The New York herald., 1922-01-01
Keeping Fit a Task
For Prince of Wales

~ vi w (A1 w
II was a decided contradiction Of the story
that the Prince was very sick young man.
The special diet of which we were given
such precise details certainly did not figure
in the daily menu.
Following the meal came another spell OF
moving, and then a series Of games Of clock
golf, of which the Prince never tired. Sea
bathing figured in his programme on two
occasions, hundred yards sprint preceding
them. The contestants were the Prince. the
Duke of York and their two equerries, and
the Prince won by matter Of yards each
time. He shapes better in running events
than in almost any other form of athletics,
except those involving horsemanship.
a favorite evening diversion was a walk
along the promenade, when the best known
young man in Europe mingled as freely with
his fathers subjects as any holiday making
clerk or shop assistant. Outside the grounds
Of the house he enjoyed, paradoxically
enough. his greatest freedom among the
crowds that packed the promenade and piers,
where no one would have mistaken him for
any one but an ordinary holiday making
young man. enjoying the heat and the crush
and his solitude, particularly his solitude, to
the full.
His Bedtime II O'clock Usually,
After an Evening of Music
Bedtime was rarely after IL o'clock, the
hour before which was mostly passed in
listening to the gramophone. The Prince
read no books and few newspapers during
his vacation. The only volumes I saw in
the house were of military and historical
interest; I saw no signs of a novel any
where.
Britain's Young Man has. it seems. lively
interest in music. He can play the piano
moderately well, but is a better audience
than executant. Even street music interests
him. as witness the following:
One morning a barrel organist brought
his instrument to q standstill near the
house and began his reperto e OF sadly
hackneyed refrains. Except Tor a sun
tanned young man in blue shirt, open at
the throat, leaning over some rusty rail-
ings close TO the road, and some urchins
playing noisily on the pavement, the scene
was deserted. In fact, from the business
point of view a worse pitch for a street musi-
clan could hardly be found.
Presently the instrumentalist came to his
last air-"Bubbles." The tune set the
urchins la-la-ing Justify, while the blue
shirted young fellow started to whistle gayly.
When the last note sounded with a thump
and q rumble, the organ grinder, who had
thus achieved distinction without knowing it,
paused eXpectantly a moment, then swung
away up the road and so out OF sight, while
Edward Prince Of Wales, still whistling
blithely, sauntered back to resume his NOW
ing.
Bubbles" figured largely in the Prince OF
Wnles's holiday music. The song, rendered
hv q tuneful American quartet was often
on the gramophone--the only musical instru-
mont In the house, and a cheap one at that.
The quantity Of used needles lying about
indicated that the machine had been made
to justify its existence there. Going all
day" I was informed by the person who
showed me over the house in the Princes
absence. "Ragtime and waltz tunes--over
and over again"
That blue shirt fancy OF his, by the way.
has a sequel In his night attire-blue crepe
de chine pajamas. And a blue dressing gown
hung on the door OF his bedroom which
might have been second floor room in any
second rate hotel. The second valet, doing
duty in place Of the first, who was sick, had
left pair Of steam hammer pressed (or so
they seemed) trousers hanging over the
back of chair. On bedside table was an
ash tray and half finished packet Of to-
bacco. the maker of which, understand is
unaware of the advertisement he is losing
And the ginger beer bottles i'm the back
yard! Edward Prince of Wales is mighty
fond of ginger beer, which is not saying
that he is a Pussyfoot. sprinkling Of sill
yer wrapped bottles reasSured one that hc
is not. But his taste in wines would not
make a connoisseur happy. The wines
themselves would be an unconscionable long
time in doing so.
The result of my quizzing has left me with
the distinct and possibly satisfying impress
sion that here is a young man who having
found that the Fates have cheated him OF
the ordinary young mans heritage, has, new
ertheless, resolved to face his destiny cheer
fully and dutifully.
An average young man, born Prince o.
Wales and bearing the responsibility more
manfully than most of us would bear it
this is how ! would sum up the heir to
Britains kingship.