The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 4, 1898, Page 20

THE SAN FRANOCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 189 20 WILHELMINA, THE NEW QUEEN OF HAPPY HOLLAND She Has Been Educated From Childhood for Her Exalted Position, and Next Juesday, Amid the Rejoicings of the Nation, She Will Be Growned With Great Geremony. I i M oommg o day Call from Amsterdam. BY GENEVIEVE GREEN. N view of the approaching corona- tion of Queen Wilhelmina thrifty little Holland is at present more thrifty than ever; in fact it fairly buzzes with energy and activity. The weavers of silk and the weavers of wool, the lace makers and the vari- are working early and ous modis late, not si ved and sallow cheeked, but radiant and rosy, weaving songs and laughs with their many colored threads. For among the people of Hol- land work is an intoxication—it is not as with us a means to an end, The Dutchman does not work to-day that he may rest to-night, but he rests to- night that he m: work to-morrow. ‘With the patriotic sentiment and the personal love of little Wilhelmina add- ed wonder to the every-d thrift it no nat the wheels are flying with rapidity and that all the pre a spectacle of house- cleaning. Tt no woman in Hol- land too poor to have a new gown for this fon and not only a gown but I am very sure that all the knitted lace with which these busy fingers have been occupied on winter nights beside the fire and on summer afternoons be- neath the trees will be utilized most effectively; for the people of Holland re are thorough in their homage as well as in everything el paration e—an external pre- would not suffice for their uls. es both in town and country the occasion, 1y the outsid but the in- in the hands of renovators. I do not doubt that the kettl es an extra luster, if that be possible, honor of Wilhelmina. I might well insert “if that be possi ble,” for if the milk cans that one sees in the stry be any indication the 7 brilliancy of these various utensils is normally all that one could imagin Oh, these Holland milk ¢ what things of beauty they are. What joys forever! They are absolutely inspiring, these golden dreams, gleaming and scintillating in the sunlight! I stop whenever I sce a milk cart drawn by its soft-footed dogs and wait to see the real milk poured into the vessel of the waiting housewife. Here the milk is suggestive of cows, not of dairi One thinks of Ruvsdael landscapes and lowing herds and mellow Ssunsets—of new mown hay and peaceful summer day And then by contrast comes the remembrance of milk wagons in Ameri- ca, of those awful, clattering cans that are wont in the hours of early dawn to disturb our peaceful slumbers. Attending the coronation event Wil- helmina and the Queen mother, Emma, are rusticating in Switzerland, and in the meantime the palaces at The Hague and at Amsterdam are given up to scrubbing-brush brigades. The marble walls are f: becoming white as driven SNOWw no yellowness of time is re- spected by these ardent” appliers of soap and water and.no spot is too re- mote to escape their eager search. Neither the beard of Jupiter, the draperies of Venus nor the curly hair of Apollo in the sculptured friezes of Artus Quellin affords any protection to wandering grains of dust. One feels that Diana has at last profited from her perpetual act of bathing and Mi- nerva could not have been more spot- ss on the day that she emerged brand WILHELMINA PLAYING QUEEN 4 YEARS OLD. FROM APHOTOGRAPH. new from the head of father Jupiter. That the Hollanders detest dirt is pro- verbial, but I am now convinced that it is not true—they adore it. Without it there would be no excuse to scrub and scrubbing is here a national delight. I wonder that a scrubbing brush has not ere this been woven into the heraldry of Holland. The palaces are supposed to be ¢ to visitors during these preparatlo: but the Dutch attendants, being good natured and exceedingly accom- sed modating, it is not hard to overcome whatever scruples they may have about breaking their rule. Yes; they like their tips as well the attend- ants in other parts of Europe, but they give you much more in return. They are very graclous and very generous with their information. Whether it be accurate or not does not count. It is equally interesting and answers the purpose just as well to the average tourist. 