
anti.royalist sentiment existed at the
time Of his accession. His Influence
with his ministers in an advisory
capacity was much more pronounced
than was that Of Queen Victoria, al.
though his attitude on the political
questions of the day was not de-
fined.
Edward VII. assumed the throne on
| the death of Queen Victoria, on Janu.
airy %, 1901, and he was king less
than ten years. It was as sports.
man that the British people loved
most to think Of him. He was an en-.
thusiastic patron of horse racing, and
was fond Of yacht racing, cricket
athletics and shooting. His love Of
cards was almost a passion in. his
earlier days. and his gambling for
high stakes got him in trouble scy.
iernl times. When, in 1909, his. horse,
Minoru, won the Derby at EPSON,
there was scene Of enthusiasm at
the track which was unparalleled,
Twice before he won the Derby, with
Persimmon, in 1896. and with Diamond
Jubilee. in 1900,
In personal appearance the king
was a typical Englishman. He was
rather below the average stature, of
strong and heavy build. His rpddy
face betokened good health and good
spirits up to short time ago. He
wore his gray beard trimmed to q
sharp point. His thin circle of gray
hair diminished until he was quite
bald. Even in his later days he con.
tinued to be one OF the best dressed
men in Europe and was regarded as
a model for quiet refinement of dress
and bearing.