The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-06-19

up far more strictly than any clergy
mans SON. Young George Augustus
Frederick was kept busy by his tutors.
lectured by his parents and guarded
against any knowledge Of the world s
gayety. II there was anything In strict
upbringing he ought to have grown
into a sort of a saint. Instead when
he was eighteen and the bondage OF
tutors and father WAS removed), he
became one OF the worst blackguards
of his time.
This was in 1880 The moment his
education was finished Prince George
started another sort OF education on
his own account Forgetting every
lesson of decency that had been
taught him he plunged into the Wild
est, most depraved dissipation. he
drank. gambled, defied the moral law
HIS life was national scandal. A
liar, a libertine, a drunkard. a man
who gambled with money that was
not his own, he is said to have added
to his other vices by such crooked
horse racing deals" that the Jockey
club had to warn him on the turf
With it all he was handsome, had
! charm OF manner-when he cared to
and was a slave las well as master)
to fashion. These qualities won him
the title OF First Gentleman OF Eu-
rope" His sayings, his dress, his
manner were copied by the fast set"
and his approving nod was coveted by
social climbers. Though he was often
kindly in careless sort OF way, when
1t cost him nothing, yet there Is per-
haps no case known where he sacri-
feed his own comfort or pleasure for
any one.
His first political act was to join
his fathers enemies in parliament.
In return for his support these poll
ticians tried to raise Georges yearly
allowance from $250.000 to $500, 600.
His father, George Ill. refused to al
| low this And father and son grew to
hate each other. The prince proceed
| ed to run deep into debt and to marry
Mrs. FItzherbert. AS crown prince
Of England he had no right to marry
without his fathers consent. When
| he was brought to account for 1t he
calmly denied the marriage and lured
an unsuspecting friend (the states
man, Fox into publicly backing the
denial.
More and more money he got from
, parliament as time went on But
every penny OF it went into gambling
or for other low purposes. lie was
forever in debt. His father went in
sane, partly because OF his sons be-
havior. George amused his cronies
by mimicking the crazy kings raw
ings Then In 1875, during a lucid
interval, King George III. offered to
pay the princes debts IL he would
marry the Princess Caroline OF Bruins
wick. George consented.
The marriage was most unhappy.
Caroline was frivolous and eccentric.
George was brutal and neglectful.
They separated after the birth of their
only child. the Princess Charlotte
(who died in 1870. George then ma
liciously accused his wife of unfaith-
fulness and of other crimes. Though
q court acquitted her, yet her reputa-
ton was wrecked.
George meantime had deserted his
old friends and contracted new debts,
His fathers insanity became perma-
nent and George was made regent OF
Great Britain His vile life then grew
more and more public scandal. BY
the time his father died in 1920 and
the prince mounted the British throne
as King George w., the people hated
him. He was hissed In the public
streets. Once his carriage was
stoned An attempt was also made to
murder him He did little for his
country, caring for politics only as a
means to get more gambling money
for himself.
He won a momentary popularity by
visiting Ireland in 1921 and Scotland
in 1922. He was the first British
king to set foot In Scotland for l72
years and he was gladly received.
(Sir Walter Scott, the great writer,
was so proud Of the monarchs visit
that he begged leave to keep forever
the glass out of which George took
his first drink on Scotch soil George |
gave him the glass. Scott put 1t in
his coat tail pocket for safe keeping; |
then, forgetfully, sat down on it,
In 1880. at the age of sixty-seven,
George w. died. Bad as he was and |
hated by decent people. England had |
fiourished nightly during his reign. |
But the lands prosperity was accom-
plished in spite Of its king, not through
any effort of his.
Worthless George ". had uncon-
sciously taught England an immortal
lesson; namely, that king is largely
q fgurehead and that a country's
greatness depends not on him, but |
upon its people.