3 Alneady these brass-buttoned indi- viduals of the palaces are basking in the glory of the coronation. Were a crown going to be planted on eash of their several heads they could not manifest any greater interest in the affair nor show any greater degree of importance; however, their importance is always amiable, not aggressive. “Yes, I know Queen Wilhelmina very well, indeed,” said the stately attend- ant at Amsterdam, emphasizing the “indeed,” which I suspected was & new word in h nglish vocabulary. “I have known her since she was a little girl She always says ‘good day’ when she sees me in the palace. She is very amiable and very intelligent. T re- member as if it were yesterday when she was learning the multiplication ta- ble, “Is she pretty?” he exclaimed, in an- swer to the very feminine question of my companion. “She is beautiful She has lovely eyes and hair and is as graceful as"—. Here he stumbled for a simile, but it did not matter. I had learned that she was beautiful and amiable, intelligent, graceful and kKnew the multiplication table. Happy Wil- helmina and happy Holiand: Whom will, Wilhelmina wed is a very important guestion in Holland and one ates particularly the bosoms and hated employes. It es of rope have come “a courting,” but Wilhelmina is first a woman, then a Queen, and is reputedly very heartless where royal sighs and palpitations ars concern That Wilhelmina is beautiful, I do not believe. Her pietures do not )ust- ify the guide's enthusiasm. . That she is-amiable, I do believe, for amiability seems to be a Dutch characteristic. The spirit of accommodation that one finds in Holland is simply incredible to one who has never witnessed it. It is not easy to imagine a street car con- ductor, who will walk half a block with me on the busiest thoroughfare, to point out how and where to transfer, but this extraordinary being is not un- common in Amsterdam. On the afternoon that I visited Zaan- dam, 1 discovered another personage whe will deserve an epitaph must unique. . Zaandam is a very Dutch vil- lage, not far from Amsterdam. It is the famous little city of windmills, there being more than four hundred before the eyes at once. Her2z one sees the real Dutch life, the low green and red houses, the peasants in the na- tional costumes and strikingly conspiz- uous ‘the clumsy wooden_shoes. ‘When our train arrived on this par- ticular afternoon there was not a car- riage to be found. I am afraid that the Dutch esprit has not much apprecia- tion of the value of a carriage to one who has feet to walk with. However, before us stretched the miles of Hol- land country that we had come to see and without a carriage there sas ab- solutely nothing to do. I tried in, suc- n English and French on the busy ants, but received only a pleasant smile In return and no information. At last on the window of a thriving little store we discovered. this soothing mes- sage, “English spoken.” Ordinarily the stock of English behind such inserip- tions consigts of not more than “Yes, mam” and “Thank you,” and I had well-founded doubts of this institution, but anyhow the very suggestion was consoling and I entered. There was but one man in attendance, who was very much occupied in showing lace curtains to several buxom peasants, who no doubt were redecorating their best front rooms in honor of Wilhelmina. There were other customers waiting. I put the question to him about the carriage in very measured English, hoping not to bewilder him in the start, and re- ceived an answer equally measured and “under the circumstances quite surpris- ing. “The stable is very far from here,” he said, “but I will go with you and show you.” ‘Without further ado he found his hat, bowed politely to his customers and walked fully half a mile with us in search of that precious carriage. What- ever became (£ the lace-curtain sale I suppose I shall never know, but one thing is certain, should the wheel of fortune ever turn my way I shall go back to Zaandam and buy a Dutch lace curtain for each of my friends and each of my enemies. One thing that I have particularly remarked in Holland is the frequency of the Rembrandt type. Surely this genius painted the composite Hollander, masculine and feminine. In the young s I see the shadow of the wrinkled visages that he loved so well and the old people of Holland are walking Rem- brandts. Altogether this littlé king- dom is of untold interest. Those who find the square houses and the eternal and mathematica. order inartistic and tiresome have only to turn to the hund- reds of windmills outlined against the deep Holland sky, to the willows on the dykes, to the long grasses and in the town to the canal boats which make of it a thrifty Venice, for all the beauty of landscape that one can digest. After visiting other countries of Europe one is impressed with ~the lack of old cathedrals in Holland. Here are no spires, no chimes, no gargoyles—almost nothing to tell of the faith of Dutch forefathers. ‘O, thou Martha, busy about many things,” one can well say to Holland, and yet when the thought suggests itself of certain towns in Belgium for example, which have spires galore and withal 11,000 paupers in a population ~ PrOTOGRAPH of 50,000, one looks back at prosperous little Holland and wonders. BIRTH AND EDUCATION OF THE PRINCESS. HE happiést girl in all the world is Princess Wilhelmina, for on next Tuesday she is to be crowned Queen of the Netherlands. She is just 18 years