QUEEN EMMA OF HOLLAND

Western Star, Issue 1339, 23 March 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

QUEEN EMMA OF HOLLAND

Quite another style of woman is Queen Emma (says a Hague letter to the Philadelphia Bulletin?) to whom the Dutch are recouciled only because she is a good nurse for their king. Popular she could

never be, because the Dutch detest even the most talented Germans, and Emma is a Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont. However the king adores her, and is only contented in her society, and she seems to think there is no difference between thirty years and three-score and ten. When William went to Potsdam to attend the marriage of his brother he little dreamed of marriage, but he met Helen of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now Duchess of Albany and he felt that at 61 life might recommence were she to become Queen of Holland. Helen looked upon her aged admirer with scorn, and refused his flowers and jewels. One day William over-heard Emma say to her sister—" I should never refuse to become a queen." "Ah " he said " as you find your sister is wrong will you marry me?" Immediately she accepted, and in 1879 became Queen of Holland. Those who were at the Dutch Conrfc when Emma made her tntree say she was as simple as a child; that she looked upon the palace as a marvel, danced and laughed as though she was not conscious that the courtiers were criticising her every gesture. The aged husband was shocked, but very kindly led her before the portrait of his mother, the proud Marie Paulo wna, and said, " She never danced ; a queen should never laugh in public." Emma, like a country gretchen, accepted the rebuke with a good grace and "since then," say the Dutch, " we have nothing serious to criticise in her deportment, but the manner in which she murders our language we can hardly forgive." Already has Emma begun to teach the Princess' Wilhelmina the duties of a sovereign. When in 1886, the King was ill, the Socialists were daring, Queen Emma, without a word to her husband, calmed the disturbance in three days. Of her daughter she wishes to make a king not a queen. Not long ago her horses ran away. The coachman was thrown out and she, with Wilhelmina, just escaped. Orders were given to bring out fresh horses, for " if we do not start again my daughter will learn the meaning of the word fear. Queen Emma is a brunette rather pretty, according to the Germans beautiful, has a peculiar habit of winking which detracts much from her appearance. Over the King she has control, and if he objects to any decision made by her she threatens to leave the palace to him—a dream of unhappiness. Every day the Royal family dines at seven; afterwards there is music and reading by the Queen, whose audience consists usually of her husband, daughter and the Jonkheer Alewyn, the only person whom William cares to see.