OCR Text |
Show throne in preference to the glitter and gloss and sham of tho throne 1 built on the false and base in human conduct. Too bad that King George was not sufficiently blessed with true manhood as to have spurned the kingship and have clung to bis wife and the children of their union. t BRUTAL DEMANDS OF ROYALTY. The new king of England has had a sad history. He comes to the throne by reason of the fact that he sacrificed a wife in order to hold his royal perogatives. Here is a note from his biography that will make the average American wonder in astonishment at the de- : mands of royalty: ! "It should not be forgotten in considering the attributes of the new king, that he was not brought up as heir to the crown. The : chroniclers who were in a position to know state that he came to tho I honors and duties of heirship with no desire, and with real regret. ! He was 27 years old before he became heir to the crown through the death of his eldest brother, Prinoo Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale. "Prior to that time ho had been at liberty, as the mere second son of tho then Prince of Wales, the late king, to follow in a large degree his own inclinations. Tho3o inclinations were for a quiet life, j with little pomp and public appearance. He loved the sea, which he had actively followed since he was 12 years old, when he entered ' the navy. As the "sailor Prince" he was popular with Englishmen and had far wider popularity then than he ever enjoyed while Prince of Wales. He wanted to live unostentatiously and to pursue hia career in bis own way. "He had married morganatically, a woman whom he loved and who loved him a nieoc of Vice-Admiral Tryon of tho British navy, who lost bis life in the Victoria-Oamperdown collision in tho Mediterranean Med-iterranean in 1893. The wedding took place in the English church at Malta and two children were born to the couple. Such was tho situation in January, 1892, when the Duke of Clarence died. George found himself the heir to the throne, with vast duties awaiting him. j Immediately hi3 entire life was changed. Ho had to give up the ) sea, he had to abandon his retired life, ho had to part from hi3 ! morganatic wife. The heir to tho throne of the British Empire faced I duties inconsistent with tho life possible to a Prince not in the direct j line of succession." j He had married morganatically and, therefore, was forced to put the wife of his choice aside, so as to fall heir to a throno! Well, j the averago American if given the choice of lovo and affection as I Bjrainst tho comn nnd .remitry of a Wp? wonld choos the heftver.lv J |