old and will be ruler over milllons of people. And the people of Holland are happy because during the last eight years they have been ruled over by cne who was not of their own beloved house of Orange, Queen Emma. But the Queen has been a good mother and a good woman and the people love her dearly. About 6 o'clock on the 31st of August, 1880, the report of a cannon in the bar- racks at The Hague announced the birth of an heiress to the throne of the Netherlands. In an instant the tele- graph wires netting the kingdom were tingling with the same glad intelli- gence, and the brazen mouths of other cannon from one frontier to another were spreading the joyful tidings. Tele- grams were promptly sent to all crowned heads and to lmmediate rela- tives of the royal family. Congratulations were at once for- warded by both chambers cf the States General. The Hague arrayed itself in holiday attire; before the City Hall there was a grand illumination; city councils convened and sent their good wishes; the people were rejoicing in the thought that the danger of an elector being called to rule over them Was now more remote than ever, and in the city register was entered the birth ¢f Wilhelmina Helena Paulina Maria, the same young woman who will be crowned the day after to-mor- row. The coming of the little Princess was a matter of unusual importance. Break after break had been made by death in the House of Orange, and when the King, William III, on January 7, 1879, took as his second wife Princess Emma of Waldeck-Pyrment, his only son, Prince Alexander, was evidently marked by the finger of death. The birth of a daughter, therefore, strongly buoyed up the hoves that had suffered such shocks by the inroads death had made into the royal household. The little Princess was a pretty baby, and on the day of her baptism, when she was six weeks old, had all the ladies in the country in love with her. To the King the little Princess was his heart's best affection, and he re- gretted every hour spent away from her. She was constantly with him when she became large enough to run about. Her health was a source of great con- cern in the home and throughout the land, for during her early life she was by nc means strong, and this anxiety increased as the illness of the King grew apace and Wilhelmina remained the only child. . After the death of King William III, about eight years ago, the young Prin- cess was started on a course of study to prepare her for the responsibilities of her future positicn. This task was left to her mother, the Queen Regent, and hds been fulfilled to the most ex- acting requirement. The good woman has ruled wizely and well and can pass over the scepter of the monarchy to her daughter ~vith a clear conscience. No daughter ever had more just or more careful training than Princess ‘Wilhelmina. Her mother taught her obedience and kindness. The little girl's life was as regular as clock work and her hours for study were selected with great judgment. Before she was ten years old she was an example for all the children of Hol- land. “You must do as the Princess does,” sald the mothers to their daugh- ters. Like all children Princesy Wilhel- mina has had her favorite playthings. On her first visit to Switzerland she was geen carrying a small hand-bag, and when she declined to entrust this precious burden to any one else some thought it must contain her birthright to the throne of the Netherlands, or its regal crown. But it contained neither; in it was her pet doll, whom she was taking with her to enjoy the summer vacation. From infancy Wilhelmina had an English governess, and French was spoken in her presence by a special companion, so that as she grew up she absorbed two ‘anguages in addition to her own. But the lanzuage of her sub- jects has always been kept in the fore- ground, so that not even the most cap- tious critics can say that any gttempt has been made to wean her ffom the Hollanders’ love for their own tongue. But it was not only the languages which she studied—there was litera- ture, science, music, and all the sub- jects that demand the attention of a person seeking the highest culture. She rose at 7 o’clock, had breakfast at 8, and work began at 9. Her general education had been intrusted to Dr. Salverda de Grave, while the Court Chaplain gave her religious instruc- tion, and special masters were called in for lessons along their chosen lines of work. Princess Wilhelmina has been great traveler as well as student. She has been to nearly all the big cities of Europe and has been presented to most of the crowned heads. All through her life she has been a great lover of sports and nothi g gave her greater pleasure than to hand the prize to the winner of any athletic event. Charity and patriotism are two of her prineipal characteristics, and her people love her for them. Is this little girl able to rule Hol- land? The people think