The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-03
Date for Observance Through
out Kingdom Changed From
June to June 22.
La MARQUIsE DE FONTENoY.

n
made in London to the effect
that tho forty ninth birthday OF
King George. which occurs on Wcdncs-
day, June 3, is to be officially colebrat-
cd In all parts Of his dominions on Mon
day. the 22nd OF June. According to
present arrangements, the King and
Queen will be absent from London on
June 3. ana 1t IS for the sake OF his
convenience. and in order to enable
him TO be present ut the ceremony OF
tho trooping OF the colors, which is :,
feature of his official birthday cclebra-
ton, that the date OF tho observance
has been changed
English rulers are so far az am
aware. the only monarchs who have as
sumed this right OF altering the date
or their birthday celebrations TO suit
their convenience. Thus, King Edward
who was born on the 9th OF November.
always throughout his reign celebrnt-
ed the anniversary thereof on some day
In June. and. although Queen Victoria
was born on May "a. yet the event was
Invariably observed several weeks
later.
The Prince OF Wales. during his visit
ten days ago TO Copenhagen. was in
vested there by King Christian with
the Order OF tho Elephant. Article 81
Of the statutes Of that order explicitly
prohibits the knights under penalty of
l.
In View OF the fact that the order In
question, which is among the most an
Gent in Europe. corresponding In inn
portance ana prestige TO the Garter In
England. to the Golden Fleece OF Aus
tria and Spain. and TO tho Black Eagle
of Prussia. is conferred only upon mem
bcrs OF the reigning houses. and upon
statesmen OF the very highest rank. the
prohibition might appear unnecessary.
But this Is very far from being the
case orders OF this kind occasi ona!ly
find their way Into the pawnshop. and
there arc many who will recall the dis
graceful lawsuit In which the Spanish
prrtcnder. Don Carlos, became involved
some twenty-five years ago at Milan.
when he vas proved in court to have
pawned at the municipal Mont de Pictc,
or pawnshop there, his jewelcd insignia
OF the Golden Fleece: the identical in
sigma which had been made at the be
ginning of the fifteenth century for
Duke Philip the Good. the founder Of
the order. and which had been subsc-
uucnuy worn by Emperor Charles V.
throughout his entire reign.
AS In The case OF the insignia OF the
Golden Fleece, many OF the stars and
badges OF the orders OF knighthood are
Of great intrinsic value. Thus, the
mere star OF the British Order OF the
Star OF India is valued by jewellers at
near 1000, owing to the presence OF
having been made matter of court
record n few years ago. when the star
Belonging TO the late Lord Wolver-
hampton, ono time Secretary of State
for India, was found by the police In
a London pawnshop, where II had been
pledged by "a dishonest servant, who.
to make matters worse. had intimated
that he was pawning IL on behalf OF
his employer. This explanation did not
appear in the least bit strange TO the
pawnhrokcr, who minated that he
was quite accustomed 10 receiving in
sigma of orders of knighthood on
pledge.
Tho principal feature of the Order
OF tho Elephant. founded In 1862. "a
the jcweled elephant which. according
TO the statutes Of the order. has been
chosen as the symbol OF the orraniza-
ton in consequences OF the reputation
which the pachydcrm enjoys for
strength, saGacity. and, above all. pro-
priety-thrcc virtues which appeared
30 tho founder of the order TO surpass
all others in Importance. lust why
King Christian ]. OF Denmark should
nave regarded the elephant as tho
prude OF the animal world am unable
TO say. But tho fact remains that
either the King was laborng under a
dcluSion, or else that the moral char
actcr of the elephant has, like so many
other things. become iniuriously affect
GU , !iloucGH progress ana cnllEhten-
mcnt.
No story Of the order OF the Elephant
would be complete without "A reference
10 the extraordinary remark made by
the Danish Special ambassador sent to
iaTis in lSlI. 10 present the Order of
the Elephant to King Louis XVIII In
handing the insignia to that monarch.
in the presence of the assembled French
court. ne, wishing to make clear TO
Louis its equality with the French Or
der OF the Holy Ghost, exclaimed
solemnly: sire notre Saint ESPRIT
nous c'est nm elephant. Daignez Ie
res"voir." tSirc our Holy Ghost is an
elephant. peign to receive it) Louis
XVIII, in spite of his phenomenal obes-
ity' was an amazingly witty man. with
Keen sense of humor. and he after
wards declared that he had never in his
life found so much difficulty in refrain
ing from burst of laughter, and from
the utterancc of the witticism which
lowered on tho tip of his tongue in
reply.