Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-06-24

This atate on things could not
last. Why should | seek TO excuse my
seifs Neglected By those who ought
TO have watched over my childhood.
outraged In the tenderest part of my
nature. will admit to You that did
become hardened and deprAved.
took TO play. and plunged heavily into
debt: drank. and Ia short INDUCED
IN designations which speedily became
= public scandal
One day affairs came 10 crisis.
The king had sent tor me to confront
me with the claims Of certain credi-
tors who had sent In their accounts
to him. and insoiently demanded Pay
ment. was not Iii the palace: 1
search Was made for me, and they
discovered me In the parlor 81 ! tavern
In q disrep0table quarter OF the city.
was even slightly intoxicated. and
In this state they brought me before
William III, one OF the most decorous
OF men.
His language quickly restored me
to my senses. AZ soon as We were
alone together. he used To mo express
sions so degrading that exclaimed
Indignantly
| Remember, sire, that am OF the
race OF Orange equally with yourself
| You are nothing az the Sort.
he retorted tiercely. md then suddenly
checked himself. and trembled all over
like q man who has Just committed
q desperate deed, and realizes the
consequences when II II too late.
/ II would be idle to describe the
shock which was caused to me by
these words. As soon ia | could col.
lect myself sufficiently TO speak, In.
sisted on an explanation. Whether No
saw that he had gone too tar to draw
back, or whether he hoped that the
knowledge OF the truth would work !
change In my future conduct. Ne gaye
way. and revealed 10 me the terrible
secret which has blasted my life.'
This secret" continued the amhas-
sador after moments pause, which
learned on that night from the lips
OF Prince Citron.' have never COM
municated to q human being. Though
the death OF William III many years
ago released me from my pledge, I
have felt that II was too grave q mat
ter to be spread abroad. There
can be no longer any object In giving
you the princes own woris; will
therefore briefly tell you the facts ~
! ascertained them from him at this
time. At a subsequent period | was At
the court or the Hague. which was
then thrown into profound excitement
over the celebrated affair OF the Ruby
OF Bhurani--a story which you must
ask me to relate to you at another
time. ] then made guarded attempt
to approach King william himself. and
sound him on the subject, but he was
too cautious to allow me To see that
he understood my hints.
ut Is necessary to recall the inter-
ests which turned on the birth OF an
heir to the king. In order to prepare
yourself for what took place. II was
In the year 1851 that the people OF the
Netherlands were agitated by the In
telligence that Queen Sophia. who had
been married to William III for twelve
years, was about to give birth to
child. 1t was felt that II this child
should prove to be boy. the long.
vexed question Of Lnxemburg would
be set at rest. and hence the anxiety
which prevailed.
THE king himself, as you will gather
from what l have already repeated,
was not less concerned than his sub
jects, In short. the queens bedside
became the center OF the most terrible
suspense. The king could hardly be
induced to leave her for q moment,
the chief physician OF the court took
up his residence in the palace, and
the prime minister was constantly In
attendance.
In spite Of every precaution, how
ever, the birth took place prematurely
at an unexpected moment. when only
the physician and single nurse were
present In the royal chamber. The
doctor. man OF great resolution. In.
stantly dispatched the woman to In
form the king that he was a father,
and to request him to come Immediate
ly to the spot.
His Majesty, who was In an adj |
joining room. hastily obeyed the sum
mons, and the physician, shutting |
the nurse into another apartment. |
broke to him the fearful intelligence |
that the child just born was OF the
feminine sex, while, owing to the un-
happy circumstances OF the case. 1t |
was impossible that the queen could
ever again become a mother.
THE dilemma I'm which William
III now found himself was indeed q
desperate one. This girl, his only
child, must clearly succeed to the
throne OF the Netherlands. AZ clearly,
she could never occupy that Of Lnxem.
burg In order to secure the Grand
Duchy 1t was necessary that King
William Ill should have son: the
possibility of his having one had now
disappeared.
In his extremity the unfortunate
king even sounded the physician as to
he prospect OF life for his queen.
10 whom he was much attached. But