she is and will never be so happy as the day the crown is placed upon her head and they can call her “Queen Wilhelmina.” Truly will Amsterdam be gay during the coronation ceremonies next Tues- day. These are to last as long as the spirit keeps up. And in Holland that is usually a good long time. There are to be balls, parties, re- views, exhibitions, fireworks and any number of interesting functions. Add to this the fact that they take place during the best season of the year. The principal exhibition is to be a collection of Dutch national costumes. These will cover a period from the ear- liest times down to the present day. At The Hague there will be a speclal exhibition of woman’s work. Some may say that no one but a woman would have thought of ' the former, while it is perfectly natural that the queen bee should take cog- nizance of the other busy bees of her realm. There will also be a procession of ships, organized by Dutch sallors, each by its rig and the uniform of its crew representing a different country. A historic exhibition illus- trating the works of Rembrandt will complete the serlous part of the fes- tivities, but there will be lighter forms of amusement, such as fireworks, par- ades, processions and gala perform- ances without end. ‘Who will be invited to this solemn function? Every crowned head with whom the Netherlands enjoys diplo- matic relations, and perhaps the repub- lics, too, and the immediate relatives of the Queen. Who will attend? None of the crown- ed heads, but each will be represented by some one whose rank is less than that of the Queen. For it is first and foremost her coronation, and no one should be present whose worldly glory could eclipse hers. No Queen or King can be present. The exercises will take place in the New Church at Amsterdam and that feature which will make her Queen of the Netherlands will be the placing of her hands upon the Bible and saying: “1 swear to the people of the Ne- therlands to observe and maintain the fundamental laws of the con- stitution. I swear to defend and to preserve to the best of my abil- ity the independence and the integ- THE PALACE rity of the kingdom, to safeguard public and individual liberties, as well as the rights of all my gub- jects, and to apply to the task of fostering the prosperity of the na- tion all the means which the law glnces at my disposal, as it is the uty of a good Queen to do. And may God help me in this.” Then, taking the crown passed to her by the Minister of State, she will put it upon her head, and resting there it will register her vows, and all believe that each word will be sealed by deeds. Ne one who knows the character of this sweet girl, writ in her own words and acts, believes anything else but that for the first Queen of the Netherlands hap- piness is certain and success is sure. —eee— “CRIMINAL TYPE"” NONSENSE. A few yedrs ago most of us had con- siderable faith in Lombroso’s “criminal type.” We looked at ear lobes and finger nails, and thought we detected in them_the ‘“stigmata of degenera- tion.” ~This illusion was lost when it was found that in fact the criminal was about as well formed as the jury or the judge. The “criminal type” fell into oblivion. But the “criminal mind” remained. The psychology of evildoers must have something in it radically different from that of “‘respectable people.” We forgot the force of the Rev. John Newton's saying, when he saw a thief led to the gallows: “There goes John Newton but for the grace of God.” Now, however, such authorities as Nacke and Baer and Dallemagne have pronounced the whole edifice of “crimi- nal psychology” a phantom and a de- lusion. Criminals are just like other people of their sex, age and condition in life. They are tempted, fall and are caught (especially the last), and that is the only difference—Dr. Brinton in Science. —_—————— Fighting tops in men-of-war have been used as far back as the sixteenth century and the deadly fire which can be poured from them is illustrated in the death of the great Nelson. Drawings of the Egyp- Han®and Asiatic warships of 2000 B. C. show us vessels fitted with military fight- ing tops. The Mora, Willlam the Con- ueror's ship, is shown in the well-known %ayeux tapestry as having a construe- tion_at the masthead which looks very much like a fighting top. The French led the way in regard to the present-day for- tified fighting top, and many of their bat- tleships are fitted with the most remark- able creations of this kind. % FATE OF AN EARLY BIRD THAT FAITHFULLY FOLLOWED AN OLD PROVERB. CHICK (READING)—THE EARLY BIRC GETS THE WORM, EH? I'LL SEE-ABOUT THAT AND GO A-HUNTING" “BY JOYE! THERE MUST BE-SOMETHING IN THAT PROVERB AFTER ALL THIS LOOKS LIKE A WORM." “THAT'S WHAT IT IS, SURE ENOUGH. OH, I'M AN EARLY CHICK, | AM. WATCH ME TACKLE LITTLE WORMY." HIS SNAKESHIP—RIGHT YOU ARE, LITTLE CHICK-A-DEE; : BUT LET'S REVERSE THAT PROVERB.